APALA

  • About
    • About
    • National Executive Board
    • National Staff
    • Opportunities
    • Our Work >
      • Young Leaders Council
    • Contact us
  • Convention
    • 2025 Convention
    • 2023 Convention
  • Join APALA
  • Take Action
    • Subscribe to Newsletter
    • Donate
    • Labor Toolkit on Anti-Asian Racism
  • Media
    • Publications
    • Press Releases
    • AAPI Worker Stories
    • APALA in the News
  • APALA Archives
  • Shop
  • About
    • About
    • National Executive Board
    • National Staff
    • Opportunities
    • Our Work >
      • Young Leaders Council
    • Contact us
  • Convention
    • 2025 Convention
    • 2023 Convention
  • Join APALA
  • Take Action
    • Subscribe to Newsletter
    • Donate
    • Labor Toolkit on Anti-Asian Racism
  • Media
    • Publications
    • Press Releases
    • AAPI Worker Stories
    • APALA in the News
  • APALA Archives
  • Shop

Press Releases

APALA Stands in Solidarity with the Movement for Black Lives after Series of Police Murders

7/8/2016

 
Washington, DC – The Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance, AFL-CIO (APALA) is saddened and outraged by the recent deaths of Delrawn Small, Alton Sterling, and Philando Castile, each at the hands of police officers throughout the country. APALA condemns the continual mistreatment, brutality and murder that the Black community faces, and stands firmly with the Movement for Black Lives.

“Videos that have surfaced surrounding the deaths of Alton and Philando are deeply disturbing and demonstrate the deep-rooted hate and racism that pervades our criminal justice system,” stated APALA National President Johanna Hester. “We can’t look at Delrawn, Alton, and Philando as another statistic. These men leave behind family, friends, and a community ignited to fight for justice.”

On July 4th in Brooklyn, Delrawn Shawn was shot by an off-duty cop following a road rage incident. On July 5th in Baton Rouge, Alton Sterling was killed after being pinned down to the ground by police officers. On July 6th in Falcon Heights, Philando Castile – a Teamster brother at Local 320 that represents the police in Minnesota as well – was shot during a police traffic stop.

This series of shootings follows last month’s acquittal of Baltimore Police Officer Caesar R. Goodson Jr. and the acquittal of Officer Edward Nero in May for charges related to the death of Freddie Gray, who was detained and died from a spinal cord injury in 2015. The trial of Lt. Brian Rice, the highest ranking officer involved in Gray’s death, began yesterday, and APALA will continue to follow the case as it unfolds.

“Across the nation, where’s the justice? Where’s the accountability? Time and again, the deaths of Black men are not brought to justice, and murderers are allowed to continue to live their lives,” added Hester. “These kinds of injustices can no longer go without consequences. Our criminal justice system is in dire need of change – change that curbs the disproportionate mass criminalization of Black lives, immigrants and people of color.”

“Gray’s story of justice unfilled and the consecutive murders of young Black men by cops this week continue to show how our legal and criminal justice systems continue to fail and devalue black lives,” stated APALA Executive Director Gregory A. Cendana. “The peaceful protest gone wrong in Dallas last night is also upsetting and yet another symptom of the larger structural issues at hand.”

“We must address police violence head on and push for a more public dialogue with law enforcement in order to end the racism and racial bias we are seeing in front of our very eyes. We must be willing to call out what we know to be wrong—even if it might be unpopular. We cannot allow this moment to pass in silence,” called Tefere Gebre, Executive Vice President of the AFL-CIO.

“We must also stay grounded in love, community and family. We are in a state of emergency and our actions should reflect that. We all have our roles in working to end racism and this continued system of oppression, especially if you are white and identify as an ally,” reflected Cendana on what we, as a community, can do to combat police brutality and other institutionalized forms of racism.

Our hearts go out to Delrawn, Alton, and Philando and their families as we stand beside our Black brothers and sisters. APALA will continue to support the Movement for Black Lives and advocate for reforms and policies that promote racial, economic, and social justice for all communities of color.
Here’s how you can help fight police brutality, Anti-Blackness and other forms of oppression:
​
1. Join our National Call for AAPI Solidarity on July 11 to discuss your reactions and the role of the AAPI community. Please RSVP here to receive confirmation details with the call-in information: http://bit.ly/AAPI-Solidarity.
2. Donate to the families of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile.
3. Learn more on how to combat Anti-Blackness: http://bit.ly/29wzMjJ.
###
Press Release for Printing
File Size: 212 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File


Comments are closed.

    For Immediate Release

    Contact:
    info[at]apala.org

    For full list of all press releases and statements, please click here.

    ​

    Archives

    May 2024
    November 2023
    August 2023
    June 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    November 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    March 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    January 2015
    November 2014
    October 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    April 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    April 2013
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    April 2011
    February 2011
    August 2007

    Categories

    All
    2016 Election
    AAPI Behind Bars
    AAPIs Beyond Bars
    #AAPIsResist
    Affirmative Action
    APAHM
    #BlackLivesMatter
    Black Lives Matter
    Civic Engagement
    Convention
    Corporate Accountability
    Criminal Justice Reform
    DACA
    DOL
    DREAMERs
    Economic Justice
    Education
    End Islamophobia
    Endorsements
    Every Vote Counts
    Gender Justice
    Gun Control
    Gun Violence
    Hate Crime
    Healthcare
    Health & Safety
    Immigration
    International Solidarity
    Leadership
    LGBTQ
    Living Wage
    Mass Criminalization
    Mass Incarceration
    National Executive Board
    NHPI
    Not Your Model Minority
    Police Brutality
    POTUS
    Racial Justice
    Reproductive Justice
    #ResistTrump
    Right To Organize
    SCOTUS
    TPP
    Trade Justice
    Unemployment
    Voter Education And Mobilization
    Women's Rights
    Workers' Rights
    Young Leaders Council

    RSS Feed

Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance
815 16th St. NW, 2nd Floor
Washington, DC 20006
202-800-5811 | [email protected]

​Contact Us
Founded in 1992, the Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance (APALA), AFL-CIO, is the first and only national organization of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) workers, most of whom are union members and our allies, building power for AAPI workers and communities.
Quick Navigation
About | Our Work | Chapters | Take Action | Media & Resources 
| Shop | Privacy Policy