Contact: GovPress@wisconsin.gov

MADISON — Gov. Tony Evers today announced he will join the #StopAsianHate Virtual Wisconsin Day of Action and Healing tomorrow, Fri., March 26, 2020, and encourages Wisconsinites to participate in support of our Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community and to reach out to their AAPI family, friends, and neighbors.

“Bigotry, discrimination, and racialized violence toward Asian American and Pacific Islander elders, families, and community members is not new in our country. But over this past year, we’ve seen an alarming increase in anti-Asian harassment and violence as individuals even at the highest levels of government have used xenophobic and racist rhetoric to stoke fear around the coronavirus pandemic,” said Gov. Evers.

Anti-Asian incidents and violence against Asian Americans have surged over the past year as there has been increased racist rhetoric surrounding the coronavirus pandemic. Since March of last year, according to Stop AAPI Hate, there have been nearly 3,800 hate incidents self-reported by Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, though those numbers are likely higher due to underreporting. The governor last week echoed President Joe Biden’s calls for attacks on Asian Americans to stop. The next day, on March 16, 2021, six of eight people killed in an Atlanta mass shooting were Asian American women. Wisconsinites across the state last week hosted rallies against anti-Asian violence and in support of the AAPI community. The governor spoke with members of the AAPI community as there is more work to be done in partnering to support our AAPI communities across the state.

“The harassment, attacks, and violence against our Asian American and Pacific Islander family members, friends, and neighbors has to stop,” Gov. Evers said. “I call on Wisconsinites to help end this dangerous rhetoric and condemn racist harassment, attacks, and violence. We can all do more.”

  Tomorrow, March 26, the AAPI Coalition of Wisconsin is hosting a #StopAsianHate Virtual Wisconsin Day of Action and Healing and joining AAPI organizations and community leaders across the country in a #StopAsianHate Virtual Day of Action and Healing. The event will begin at 5:30 p.m. More details for joining are available here. A day of action toolkit is available here for those who are unable to join the virtual event but who are interested in joining the conversation on social media.

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