Amidst a sharp increase in anti-Asian violence, NY State makes a historic investment in Asian American community-based organizations to provide healing and community recovery

New York, NY - The Coalition for Asian American Children and Families (CACF) and Asian American community based organizations applaud a first-of-its kind $10 million investment in Asian American community-based organizations by New York State to combat the increase of anti-Asian violence and the economic impacts of COVID-19 in Asian American communities. Advocates also applaud a $2.5 million investment in the FY22 budget for the NYS Department of Health to support data disaggregation efforts for the diverse Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community.  

While the budget did not include the full $19.5 million investment that Asian American organizations, community leaders, and allies in labor, business, faith, philanthropy and nonprofit sectors called for in the wake of the Atlanta shootings, the $12.5 million investment is a significant step towards addressing urgent issues in the AAPI community, from the increase in anti-Asian violence to unemployment and food insecurity. It is also an investment in improved data collection that will help identify specific health care needs in the AAPI community and be used to improve policy and community responses. 

Community leaders also urge that the $10 million funding be allocated immediately to Asian American community-based organizations that not only have a track record with State funding, but also have been historically left out of State funding (including groups addressing gender-based violence, and small community-based organizations providing-language services); that the funding be flexible to address community needs; and that the line-item funding be sustained in future fiscal years to meet pervasive community needs.  

Asian American community based organizations have been struggling to meet growing needs during the pandemic, as Asian American unemployment grew over 6,900%, the highest of any racial group. Asian Americans also were hit harder by the COVID-19 pandemic, with Chinese New Yorkers having the state’s highest COVID-19 mortality rate at 35.7%. Yet language access has lagged on information from testing and tracing to vaccine access.  At the same time bias-based incidents against Asian Americans rose 933% in New York City alone in the last year, the highest of any city in the US, according to recent reports. Stop AAPI Hate reported 3,800 incidents in 2020 alone, and many more incidents have gone unreported. 

“We’ve made historic strides for our AAPI brothers and sisters during my short time in the Assembly,” Assemblymember Yuh-Line Niou said. “In 2017, we were able to form the APA Task Force, the first of its kind in New York, thanks to our Speaker. This year, we've passed historic funding for the Excluded Workers Fund which will provide critical aid to migrants and the undocumented. In addition, we stood with local AAPI organizations and secured millions in this budget to support the essential work our AAPI organizations do in our communities every single day. But as the rising rate of anti-Asian hate crimes and decades of underfunding reminds us, more must be done to promote equity and justice for Asian Americans. Year after year, the AAPI community has been erased from the state budget. This is the first year we secured some representation in our budget, and it is long overdue. I thank my colleagues and Speaker Heastie for joining me in our fight for equality and fairness, and we will keep fighting for resources for our communities. I look forward to working with our CBOs to ensure this money reaches them without delay.” 

“CACF is grateful for our State leadership and elected officials for committing a $12.5 million dollar investment for the Asian American community. We are also thankful for our coalition members and partners who collectively advocated for the needs of Asian American New Yorkers.  For too long, the model minority myth and the lack of accurate and disaggregated data accounting for our ethnic diversity, have rendered the needs of our community invisible. Community-based organizations on the ground have had to stretch to meet growing community needs. This investment is important to our communities both at this challenging time and in the long-run to address the inequities our communities face.  CACF will continue our work to ensure that this investment grows to meet our needs, as we know that culturally competent and language accessible Asian American community-based organizations are best positioned to support Asian American New Yorkers to heal and recover from both the COVID19 pandemic and anti-Asian hate,” said Anita Gundanna and Vanessa Leung, Co-Executive Directors of the Coalition for American Children and Families (CACF).  

"We would like to thank Senator John Liu, Assemblymember Yuh-Line Niou, the Asian Pacific American Legislative Taskforce, and all of our legislative allies for their tireless advocacy for this critical funding. We are also grateful for the leadership of Governor Cuomo, Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, and Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie. For too long, the fastest growing community in New York State has been systematically divested from and made invisible. The increase in anti-Asian violence and hate combined with the economic devastation of the pandemic has left our community in crisis. This $12.5 million dollar investment in our community based organizations and in disaggregated data collection on our ethnic communities is a significant starting point towards a more equitable State budget. CPC looks forward to receiving $900,000 from the State to address our community members’ health, economic, and safety needs,” said Wayne Ho, President & CEO of the Chinese-American Planning Council (CPC).

“We want to thank our elected officials for responding to the urgent needs of New York’s AAPI communities. AAPI survivors of gender-based violence deserve to feel safe.  Organizations like Womankind, Korean American Family Service Center and Sakhi for South Asian women need access to this much needed funding to continue providing the critical services survivors of gender-based violence deserve.  We believe this is the first step in an ongoing investment in our communities and New York’s commitment to being accountable to survivors of gender-based violence.” said Yasmeen Hamza, CEO of Womankind.  

“KAFSC appreciates the efforts of our elected officials and their support to the Asian American community, particularly the AAPI survivors of gender-based violence. These survivors are faced with a myriad of challenges because of the Covid-19 pandemic, economic crisis, and rise of anti-Asian sentiment and violence. This financial commitment demonstrates the equitable representation of the diverse AAPI community and supports immigrant-led and serving organizations, like Womankind, Sakhi for South Asian Women, and KAFSC, that provide critical support to AAPI survivors and their children during this painful time.” said Jeehae Fischer, Executive Director, Korean American Family Service Center (KAFSC). 

"This landmark investment is appreciated, particularly at a time when AAPI survivors of gender-based violence have faced increased levels of trauma caused by Covid-19 and community-based violence. During this time of unprecedented need it is critical that organizations like, Sakhi for South Asian Women, Korean American Family Service Center, and Womankind, receive the $1.5 million collectively requested and have immediate access to these resources in order to further support survivors in their healing journey." said Kavita Mehra, Executive Director, Sakhi for South Asian Women. 

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