03/24/2021
March 23, 2021
Dear Westborough Neighbors,
On behalf of the Westborough Diversity and Inclusion Committee, Westborough Youth and Family Services and the Westborough Youth Commission, we write today to stand in sorrow and solidarity with Asian and AsianAmerican communities, who have been facing an overwhelming and escalating series of racist attacks1. The news of last week’s horrific targeting of Asian-owned businesses in Atlanta, Georgia, and the murder of eight people, six of whom were Asian women, follows some 3,800 hate cases against Asian Americans across the nation2. We join our community and nation in condemning these violent attacks and mourning the lives senselessly lost. Together, with Westborough Town leaders, we stand not only against these instances of hate and violence against our Asian community members, but also in opposition of our nation’s history of marginalization and systemic racism that dismisses, designates as “other,” and ultimately erases people of Asian descent. Violence toward Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) persons has been exacerbated by hateful and discriminatory rhetoric during this pandemic, but anti-Asian racism has always been present and pervasive. We recognize that living in a state of persistent fear of discrimination and violence leads to a heightened risk of serious mental health distress for our AAPI friends and neighbors. We encourage the Westborough community to become informed about these hate acts, to learn about the resources available to support Asian Americans during this time, and to speak up in the face of apathy and ignorance. In moments like these, we urge you to act, avoid complicity, open your hearts, and listen to and uplift Asian voices, stories, and feelings. Resources: Anti-Asian
Violence Resources:
• https://anti-asianviolenceresources.carrd.co/ Report Hate Incidents:
• Stop AAPI Hate - https://stopaapihate.org/
• Stand Against Hatred - https://www.standagainsthatred.org/ Give to the Asian Community:
• 61 Ways to Donate in Support of Asian Communities - https://nymag.com/strategist/article/where-todonate-to-help-asian-communities-2021.html
• GoFundMe: Stop Asian Hate - https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/stop-aapi-hate Support for AAPI Community Members:
• Asian LifeNet Hotline, 1-800-273-TALK; 1-877-990-8585, with support offered in Cantonese, Mandarin, Japanese, Korean, and Fujianese; available 24/7
• Asian Mental Health Collective - https://www.asianmhc.org/
• Westborough Youth & Family Services, 508-366-3090, for counseling, resources and referrals (language interpretation available) • Hey Hay PH - Mental Health Support - https://www.facebook.com/heyhay.ph/
In Solidarity, Cara Presley, LICSW Westborough Diversity & Inclusion Committee Chair Youth and Family Services, Director Pamela Chamorro Bridges, LICSW Westborough Youth Commission Chair Ryan Nguyen Westborough Diversity & Inclusion Committee Member Former Westborough Youth Commission Member Westborough High School Graduate, Class of 2020 1Link to translated versions of statement below/next page 2Stop AAPI
Hate Press Release, March 21, 2021, https://stopaapihate.org/pressreleases/ Link to translated versions: English Spanish Portuguese Arabic Chinese Korean Vietnamese Thai Japanes
