The Virginia General Assembly on Friday announced the formation of an Asian American and Pacific Islander Caucus.
“In light of the recent events in Atlanta which targeted Asian-Americans, as well as the increased spread of [anti-Asian] sentiment amid the propagation of racist depictions of the COVID-19 pandemic, we are proud to stand as allies with the newly formed [caucus],” the Virginia Democratic Caucus said in a statement Friday.
The news comes as Asian American groups report increased hate crimes against them. Last week, a mass shooting in Atlanta left eight people dead, including six Asian women.
Sen. Ghazala Hashmi, a founding member of the caucus and a Democrat representing part of Richmond and western suburbs, said the new group comes at a “crucial time in our history when the hate and division that has been sown and is now coming to fruition in violent and heinous acts.”
“[It] is now more necessary than ever to make sure every Virginian not only feels safe but also can be a stakeholder in the decisions we make in Richmond,” Ms. Hashmi said in a statement.
At least 6.9% of the commonwealth’s more than 8.5 million residents are Asian, and 0.1% are Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander, U.S. Census Bureau data show.
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