OCA APPLAUDS CONGRESS FOR BIPARTISAN HATE CRIMES BILL
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
27 February 2020
Contact: Maddie Schumacher | Senior Policy and Advocacy Associate
202.223.5500 | maddie.schumacher@ocanational.org
Washington, DC - OCA - Asian Pacific American Advocates celebrates the House and Senate’s bipartisan passage of The Emmett Till Antilynching Act. The landmark legislation clarifies that offenses involving lynching should be designated as hate crimes.
OCA urges the President to take quick action in signing the bill into law. Throughout all of the nation’s history, hate crimes have been used as a fear tactic to uphold white supremacy against communities of color. Lynching in particular has loomed over Black communities as a stark reminder of anti-Blackness and racial stratification. OCA as an organization is dedicated to uplifting the voices of Asian American, Pacific Islander, and all marginalized communities.
“This is a huge success for our Black allies as well as communities across the country. Wins like this demonstrate how crucial and effective interethnic coalitions are in achieving equity and social justice. This bill is a message that diverse constituencies will continue to stand together against racial inequity and hate crimes of all kinds. We now call on the President to immediately sign it into law,” says OCA Executive Director Rita Pin Ahrens.
OCA – Asian Pacific American Advocates is a national civil rights organization dedicated to improving the social, political, and economic well-being of Asian American and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs).
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