Published on Apr 30, 2020
Collectively our ten organizations are leading conveners for business leaders in championship for diverse communities: Pan-Asians, Blacks, Hispanics, women, LGBTQ, Native Americans, persons with disabilities and employees of all and no faiths. We redouble on our mission of promoting inclusion and stand together in collaboration to address the adverse impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. While low-wage earners are particularly vulnerable during this public health and economic crisis, the coronavirus outbreak has also claimed disproportionate numbers of lives in communities of color and has given rise to a surge of anti-Asian sentiment. We call on our members, partners and associates to join us along with the growing list of Supporting Companies in affirming the following 5-Point Action Agenda:
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Promote Inclusion: Advocate for a diverse and inclusive workplace and society
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Raise Awareness: Highlight the unique impacts of COVID-19 on vulnerable groups
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Denounce Bias: Encourage individuals to report virus-linked discriminatory acts against Pan-Asians and other targeted groups and communities in the workplace and in public
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Support Communities: Contribute time, knowledge and / or other resources to aid frontline workers, COVID-19 victims and families
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Give Donations: Provide funds and / or other resources to support vulnerable populations of people and impacted businesses
Finding sustainable solutions to the current public health, social and economic challenges is a global imperative. Discrimination targeted at Pan-Asians in forms of shunning, harassment and assaults impedes our ability to stem the spread of the pandemic. About 20% of U.S. healthcare workers are immigrants; 17% of doctors in the U.S. are of Asian descent, while people of all backgrounds work to save lives on the frontline. Discriminatory threats against any first responders also put at risk the patients they serve and delay finding a cure for the disease. Pan-Asians and our diverse communities are an integral part of the solutions to this global crisis.
Heeding historical precedents for scapegoating marginalized groups for diseases and economic instability, our organizations are working together to combat anti-Asian stigma and all forms of bias based on age, color, disability, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, national origin, race, religion, sexual orientation and veteran status. We will continue to advance best practices to safeguard protections for Pan-Asians and other marginalized employee segments. These efforts also include working with key coalitions such as CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion to advance awareness and education of bias at the highest levels of the business community.
We recognize the fight against the current pandemic requires a whole-of-society approach. We urge supporters to engage in our programming, share widely our 5-Point Action Agenda and resource materials. Post-COVID-19 recovery will require the collective networks, capacities, knowledge and skills of our organizations. Almost 200 years ago, Alexis de Tocqueville observed that the success of America’s experiment is our exceptional belief in the "common good." We are all in this together; now more than ever, we need to ascend to the challenges before us and rebuild a whole post-crisis world. Together, our organizations and Supporting Companies will act to catalyze progress for our resilient future.
#AscendTogether
Anna Mok President, Ascend
Damian Rivera CEO, ALPFA
Lorraine Hariton President & CEO, Catalyst
Steve Odland President & CEO, The Conference Board
John Rice CEO & Founder, Management Leadership for Tomorrow (MLT)
Walter J. Smith, CPA President & CEO, National Association of Black Accountants (NABA, Inc.)
Fawn R. Sharp President, National Congress of American Indians (NCAI)
Carol Glazer President, National Organization on Disability
Erin Uritus CEO, Out & Equal
Joyce S. Dubensky, Esq. CEO, Tanenbaum
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