The National Council of Asian Pacific Americans (NCAPA) stands in solidarity with the community of Ferguson, Missouri during this time of loss and tragedy. Our thoughts and prayers go to the family and friends of 18-year-old Michael Brown, who died at the hands of those sworn to protect and serve his community.
While the Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation have been called in to investigate this particular matter, this is not enough. The tragedy in Ferguson is not an isolated incident. Racial suspicion of black men, especially by law enforcement, has become an epidemic in many parts of the country. Thus, we urgently call upon the White House, the Department of Justice and congressional leaders to review and address the ongoing pattern and practice of racial violence and systemic discriminatory treatment by law enforcement of our communities of color.
As people of color and immigrants, our own communities’ histories in the United States include violence and targeting, often by law enforcement. From the killing of 19-year old Fong Lee by a Minneapolis police officer in August of 2010, to the ongoing targeting and surveillance of South Asian, Muslim and Sikh communities in the post-9/11 climate, our communities have experienced the impact of suspicion and discriminatory treatment based on race, national origin and faith.
We stand hand-in-hand with our partner organizations fighting for equality, justice, and civil rights. We call for justice for Michael Brown, and for all those routinely subjected to profiling, harassment and physical attacks on the streets, in schools and neighborhoods of our nation. We stand alongside Ferguson.
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The National Council of Asian Pacific Americans (NCAPA), founded in 1996, is a coalition of 31 national Asian Pacific American organizations. Based in Washington D.C., NCAPA serves to represent the interests of Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AA & NHPI) communities and to provide a national voice on policy issues and priorities.
