OP-ED: Framingham Stakeholders Call For Justice And An End to Xenophobia & Racism

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FRAMINGHAM – Our Framingham group of stakeholders are committed to working in collaboration. Our goal is to increase progress in creating an environment of inclusion which is diverse and equitable for all members of our community.

Since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic in early Spring last year, Human Rights groups across the country have noticed an increased pattern of targeted hate crimes against Asian Americans.

Recently released data confirmed that the number of racist incidents against the Asian American community has indeed skyrocketed.

Massachusetts has reported 67 incidents (likely under-reported) of verbal and physical assaults, only a small number of which would qualify for prosecution under most laws against hate crimes. Attorney General Maura Healey is co-sponsoring legislation to reform the state’s hate crime statute to expand the law.

These news stories are heartbreaking and must be met by calls for justice and an end to xenophobia and racism. We must remember that we are not able to be inclusive when we see our differences as deficits.

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Framingham is home to people from all over the globe and the identities that each and everyone one of us carry only work to strengthen our community and our country.

Let us not forget that the bedrock of America was built by the hand of immigrants and that Asian Americans were a key part of this work including but not limited to the construction of the Transcontinental Railroad.

We urge everyone in our community to stand in solidarity with Asian American colleagues and friends; to speak up in the face of injustice in all its forms and to take care of each other in every way we can. We all need to be understanding of the fact that as humans our actions can create an environment of greater inclusion. In our busy days we must take time out to evaluate the environments we work and live in, and make changes if we are not inclusive.

In addition, we must always take action to prevent any scenarios where hate, discrimination, bullying, and inequity are allowed. It can not be accepted and will only decline if we act collectively to put a stop to it.

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Recent reports include the murder of an 84 year old Thai man walking in his San Francisco neighborhood; a subway attack in New York City in which a 61 year old Filipino man was slashed across the face with a knife; and a number of assaults targeting older Asian Americans in California and New York and the most recent murders of 8 people in Atlanta.” It cannot be accepted and will only decline if we act
collectively to put a stop to it. 

To start, here are some important organizations fighting for Asian American rights. Be sure to follow and engage with them as they begin planning next steps and actions following the most recent horrific attack. 

● Asian Americans Advancing Justice – Atlanta (Website, Twitter, Facebook)
● Asian Americans Advancing Justice – AJC (Washington, DC) (Website, Twitter, Facebook)
● Stop AAPI Hate (Website, Twitter, Facebook)
● National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum (Website, Twitter, Facebook)
● 18 Million Rising (Website, Twitter, Facebook)
● APIA Vote (Website, Twitter, Facebook)
● APIA Health Forum (Website, Twitter, Facebook)
● National Council of Asian Pacific Americans (Website, Twitter, Facebook)

Signed by:

Faith-Based Community Leaders

• Rev. Dr. J Anthony Lloyd, Greater Framingham Community Church
• Emmett G. Price III, Ph.D, Institute for the Study of the Black Christian Experience
• Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary
• Rev. Dr. Deborah L. Clark, United Church of Christ, Board of Wider Missions, Open Spirit: A Place of Hope, Health & Harmony
• Rev. Gregory Morisse, The Plymouth Church in Framingham
• Rev. William Tanner, The Plymouth Church in Framingham
• Rev. Aaron Stockwell, First Parish in Framingham, UU
• Dr. Bernard Reese, Church of God in Christ – Framingham
• Rav Sam Blumberg, Temple Beth Am
• Cantor David Wolff, Temple Beth Am
• Rev. Julie A. Carson, St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church
• Rev. Heather Kattan, First United Methodist Church and Wesley United Methodist Church
• Rabbi Allison Poirier, Temple Beth Sholom
• George Burton, First Church of Christ, Scientist
• Father Don Pachuta, The Community of Saint Luke 

Civic Leaders

• Mayor Yvonne M. Spicer, City of Framingham
• Maritsa Barros, City of Framingham
• Congresswoman Katherine Clark – Fifth District of Massachusetts.
• Senate President Karen E. Spilka (D-Ashland) Represents the MetroWest communities of Ashland, Framingham, Franklin, Holliston, Hopkinton, Medway and Natick which comprise the 2nd Middlesex & Norfolk district.
• Maria Duaime Robinson State Representative, 6th  Middlesex District
• Jack Patrick Lewis – State Representative – 7th Middlesex District
• Carmine Gentile – State Representative – 13th Middlesex District
• Marian Ryan – Middlesex County District Attorney
• John A. Stefanini, Framingham City Council
• Adam C. Steiner, Framingham City Council
• Janet Leombruno, Framingham City Council
• Ricky Finlay, Framingham School Committee
• Geoffrey Epstein, Framingham School Committee
• George King Jr., Framingham City Council
• Adam Freudberg, Framingham School Committee
• Robert Case, Framingham City Council
• Margareth Shepard, Framingham City Council
• Cesar G. Stewart-Morales, Framingham City Council
• Tracey Bryant, Framingham City Council
• Framingham Human Relations Commission
• Michael Cannon, Framingham City Council
• Phil Ottaviani Jr., Framingham City Council
• Beverly Hugo, Framingham School Committee

Education Leaders

• Kyle Amber Clark, LCPC, ACS (she/her), The Learning Center for the Deaf (TLC)
• Superintendent Robert A. Tremblay, Framingham Public Schools
• Assistant Superintendent Joseph Corazzini , Framingham Public Schools
• President Javier Cevallos, Framingham State University
• Vice President Constanza Cabello, Framingham State University
• President David Podell, MassBay Community College
• Jake Hepler, Northeastern University School of Law
• Frank Tipton, Christa McAuliffe Charter School
• Danielle Kehoe, MS, CRA, The Learning Center for the Deaf
• Kyle Amber Clark, The Learning Center for the Deaf

Business Leaders

• Jim Giammarinaro, Metrowest Chamber of Commerce
• Ava Collins, MetroWest Medical Center
• Bowditch & Dewey
• Towma Rastad
• Scott Richardson, Gorman Richardson Lewis Architects (GRLA)
• Rhiana L. Sherwood, Tenet Massachusetts
• Susan Petroni, Publisher & Editor SOURCE

Non-Profit Leaders

• Jay Kim, Foundation for MetroWest
• Jim Cuddy, South Middlesex Opportunity Council
• Eric L. Masi, Ed.D, Wayside Youth & Family Support Network, Inc.
• Helen Lemoine, Leadership MetroWest
• Martin D. Cohen, MetroWest Health Foundation
• Paula Kaminow, Edward M. Kennedy Community Health Center
• Lino Covarrubias, JFS of Metrowest
• Steve Kerrigan, Edward M. Kennedy Community Health Center
• Anna C. Cross, MetroWest Nonprofit Network
• Paul Mina, United Way of Tri-County
• Maria Rosado, Pelham Learning Center
• Diane E. Gould, Advocates, Inc.
• Katherine Garrahan, Alliance For MetroWest Unity
• Elizabeth A. Soule, MetroWest Legal Services 

Community Leaders

• Esta Montano
• Paul R. Joseph