Kirkland Stands With Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders

AAPI Collage of Signs.jpg "Racism, in any form, and against any group, has no place in Kirkland."

During the Kirkland City Council meeting Tuesday, March 16, 2021, Mayor Penny Sweet, the Kirkland City Council, and City leadership took a moment to acknowledge and condemn recent acts of hatred against Asian Americans.

Mayor Sweet's statement was as follows:

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"At this time in our meeting when we review the progress of R-5434, it is important that we rededicate ourselves to the resolution’s fundamental principle:

Racism, in any form, and against any group, has no place in Kirkland.

We are horrified and saddened by the recent and continuing acts of violence against Asian Americans across the country. A recent study based on police department statistics across major U.S. cities found a nearly 150 percent surge in anti-Asian hate crimes in 2020.

We condemn the acts of hate and violence displayed in the rising incidence of anti-Asian hate crimes and we must halt the spread of bigotry to keep our community safe. It’s our collective responsibility to not only speak up and stop hate crimes, but to continue to examine and dismantle institutional and structural racism, to eradicate hate, and to connect with our shared humanity.

Our hearts go out to our Asian American neighbors who have experienced hate or violence. Victims deserve support and justice, and there are systems in place to ensure offenders face consequences for these unconscionable actions. Our highest priority is to keep our community safe, and anyone in Kirkland who encounters hate or violence is encouraged to come forward and report their experience to our police department. No one should suffer in silence.

Together we can end racial violence in our communities. Thank you."

Image of beautiful Korean woman wearing pink dress and holding a sign that says Stop Asian Hate

Statement from Kirkland Police Chief Cherie Harris

"The Kirkland Police Department stands in unity with our Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community. We are here to protect all people in Kirkland, and this responsibility is at the core of who we are and everything we do. We urge anyone who experiences hate to report their experience, even if you do not believe what occurred does not rise to the level of a crime.  Anyone who experiences harassment, violence, or threat of violence should contact us immediately so that we can help. Hate and violence in Kirkland will not be tolerated." - Chief Harris

How to Report a Hate or Bias Crime

If you are experiencing harassment, violence, or threat of violence, please call 911 immediately. For non-emergency reporting, please call the Kirkland Police Department at 425-577-5656. Due to the sensitive and urgent nature of hate and bias crimes, the Kirkland Police Department requests that reports be made over the phone or in person and not through the online reporting system.

Kirkland Police Department

911 Emergency Service: Call if You Can, Text if You Can't

If you are in an emergency and your life and/or property are in immediate danger, please call 911. All 911 centers have access to language line services for those who either do not speak English or feel more comfortable speaking another language. Let the dispatcher know which language you speak and they will connect you with an interpreter on the phone. If you are more comfortable texting, King County, including Kirkland, offers Text-to-911 service. At this time, the system only accepts text messages in English.

 

Report an Incident of Hate or Bias

As emphasized in the Mayor’s statement, the City of Kirkland condemns acts of bias and discrimination against our AAPI community, and the City has zero tolerance for hate crimes. The Kirkland Police Department continues to thoroughly investigate all reports of hate crimes and takes such reports seriously. According to Washington State RCW: "A person is guilty of a hate crime offense if he or she maliciously and intentionally commits one of the following acts because of his or her perception of the victim's race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender expression or identity, or mental, physical, or sensory disability." 

Community members are encouraged to contact the Kirkland Police Department if they have been a witness to or victim of a hate crime. If you are experiencing harassment, violence, or threat of violence, please call 911 immediately. For non-emergency reporting, please call the Kirkland Police Department at 425-577-5656. Due to the sensitive and urgent nature of hate and bias crimes, the Kirkland Police Department requests that reports be made over the phone or in person and not through the online reporting system.

Additionally, if you are the victim of an incident of discrimination, these organizations may be able to help. Please select an organization that suits your situation and language support. Filing just one report with a single organization is okay, or you may choose to file reports with several organizations (source of organizations: WA State CAPPA):  

Chinese Information and Service Center (CISC)

Cantonese-粵語/English: (425) 240-5825
Mandarin-普通话/English: (206) 393-2110
Russian/English: (425) 326-9497
Spanish-Español/English: (425) 598-5436
Vietnamese/English: (206) 235-4372 

Washington State Commission on Asian Pacific American Affairs  (CAPAA)

Report Hate/Discrimination Page

Washington State Human Rights Commission

File a discrimination complaint: Under the law, everyone has the right to be free from discrimination at work, in housing, in a public accommodation, or when seeking credit and insurance. Any individual who believes that he or she has been discriminated against based on protected class status may file a charge of discrimination for employers, housing providers, and businesses.

