HomeMy WebLinkAbout3.1 Unity-Public Health Week - Public CommentsSanchez, Gloria
From: APALA IE Chaper <apala.ie.chapter@gmail.com>
Sent: Thursday, March 25, 2021 11:20 AM
To: CouncilMeeting Comments
Subject: Calling for City of Palm Desert to denounce the increasing frequency of violent anti-
asian hate attacks
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Asian Hate Attacks 2021.03.25.docx
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Honorable Mayor and City Council Members,
As an organization centered on advocacy where worker rights and protections intersect with the issues already
present in immigrant communities, the Inland Empire California Chapter of Asian Pacific American Labor
Alliance (APALA) wishes to express our extreme concern over the increasing frequency of violent anti-asian
hate attacks occurring nationwide.
We understand that the City of Palm Desert is possibly bringing forward a proclamation for consideration
during a future City Council meeting, which conveys a message of public health and unity, and which includes
a brief mention of the AAPI community. While we are appreciative of this sentiment, we feel that a generalized
statement does not go far enough to adequately reflect or acknowledge what is currently being experienced by
our AAPI community, and how we in particular are currently being targeted.
APALA is very interested in collaborating with the City of Palm Desert for the purpose of developing a stand-
alone statement of the City's values, reflecting appropriate tone and language, intended to effectively convey to
the many members of the AAPI community who live, work, and study in the City that they are truly valued, and
supported.
For your consideration, please find a draft document containing Anti -Asian Hate Attack resolution language
prepared by our Chapter member Priya Vedula, attached to this email.
Thanks as always for your leadership. We hope the City stands in solidarity with us as a strong ally during this
horrific time.
On behalf of our Chapter, I respectfully request that this email be read as a public comment during the March
25, 2021 City Council meeting, and also retained for the official record.
In Unity,
Michael Milan, Inland Empire Chapter President
Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance, AFL-CIO
(818) 404-6401 mobile
Sanchez, Gloria
From: Edwin Ramoran <eramoranl971@icloud.com>
Sent: Thursday, March 25, 2021 12:00 PM
To: CouncilMeeting Comments
Cc: Bayanihan Springs
Subject: Public Comment for Palm Desert City Council 3/25/21
Palm Desert Public Comments (non -agenda items):
Dear Honorable Mayor and City Council of the City of Palm Desert:
My name is Edwin Ramoran, a resident of Palm Springs, with family and friends who are residents of
Palm Desert. I serve as a Human Rights Commissioner for the City of Palm Springs, but I am here
making public comments as a co-founder and community organizer with Bayanihan Desert, a group
committed to Filipinx community and civic engagement in the Coachella Valley. Our families and friends
live, work, and attend schools in all of the cities and communities in the low and high desert. We have
been so grateful since the early month of the Covid-19 pandemic, the City of Palm Springs had the link
on its website so that anyone can report any hate crimes, including those against Asian Americans and
Pacific Islanders.
In light of the increase in regional and national violence, hate, and murders aimed at the most vulnerable
members of the Asian American and Pacific Islanders including working-class women and elders
disproportionately affecting Southeast Asians and those perceived as East Asian, Bayanihan Desert
strongly asks you to consider a resolution that will show your genuine support and care of our Asian
American and Pacific Islander families, friends and neighbors by condemning the recent, deplorable rise
of incidents of hate, violence and discrimination against the AAPI community.
In Tagalog, there is something called "Utang na Loob" (pronounced Ootahng nah loo-oob) which many
Filipinos understand as a cultural trait which translates to "debt of one's inner self' or "debt of
gratitude". It is this obligation we embody to appropriately repay a person who has done one a favor.
This Utang na Loob is expressed in what some Filipinos call kapwa (pronounced kop-wah), a shared
personhood, this is our shared humanity. We hope you can join us in lifting up our shared humanity.
#StopAsianHate
Thank you.
Edwin Ramoran
Bayanihan Desert
(424) 452-8881