We stand in solidarity with our Asian and Pacific Islander neighbors

Like many of you, we at ICS were devastated to hear the news about the senseless murder of eight people in Atlanta, including six Asian women. We recognize this brutality as part of a larger pattern of increased racist attacks against Asian Americans and Asian immigrants since the onset of the COVID-19 crisis. According to the Center for Hate and Extremism at Cal State, anti-Asian hate crimes in America’s largest 16 cities increased by 150% between 2019 and 2020. The awful news from Atlanta makes it irrefutably clear that this has reached a crisis point.It’s happening here in Oregon too. Oregon hate crime reports have gone up 366% during the pandemic, with almost 20% of the reports coming from Oregon’s Asian American and Pacific Islander communities. Many in the Asian American and Pacific Islander communities in Oregon fear for their lives.As an organization dedicated to advancing justice for our immigrant neighbors, we believe there is no place for this kind of violence and hatred in our community. We stand with our Asian and Pacific Islander neighbors and extend our hopes for healing to all those who are impacted. We are here to provide support and resources to any of our clients who have been the targets of hate crimes.Things you can do:

• Speak out if you witness a hate crime or incident. Stop AAPI Hate has some helpful tips for both those experiencing hate and those witnessing it.
• The Southern Poverty Law Center’s “Speak Up” strategies suggest four steps when responding to coronavirus racism: interrupt, question, educate, and echo.
• Report the hate crime or incident. If it’s a violent situation or someone is in danger call 911 immediately. You can also report hate crimes to your local FBI Field Office.
• Read President Biden’s memo Jan 26th memo condemning and combating racism, xenophobia, and intolerance against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.
• Support efforts of Asian American members of Congress seeking federal action in response to the surge of anti-Asian.
• Support Asian and Pacific Islander owned businesses in Oregon.