The Reston Limousine family would like to share our deepest condolences with the families of the victims of the Atlanta shootings. We stand in solidarity with the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities in our outrage and disbelief at yet other hate incident, one that has resulted in these senseless deaths.
As a company, we owe it to our community, our customers, and our employees to stand in solidarity with the Asian American and Pacific Islander communities. Our communities and families are hurting, and we have a responsibility to keep the dialogue open, and to listen to their stories and let them feel heard. We are committed to working together to create more inclusivity in this country and are here to have the difficult conversations about race and inequality. We hear you, we support you, and we are with you.
LEARN MORE
A report by Stop APPI Hate released just minutes before the shooting details the discrimination being experienced by the AAPI communities:
- Verbal harassment (68.1%) and shunning (20.5%) (i.e., the deliberate avoidance of Asian Americans) make up the two largest proportions of the total incidents reported.
- Physical assault (11.1%) comprises the third largest category of the total incidents.
- Civil rights violations — e.g., workplace discrimination, refusal of service, and being barred from transportation — account for 8.5% of the total incidents.
- Online harassment makes up 6.8% of the total incidents.
The national organization has been documenting and reporting on anti-Asian discrimination since the start of the pandemic, when political leaders including former President Trump repeatedly used racist language in reference to COVID-19. The group’s March 18 report shares stories of these national incidents, including this one from the DMV:
My boyfriend and I were riding the metro into DC. When on the escalator in the transfer station, a man repeatedly punched my back and pushed past us. At the top, he circled back toward us, followed us, repeatedly shouted “Chinese b**ch” at me, fake coughed at, and physically threatened us. A few days later, we saw a news story about how the owner of Valley Brook Tea in DC was harassed and pepper sprayed by the same man, calling him “Covid-19” repeatedly. (Annandale, VA)
The report indicated while 25% of the incidents occurred on a public street or sidewalk, the majority took place at a business: 35%.
As a business we find that statistic reprehensible. We have a zero tolerance policy on any harassment whether verbal, physical or visual that is based on race, color, national origin, religion, age, sex, gender or disability. But we also know that we can help effect change in the greater community by starting from within. Beyond our corporate commitment to diversity, we are taking action to support anti-racism efforts, including donating to Stop AAPI Hate and using our social media and other platforms to share important resources and broaden awareness.
RESOURCES
How to Take Action against Anti-Asian Racism: CNBC’s lengthy feature is full of actionable tips and resources, including checking in on friends and colleagues.
Asian Americans Advancing Justice: Stories – Gain a greater understanding of how widespread and hurtful racist incidents have become by reading first-hand accounts from Asian Americans sharing their stories on this site.
Asian Americans Advancing Justice: Bystander Intervention Training – Learn how to intervene effectively as a bystander without compromising safety in a one-hour virtual training.
Stop AAPI Hate: Safety Tips – Five safety tips to consider if you’re experiencing or witnessing a hate crime or incident.
Stop AAPI Hate: Donate – Support the organization so that it continue to identify patterns and sources of anti-Asian racism, and offer practical solutions and policy recommendations for long-term change.
Chefs Stopping AAPI Hate: Celebrated DC area chefs have launched a weekly dinner series starting March 25 to spread awareness and raise funds for Stop AAPI Hate and local organizations working to end anti-Asian American Pacific Islander racism.