Assemblymember Phil Ting, D-San Francisco, and others active in addressing hate against the Asian and Pacific Islander community on Wednesday celebrated a victory after $30.3 million was approved for distribution by the California Department of Social Services to local nonprofits.

The money, to be distributed in grants to organizations that are providing services to victims and strengthening violence prevention programs, is part of the $166.5 million Asian and Pacific Islander Equity budget that was passed in California last year.

Ting, the Assembly budget chair, heralded the legislation as one of the largest appropriation bills to address the spike in hate crimes against the AAPI community seen during the pandemic in California and across the United States.

Ting said that a spike in hate crimes and bias across many communities occurred during the pandemic, with anti-AAPI bias incidents increasing by over 177% from 2020 to 2021, according to a report from the California Attorney General’s office.

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The money is expected not only to help survivors of hate crimes and the broader AAPI community, but also to inform the government on how to better address the issues facing the community {snip}
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For some organizations, this money will allow for more resources and focus to be placed on mental health services for those in the AAPI community. Mary Ann Foo, the founder and executive director of the Orange County Asian and Pacific Islander Community Alliance, said that calls for mental health assistance within the AAPI community nearly tripled during the pandemic.

Foo said that the pandemic brought about a rise in AAPI hate that reminded her of AAPI hate she faced growing up during the 1980s.

“When I was a little girl, I would be afraid to walk to school,” Foo said, an experience she said was common for those in the AAPI community.

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