Wauwatosa Common Council Adopts Resolution In Support Of Asian American And Pacific Islander Communities

Press release from the City of Wauwatosa:

April 8, 2021

The Wauwatosa Common Council unanimously passed a resolution in support of the Asian American and Pacific Islander communities.

The resolution comes as there's been a rise in violence and harassments against Asian Americans and after six women of Asian descent were killed in a string of shootings at Atlanta-area spas.

Read the resolution

"WHEREAS, Wauwatosa is dedicated to honoring its diversity, including our residents of the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community, a group that has contributed and continues to contribute to our country’s progress, culture, and success; and

WHEREAS, beginning in 2020 there has been a documented regional and nationwide trend of increased discrimination, hate, and violence against Asian-Americans - from young adults to our most vulnerable elderly - exacerbated by false narratives and xenophobia around the coronavirus; and

WHEREAS, these reprehensible displays of hate have often gone unnoticed and unreported, perpetuating a “model minority” myth that Asians will be complacent and stay silent, even when targeted and harmed; and

WHEREAS, hate, violence, and bias are not accepted in our community, especially when targeting or scapegoating individuals based on their race or identity; and

WHEREAS, The City of Wauwatosa remains committed to our vision of not just welcoming the world and recognizing our diversity as a key strength for our character, but also to being a community in which everyone has a sense of belonging; and

WHEREAS, each of us has a personal responsibility to prevent the spread of misinformation, condemn violent acts in any form, to support all fellow community members, and to reject stigma, hate, and bias in all its forms; and

WHEREAS, there is an urgent need for all of us to unite and come together to support the AAPI community and report incidents of hate and bias; and

WHEREAS, in the coming months, the City of Wauwatosa will enhance its efforts and opportunities to engage to combat this virulent type of racism, intolerance, and xenophobia, and to protect all members of our community from crimes, especially those based on the race or identity of our residents and visitors; and

WHEREAS, the recent crimes in Atlanta and some other places against Asians were based as much on the gender of the victims as on their AAPI identity.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT the City of Wauwatosa does hereby proclaim our renewed and ongoing commitment to be a diverse and inclusive community free from racism, so that all who live and work in, and visit, Wauwatosa feel welcomed;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT Wauwatosa strongly stands against hate, bias, or violence based on race, nationality, gender, disability, or religion, and we urge all residents to unite together in solidarity with our Asian-American and Pacific-Islander neighbors.

This press release was produced by the City of Wauwatosa. The views expressed here are the author’s own.