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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE MARCH 25, 2016 |
Contact: Mary Tablante; |
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National Council of Asian Pacific Americans Joins Call for Unity and Condemns Anti-Muslim Rhetoric
Following the tragedies in Belgium and Turkey, NCAPA and 13 of its member organizations joined nearly 70 groups in a letter led by Muslim Advocates to express concern about the misrepresentation of Muslims and the rise of xenophobic rhetoric troubling to our communities.
“Time and time again, we have seen people in our communities face hate and senseless acts of violence simply because of their religion or perceived religion and race,” said NCAPA National Director Christopher Kang. “Unfortunately, after tragic attacks, hate crimes and verbal aggressions increase--especially against American Muslims--but fear and hysteria should never be used to advance xenophobic rhetoric or discriminatory policies. This is not what America stands for. Our elected and political leaders should know better and must learn from the past that we cannot let fear divide us.”
NCAPA stands for and with Muslim, Sikh, Arab and South Asian Americans, who are a part of our communities, families and neighborhoods. We call on our leaders and the media to focus on peace, justice and unity.
NCAPA and its member organizations have issued several statements and held a rally against anti-Muslim hate and have made this issue a top priority. For examples of ways to push back against hate, read Kang’s blog.
The following NCAPA member organizations joined the Muslim Advocates letter: Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum (APIAHF), Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC, Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance (APALA), Association of Asian Pacific Community Health Organizations (AAPCHO), Center for Asian American Media (CAAM), Center for Asian Pacific American Women (CAPAW), Japanese American Citizens League (JACL), National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA), National Asian Pacific Families Against Substance Abuse (NAPAFASA), National Asian Pacific American Women's Forum (NAPAWF), Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF), South Asian Americans Leading Together (SAALT), and South Asian Bar Association of North America (SABA-North America).
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Based in Washington, D.C., the National Council of Asian Pacific Americans is a coalition of 35 national Asian Pacific American organizations that serves to represent the interests of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) communities and to provide a national voice for our communities’ concerns. Our communities are the fastest growing racial/ethnic group in the United States, currently making up approximately six percent of the population.
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