
Join us for this very important conversation on Wednesday, March 31 at 5 pm via Zoom.
Thank you to everyone who joined us for a wonderfully productive panel. Below, we have compiled the resources that were posted in the chat during the Q&A session.
Join us for this very important conversation on Wednesday, March 31 at 5 pm via Zoom.
Thank you to everyone who joined us for a wonderfully productive panel. Below, we have compiled the resources that were posted in the chat during the Q&A session.
CONNECTICUT ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION’S STAND AGAINST RACISM
On Tuesday, a gunman targeted and killed eight individuals during three attacks on businesses in the Atlanta, Georgia area. Six of those killed were Asian-American women.
CAPABA stands with the victims and their families. Dan Brody, President of CAPABA issued the following statement: “Our deepest sympathies go out to all those touched by this horrific crime.
While we understand that these murders are still being investigated, what needs no further investigation is the fact that six of the victims were Asian women. Although we at CAPABA and many others are well aware of it, it may be news to others that violent and hateful acts against Asian Americans have increased exponentially in the last year. Many of our fellow Americans have taken to violence against people who look like us and made us the target of hate crimes that have inflicted serious injury and ended lives. These people are cowards and racists. They have targeted vulnerable members of American society, including the elderly and, like the shooter in Atlanta, unarmed women.
Unfortunately, this is nothing new. Historically, Asian Americans have been victimized, scapegoated, and killed in this country just for being different. Laws have been put in place to keep out Asian immigrants. During WWII, Japanese Americans were imprisoned just for being Japanese—an act that our courts said comported with our Constitutional principles. In response to 9-11, South Asians were targeted for their skin color and how they dressed. More recently, the number of reported hate-fueled and unprovoked attacks on Asians has increased drastically. Not only is our safety at risk from a deadly virus, but from violence perpetrated by our neighbors as evidenced by the thousands of reported attacks nationwide. These incidents are even more alarming when we consider that the increase in anti-Asian attacks has occurred during a time when so many people avoid or limit going out in public. What does that say about how racist our society is?
According to Stop AAPI Hate, an organization formed in March 2020 in response to the increase in anti-Asian discrimination during the COVID-19 pandemic, nearly 3,800 racist incidents targeting people of Asian descent hate have been reported during the last year. That represents an increase in anti-Asian hate crimes in 2020 of 149 percent from 2019, according to a study published by the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism (CSUSB). In contrast, CSUSB reports that overall hate crimes have decreased by seven percent during that same period, further underscoring the targeting of Asian-Americans over the last year.
Our goal is to support the education of our community and the movement to end racism not just against Asians, but all minorities. We are heartened by the support extended by other underrepresented and marginalized communities and bar associations. Like other minorities, Asian Americans have never been fully accepted in this country by some of our fellow Americans. We can only hope that this changes and that no more lives are lost.”
To stand with CAPABA, visit Stop AAPI Hate at https://stopaapihate.org/ and the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association’s hate-crime reporting and resource page at https://www.napaba.org/page/HateCrimeResources.
Join CAPABA on March 31 for a panel discussion titled: Stand Up, Speak Out, Be Seen: Moving From Violence to Equity & Inclusion for Asian and Pacific Islander Americans.
Join a roundtable event on April 8, hosted by UConn Law School at which members from the Connecticut legal community can come together and for dialogue, education, and personal reflections.
Support the legislation proposed by United States Representative Grace Meng (NY-06), First Vice Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC), and United States Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), Executive Board Member of CAPAC to reintroduce the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act, which seeks to address the ongoing hate and violence targeted toward Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders by providing greater assistance with law enforcement response to COVID-19 hate crimes and by creating a position at the Department of Justice to facilitate expedited review of such cases. (https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/6721)
Support the bipartisan Connecticut SB 678 introduced by Senators Saud Anwar, Tony Hwang, Cathy Osten, and Derek Slap, which mandates the inclusion of Asian Pacific American studies as part of the Connecticut social studies curriculum. (2021SB-00678-R00-SB.PDF (ct.gov))
About the Connecticut Asian Pacific American Bar Association
The Connecticut Asian Pacific American Bar Association (CAPABA™) is the only association geared towards Asian Pacific American attorneys in Connecticut.
Press Inquiries:
Dan A. Brody, Esq.
CAPABA, President
Phone: (860) 275-6416
E-mail: dbrody@rc.com
On May 18, 2020, cities, elected officials, influencers and community groups are commemorating the second annual Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Day Against Bullying and Hate, led by anti-bullying nonprofit Act To Change. CAPABA is committed to ending bullying and hate in the AAPI community and is proud to join this movement.
AAPI Day Against Bullying and Hate is part of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month and marks the birthday of Vincent Chin. In 1982, Chin was falsely blamed for the layoffs in the auto industry, and brutally murdered in a hate crime. His murder fueled a national Asian American movement, one that must continue today, in light of the rising xenophobia and hate crimes surrounding COVID-19.
Sadly, our society continues to ostracize people who are AAPI. Every day, kids of all ages suffer from being bullied online and in schools across the country. In the AAPI community, this problem is often compounded by cultural, religious, and linguistic barriers that can keep these youth from seeking and receiving help. And certain AAPI groups – including South Asian, Muslim, Sikh, Micronesian, LGBTQ, immigrant, and limited English proficient youth – are more likely to be the targets of bullying.
This issue is now exacerbated by COVID-19. People of Asian descent are being blamed for the virus and targeted in verbal and physical attacks. There have been over 1500 cases of anti-Asian discrimination reported since the beginning of the pandemic. We publicly denounce all bullying and hate against the AAPI community, and stand in solidarity with Act To Change to encourage the public to foster dialogue, share resources, and end bullying and hate.
Dear CAPABA members and friends,
I extend to each of you my very best wishes amid the health crisis we are facing due to COVID-19. I hope that you and your families are well and staying safe. If there is any support I can give you, even if it is a call to catch-up during these isolating times, please reach out to me and let me know.
The Board, Officers, and I have been monitoring the spread and developments of the coronavirus in our state and around the world. As the situation continues to worsen, we urge you all to stay home, exercise caution when in public spaces, and be diligent in the protection and care of yourself and others. We will get through this.
I am conscious that this message adds an additional COVID-19 email to your inboxes that you may be checking from home amid a host of child care, health, and other new challenges. For that reason, I have tried to limit the number of CAPABA emails during this time. Today, I send this message to deliver a number of updates and to urge you to remain connected with each other.
I know that a lot is changing. We (mostly) work from home and our student members attend virtual classes. Some of us are preparing to celebrate Passover and Easter next week without the coming together of family that helps make those holidays so special. Despite these changes, I ask that we still stay connected.
I look forward to seeing you all as soon as possible and celebrating CAPABA’s 20th Anniversary this fall.
Finally, good luck with your home workouts!
Truly yours,
Dan Brody, President of CAPABA
dbrody@rc.com
Congratulations to An-Ping Hsieh on his retirement from Hubbell! Check out the pictures from the party CAPABA™ held in his honor!
CAPABA member seeking a referral to a law firm in India for a commercial dispute. Please send responses to Amy Lin Meyersonat amy@almesq.com.
We would like to congratulate our very own CAPABA president, Prerna Rao, for being recognized as a New Leader in the Law by the Connecticut Law Tribune. Congratulations and we’re looking forward to many more achievements to come!