TO:                  All Staff & Medical Staff
FROM:

James Jackson, Interim Chief Executive Officer
Taft Bhuket MD, Board of Trustee President
Tracy Jensen, Board of Trustee Vice President
Jennifer Esteen, Board of Trustee Secretary/Treasurer
Kinkini Banerjee, Board of Trustee
Luisa Blue, Board of Trustee
Jeanette Dong, Board of Trustee
Alan E. Fox, Board of Trustee
Sblend A. Sblendorio, Board of Trustee

DATE:            March 20, 2021

SUBJECT:      Standing in Solidarity with our Asian American & Pacific Islander Community

Dear AHS Family,

As leaders of an organization whose vision and mission includes eliminating disparities and serving all, we are outraged by the recent acts of discrimination, harassment, and violence against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in our communities and nationwide.

Our deepest condolences go out to the families of those killed and harmed, and to all members of the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community experiencing trauma from this violence. Elders are venerated members of AAPI communities, and the cruelty of targeting seniors is simply beyond the pale.

The recent shooting that took the lives of marginalized working-class immigrant women in the Atlanta Area, including six Asian women, reveal the intersectional nature of class, racialized and gendered violence, as well as racialized sexual violence. These acts and the statement that the assailant was “having a bad day” by a Georgia police officer is infuriating, heartbreaking and a painful reminder of the long history of racially motivated harassment towards the AAPI community.

Over the past four years, the inflammatory rhetoric, racism, anti-immigrant bias and xenophobia have been relentless. With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, we saw a sharp rise in hate crimes, and discriminatory acts against Asians and Asian Americans.

Discrimination towards this highly diverse community goes largely unnoticed, putting Asian American and Pacific Islander children, adults, families, communities, and businesses at risk.

For our AAPI staff family, we acknowledge the grief, outrage and fear you must be experiencing. We know that this climate of fear is adversely affecting the health of our community and we extend care and support.

Please know that the Employee Assistance Program is available to all employees, their families and members of their households for confidential and no cost assistance to help you cope with these distressing events. You can reach Claremont EAP, our provider, 24 hours a day, seven days a week at 1-800-834-3773 or online at claremont.com.

We stand in solidarity with AAPI communities, condemning bigotry and demanding justice against racist violence. Being neutral in the face of injustice is not an option and we commit to fighting all forms of racism beginning with our own institutional practices and will strive to build an anti-racist culture.

Each one of us can stand up against the hate and violence facing the AAPI community. The struggles of all communities disproportionately harmed by systemic racism and white supremacy are intertwined, and now more than ever we need multi-racial solidarity in calling for accountability for hate crimes against AAPI people.

There are opportunities to engage in local efforts in support of AAPI community members. Below is a list of resources to improve our understanding of AAPI history and anti-Asian violence, and opportunities for solidarity.

Please know that we are always available to you and welcome your ideas to improve Alameda Health System for our patients, our staff, and our community.

In peace and solidarity.

Organizations fighting for Asian American rights:

Resources: