Photo via Wikimedia Commons
On Tuesday, the White House announced a series of new actions to address the rise in anti-Asian violence, POLITICO reports.
Those actions include reinstating the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, according to CBS News. The initiative was established under the Clinton administration. Under the Biden administration, it will also include coordination between federal agencies to address anti-Asian bias and violence.
According to POLITICO, other actions include:
- Justice Department initiative to address hate crimes against Asians
- Covid-19 Equity Task Force to address xenophobia Asian Americans have experienced during the pandemic.
- $49.5 million Department of Health and Human Services grant program for AAPI survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault
President Biden will also appoint a permanent director to lead the initiative.
Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-Illinois), who recently criticized Biden for the lack of AAPI representation amongst his administrative nominees, praised the new actions, CBS reports.
“There is no doubt that our community is still at risk. I applaud President Biden for recognizing our community’s pain and taking concrete actions to protect AAPI individuals from violence and root out anti-Asian bias while also supporting the victims of hate crimes,” Duckworth said.
AsAmNews has Asian America in its heart. We’re an all-volunteer effort of dedicated staff and interns. Check out our new Instagram account. Go to our Twitter feed and Facebook page for more content. Please consider interning, joining our staff, or making a financial contribution to support us.