Statement by Vivent Health on Asian American Hate Crimes

Amidst the emerging and hopeful glimmers of receding Covid-19 new cases, hospitalizations and deaths are we facing even greater challenges?  Are we ignoring a more powerful adversary than even the Coronavirus?

With new HIV cases stubbornly high, no longer in decline, and millions without access to health care and life-saving prevention and treatment what force is preventing our continued progress to rid the world of AIDS?

The answers to these questions are stunningly similar.  The common thread true and tragic at the same time.  It may be disguised but it is clearly there.

It is HATE.  It comes in far too many forms.  Racial slurs and unconscious bias.  Stigma associating race and ethnicity as the cause of societal ills.  White supremacy. Fear. Discrimination in the workplace, the classroom, or the law enforcement system.  It means fewer opportunities, economic despair, brutality, and violence.  HATE kills.

The recent occurrences of HATE against Asian Americans has become an epidemic in our country. Nearly 4,000 reported anti-Asian American hate crimes in the last year, countless more not reported and growing by at least 150% annually all demonstrate the depth of this problem.

Chants of ‘Go back to China,’ and slandering of basketball player Jeremy Lin with the nickname Coronavirus are the embers of the fire stoking HATE crimes in New York, Georgia, Arizona, California and beyond.  Rhetoric has been weaponized resulting in a violent, even at times deadly, reality.

As Congress holds a hearing today on the issue of anti-Asian violence, we need to demand change.  Change in ourselves uncovering our implicit bias, acting new and differently, and calling out instances of HATE – large and small – when we see it.  Change in our business and systems to strive for greater equality, fairness, and decency. And change in our government – a hearing is all well and good, yet it needs to be a concrete step to passing the bipartisan Jabara-Heyer NO HATE Act.

I am pleased to announce the Vivent Health endorsement of this critically important legislation and welcome others to join us.

Our Asian American friends, our African American friends, our Hispanic and Latino friends, our LGBTQIA+ friends deserve no less than this change.  This needs to be the first step of our government to uncover, name and fight one of our greatest enemies.