ICYMI: “Hate Is A Virus”: Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak, First Lady Denounce Racist Attacks On AAPI Community, Pledge to Support Asian Businesses

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At a “Stop Asian Hate” event in Las Vegas, Democratic Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak and First Lady Kathy Sisolak condemned racism and hateful attacks on the Asian American and Pacific Islander community, and vowed to support Asian businesses as part of the state’s economic recovery from the pandemic.


Gov. Sisolak said, “As long as I’m governor, know that you have a friend and a first lady in Carson City who are going to do everything we can to bring peace to this community and stop Asian hate.”


As attacks against the AAPI community are on the rise, and Asian-owned businesses suffer the impacts of the pandemic, Democratic governors like Gov. Sisolak are showing their support. Last week, a bipartisan coalition of 26 governors, including all 23 Democratic governors from the states and the Democratic governor of Guam, who released a statement in solidarity with the AAPI community condemning racism, hate, and violence.


Read more about Gov. Steve Sisolak’s commitment to support the AAPI community below.


Las Vegas Review Journal: Sisolak, Titus denounce Asian hate at Chinatown Plaza event


Gov. Steve Sisolak on Thursday decried recent acts of violence against Asian Americans across the country and pledged to lift up the state’s AAPI business community as part of the state’s economic rebuilding in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.


AAPI is an acronym for the Asian American/Pacific Islander community.


“When you see these signs — stop Asian hate, hate is a virus, end violence — this community understands what we need,” Sisolak said during an event in Las Vegas. “And this community is an important part of our diversity in the state of Nevada.”


“And as long as I’m governor,” he continued, “know that you have a friend and a first lady in Carson City who are going to do everything we can to bring peace to this community and stop Asian hate.”


The governor added that Asian businesses “deserve our support and our protection” as the state recovers from the pandemic. He said government must do more to ensure job creation in these businesses as well.


First lady Kathy Sisolak and Rep. Dina Titus also addressed the “Stop Asian Hate” event at the Chinatown Plaza shopping center. The combination protest/rally drew more than 100 people, some of whom were representatives of various sponsor organizations including the North American Shanghai Chamber of Commerce, Nevada Chinese Association and Las Vegas Chinese Chamber of Commerce.


Acts of hate — ranging from verbal harassment to shunning to physical assaults and even civil rights violations — have been on the rise nationwide since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, which originated in Wuhan, China. According to the group Stop AAPI Hate, physical assaults comprise 11.1 percent of the nearly 3,800 incidents reported to the group since the start of the pandemic.


“My heart aches seeing the violence, aggression and hate that our AAPI community continues to endure in our country,” said Kathy Sisolak, who is the daughter of Chinese immigrants. “We can and must do better.”


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