May 18, 2024: Asian American Pacific Islander Day Against Hate and Bullying

WHEREAS, May is Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month; and,

WHEREAS, May 18 is the birthday of Vincent Chin, who was brutally murdered in a hate crime in Michigan in 1982. His murder fueled a national Asian American activist movement that continues to this day; and,

WHEREAS, we have seen a staggering rise in bullying, discrimination, and hate crimes against the Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) community since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic; and,

WHEREAS, every day, kids of all ages in the AAPI community are bullied in schools and online; and,

WHEREAS, in the AAPI community, this problem is often compounded by cultural, religious, and linguistic barriers that can keep these youth from seeking and receiving help; and,

WHEREAS, certain AAPI groups, including South Asian, Muslim, Sikh, Micronesian, LGBTQ+, immigrant, and limited English proficient youth, are more likely to be targets of bullying; and, 

WHEREAS, 80% of Asian American youth report being bullied, online or in school, and 77% of AAPI youth express anger over the current anti-Asian hate; and,

WHEREAS, Act to Change is a national nonprofit dedicated to fighting bullying for AAPI youth; and,

WHEREAS, we join Act to Change to ensure all youth can grow up feeling proud and supported as they develop their identities and write their own stories;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Gretchen Whitmer, governor of Michigan, do hereby proclaim May 18, 2024, as Asian American Pacific Islander Day Against Hate and Bullying in Michigan.