Code Nation Stands With Our Asian-American and Pacific Islander Communities

We strongly condemn the rise in violence across the U.S. against Asian American and Pacific Islanders (AAPI). On March 16, a horrific act of violence in Atlanta, GA killed eight people, but six Asian women specifically. We mourn this tragic and completely unnecessary loss of life.

Anti-Asian racist attacks have no place in our society and most certainly not in our anti-racist organization. We wrap our arms around our Code Nation Asian community and recommit to creating safe spaces for our students and families to feel loved and respected.

2020 saw a spike in Asian hate crimes as a result of xenophobia related to the COVID-19 pandemic. From March 2020 to May 2020 alone, there were nearly 2,000 reports of anti-Asian discrimination. Recently, we are witnessing a disturbing resurgence of violence and incidents of hate. Racist attacks are severely damaging physically, emotionally, and mentally to its victims and their families. We cannot remain silent.

Code Nation works to end the systemic inequities that create barriers to careers in technology. As such, our efforts are deeply connected to ending institutional racism against Black, Indigenous, Latinx, AAPI, and students of color and discrimination against women and the LGBTQIA community. This important work includes supporting and understanding the 212 students and 104 volunteers who identify as AAPI in our community.

Denouncing anti-Asian racism requires that we do better to recognize the cultural and ethnic diversity and varying identities within the Asian community. According to the Pew Research Center, “20 million Asian Americans trace their roots to more than 20 countries in East and Southeast Asia and the Indian subcontinent.” As we stand in solidarity with our fellow Asian Americans, we acknowledge that our country — and our own organization —  must do more to learn about the Asian-American experience, in all of its forms.

At Code Nation, we advocate for historically under-resourced, marginalized, and disenfranchised communities because we recognize that none of us are free until we all are free. We will continue to mobilize for social and racial justice. And, we must firmly dedicate ourselves to ending systemic inequities and racism everywhere, from the education system to the tech industry.

Below are resources and organizations to support and learn about Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. Please share your own ideas for how we can further our critical work as an anti-racist organization at info@codenation.org.