As a charity that is dedicated to community, we stand for justice, equality, and equity for everyone. We are truly heartbroken about the growing incidents of hate crimes, racism, and violence towards the Asian and Pacific Islander communities in Canada and beyond over the course of the pandemic. Even though a month has passed since the tragic shooting in Atlanta, Georgia, anti-Asian hate is still very much on-going and needs to end.
According to a report by the VPD, anti-Asian hate crimes in Vancouver increased by 717% between 2019 and 2020. This number is staggering and frightening, not as a statistic but because these are real people who are being targeted. No one should have to live in fear and, yet, it is sadly a reality for many members of our community.
Like many of you, we support the call to #StopAsianHate. We want to assure that the YMCA is a safe space for everyone and there is zero tolerance for hatred, racism, and discrimination. Whether you are a member, participant, volunteer, or staff member, if you ever experience or witness anything that does not align with our code of conduct, we encourage you to inform us. You may do so by contacting Roberta Haas, Vice President, People at roberta.haas@gv.ymca.ca or 604.562.8286.
Below, we have also listed some organizations that are doing amazing work to unite communities and end racism and discrimination in Canada. Please take a moment to look through and learn how you can support them:
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Fight COVID Racism: https://www.covidracism.ca/
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Asian Canadian Equity Alliance: https://theacea.org/
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Asian Canadian Special Events Association: https://acsea.ca/
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Reconciliation Canada: https://reconciliationcanada.ca/
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Urban Alliance on Race Relations: https://www.urbanalliance.ca/
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Canadian Race Relations Foundation: https://www.crrf-fcrr.ca/en/
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Canadian Anti-Racism Network: https://stopracism.ca/
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Canadian Anti Hate Network: https://www.antihate.ca/
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BC’s Office of the Human Rights Commissioner: https://bchumanrights.ca/