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Condemnation of Anti-Asian Incidents of Hate

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RAMS condemns the recent surge in violence against the Asian community, including last night’s shooting in Atlanta, Georgia, which left eight victims dead, six of whom were Asian women. Although details are continuing to emerge in this investigation, the broader context of increased racial violence in the U.S. cannot be ignored. 

Among the many painful and frustrating challenges resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic is a sudden increase in acts of hate against Asian Americans and immigrants. According to Stop AAPI Hate, a project of the Asian Pacific Policy & Planning Council, there have been roughly 2,300 incidents reported across the country since RAMS released its condemnation of anti-Asian racism in April 2020. These past few months have seen yet another surge of physical and verbal assaults against Asian individuals, many of them women and elders. Nearly 300 reports of hate and discrimination have been made in San Francisco alone, including, in one instance, the fatal assault of an 84-year-old man in January of this year.

Combating a crisis, whether a pandemic spread through a virus, or through hate, takes the collective efforts of the community; a divided community cannot truly recover. As an agency staffed by, and serving, members of highly diverse and underrepresented populations, RAMS condemns all acts of racism and violence. None of us at RAMS are strangers to racism, or the resulting trauma in our work and our lives. RAMS is committed to protecting the well-being of our staff and our communities. 

RAMS continues to affirm its commitment to strengthening the SF Bay Area community through cultural understanding and cooperation. We call for the compassionate treatment of all people regardless of sex, age, religion, race, ethnicity, or cultural background.

If you, or someone you know is a victim of racial harassment, you may do the following:

  • Contact local law enforcement and file a report with Stop AAPI Hate, which has received over 3,800 reports since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. 
  • You may also report hate crimes by calling the San Francisco District Attorney Hate Crimes Hotline at (415) 551-9595. 
  • Many anti-Asian attacks have been perpetrated against older adults; elder abuse can be reported by calling the DAS Benefits and Resource Hub at (415) 355-6700. 
  • For those seeking counseling within the SF Behavioral Health System of Care, please reach out to RAMS Adult/Older Adult Outpatient Clinic’s Intake line at (415) 668 5955 Ext. 327.
  • For those seeking counseling and are outside the SF Behavioral Health System of Care, please reach out to the RAMS Asian Family Institute Intake line at (415) 668-5998.

To learn more about racism, its effects, and what one can do about it, please refer to the resources below.

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