King County Office of Civil Rights

File a discrimination complaint: This office has authority to handle discrimination complaints only for King County government and for employers, housing providers, and businesses in the unincorporated parts of King County (outside the cities).

King County Coalition Against Hate and Bias

King County Office of Equity and Social Justice supports The Coalition is a community-led initiative to address hate and bias incidents by strengthening and networking communities who experience racist and bigoted treatment and all forms of oppression.

The Coalition Partners are also the administrators of the Hate and Bias Incident Response Survey to collect data from communities affected by hate and bias.

Stand Against Hatred: Report an incident

Asian Americans Advancing Justice is tracking incidents of bias. By sharing what you experienced or witnessed, you can educate the public, empower others, show service providers where help is needed, and strengthen advocacy efforts for hate crimes response and prevention. Forms available in English, Chinese (traditional & simplified), Korean and Vietnamese.

AAPI Hate Crimes

Asian American Pacific American Advocates is dedicated to advancing the social, political, and economic well-being of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs). Submitting hate incidents through this form will help us OCA – Asian Pacific American Advocates monitor hate towards AAPIs across the country.

Stop AAPI Hate

Report an incident in multiple languages. The Asian Pacific Policy and Planning Council (A3PCON) and Chinese for Affirmative Action (CAA) have launched this reporting center to allow community members to report incidents of hate they have experienced. Individual information, including personal identification details, will be kept confidential and will only be shared with permission. In the aggregate, the information will be used for assistance, advocacy and education. Forms available in English, Vietnamese, Chinese, Korean, Khmer, Thai, and Japanese.

Anti-Asian Racism Resources

Chinese Information and Service Center Resources (CISC)

CISC is a partner of the Coalition Against Hate & Bias (Coalition), which is supported by the King County Office of Equity and Social Justice (OESJ). The Coalition is a community-led initiative to address hate and bias incidents by strengthening and networking communities who experience racist and bigoted treatment and all forms of oppression. 

View and share our flyers to raise awareness about our efforts.

View our video messages about our anti-hate and bias work.

Seattle University Resources for Anti-Asian Racism

Resources & Toolkit This compilation includes a range of informational and educational resources to deepen understanding and promote inclusivity. This comprises a “living” collection that will be updated accordingly. Please send ideas for additional resources for this page to inclusion@seattleu.edu. (Source Seattle University)

Racial Equity Tools

COVID-19-Racial Equity and Social Justice Resources, Racial Equity Tools resource page for coping with and advocacy for anti-Asian racism

Chinese for Affirmative Action (CAA) 

Chinese for Affirmative Action (CAA) was founded in 1969 to protect the civil and political rights of Chinese Americans and to advance multiracial democracy in the United States. Today, CAA is a progressive voice in and on behalf of the broader Asian American and Pacific Islander community. We advocate for systemic change that protects immigrant rights, promotes language diversity, and remedies racial and social injustice.

King County Coalition Against Hate and Bias

King County Office of Equity and Social Justice supports The Coalition is a community-led initiative to address hate and bias incidents by strengthening and networking communities who experience racist and bigoted treatment and all forms of oppression. The Coalition Partners are also the administrators of the Hate and Bias Incident Response Survey to collect data from communities affected by hate and bias.

Support Resources for AAPI Community

Below is a compilation of support organizations, psychological services and counseling services who can be of assistance to those experience trauma, grief, anxiety, fear and other emotions related to anti-Asian discrimination, hate and bias. This list is not comprehensive. An annotated list of articles related to racism and COVID-19 are also included.

Human Rights Campaign (HRC) 

What to Do If You’ve Been The Victim of a Hate Crime

Article by Yin J. Li

Surviving Racism Amidst Covid-19

Article by Brittany Wong, Huffpost 4/1/2020

Self-Care Tips for Asian Americans Dealing with Racism amid Coronavirus

Article by Court Stroud and L Tong, The Good Men Project, 4/5/2020

How to Respond to Coronavirus-Related Anti-Asian Xenophobia  

Article by LaFawn Davis, Fast Company 5/12/20

How to combat racism and prejudice at work during the COVID-19 crisis