Damayan Statement On Anti-Asian American Pacific Islander Hate
We in the Damayan Migrant Workers Association strongly condemn the violent attack on 65-year old Vilma Kari and express sympathy to our fellow Filipina. Damayan is a Filipino grassroots organization in New York that provides critical services and empowers low-wage Filipino workers, especially domestic workers, to promote labor, health and immigrants’ rights.
Last Monday, March 29, Vilma Kari was attacked in broad daylight in Midtown Manhattan. She was kicked in the torso, stomped on the head three times, and verbally assaulted with anti-Asian remarks. Staff members at the luxury apartment building who witnessed the attack did not intervene or help. Vilma was rushed to the hospital with serious head injuries and a fractured hip. This violent incident happened three blocks away from the Damayan office.
No person should be attacked for being Asian. Violence against the Asian American and Pacific Islander community must end!
While Vilma Kari’s attacker has been arrested, we will not let this incident create a wedge between working class Asian communities and any other community. We reject any attempt to pit the Asian community against other working-class Black and Brown communities. All our communities have been disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and we share lived experiences against systemic racism, crippling unemployment, exploitative employers, and skyrocketing rents. Asians, including Filipinos, have stood shoulder-to-shoulder with the Black community, and we join the millions around the country demanding justice for George Floyd and other victims of police violence!
In the last year, the Trump administration fueled the attacks against Asian Americans with his bigoted scapegoating around the COVID-19 pandemic, alongside anti-immigrant and anti-refugee policies. His demagogy built on over a century of anti-Asian racism, scapegoating, and mob violence against our communities. The non-stop U.S. militarism in the Asia-Pacific has contributed to this. We oppose branding Asian Americans and immigrant workers as national security threats or the enemy within.
We demand justice for Vilma Kari and all victims of anti-Asian hate crimes. We deserve to have equal human rights and to live in peace within our communities. We call on our working class brothers and sisters to take care of each other, and do not let anyone inflame hatred or prejudice among us. More than ever, we must reject hate and systemic racism, and stand together in solidarity.
Damayan stands for working class solidarity and will join rallies and protests to demand an end to Anti-Asian hate crimes. Damayan will also hold an online membership meeting on Saturday, April 10, 6:00-8:30pm, to organize and train our members on individual and community safety and on building solidarity to stop anti-Asian hate and violence.
Justice for Vilma and all victims of anti-Asian violence!
Solidarity, resources, protection and justice for all Asian, Black, and Brown communities!
