Asian and Pacific Islander American Vote (APIAVote) condemns the racist attacks against Usha Vance, wife of Vice Presidential candidate JD Vance, political activist Harmeet Dhillon, and Vice President Kamala Harris.
APIAVote condemns the recent racist attacks directed at Usha Vance, Harmeet Dhillon, and Vice President Kamala Harris. Vance and Dhillon, both of whom spoke at the 2024 Republican National Convention, received racist backlash from far-right activists for their participation. In recent weeks, Vice President Harris has also faced an escalating wave of disinformation and hate, largely driven by her race and gender, as it became clear she would run for President. ”
“These reprehensible acts of bigotry are not simply just attacks on three individuals, but are affronts to the entire Asian American community,” said Christine Chen, Executive Director of APIAVote. “Such racism sends a chilling message to all Asian Americans and other historically marginalized communities aspiring to serve in public office and advocate for their communities. This racism must not be tolerated in our political discourse.”
“Asian Americans represent an increasingly powerful voting bloc in our country, and have made historic strides in recent years. We should be celebrating their engagement and encouraging their participation, not responding to their political mobilization with racism and intolerance. Embracing diversity strengthens our democracy, and it is imperative that we foster an environment where all individuals, regardless of their background, can serve and make meaningful contributions to our society. We call on our elected officials to condemn this recent spike in xenophobic and anti-Asian rhetoric. We encourage all those in civic life to reference the Asian American Journalist Association’s style guide to prevent and discourage extremist rhetoric moving forward.”