SAN DIEGO — California lawmakers are working with non-profit groups like, Stop AAPI Hate that are introducing two bills to combat harassment and violence against women and vulnerable populations in public.
"I don’t wanna say the same thing over and over id rather not let’s take action," said Joann Fields, from API initiative in San Diego.
Stop AAPI Hate reported 9,000 hate incidents across the country towards Asian Americans between 2020 and 2021.
Nearly 40 percent of those were reported in California.
"We have the largest Asian population in the state of California, many who came by way of the military we know the Chinese community came in numbers building out the railroads throughout the state of California," said Fields.
The proposed legislation would require the state’s ten largest transit districts to study the types of harassment that commuters experience. The harassment victims experience ranges from slurs to intimidation and sexual assault.
The second bill, co-authored by Assemblymember Dr. Akilah Weber from San Diego, would conduct multi-year public education campaigns from the California Department of Public Health.
According to Fields, this is a step in the right direction.
"We need to be introducing initiatives policies along with our State Assembly representatives on all levels we should be working together to address this," said Fields.
San Diego is taking a step to make it easier for people to report hate.
"Because the community knows we have partners in law enforcement and in the media that we are hearing more of the issues happening in the community," said Fields.
Many in the API community in San Diego, like Tram Lam of the Little Saigon San Diego are hopeful.
"It will bring change, it’s not immediate change but it will take a while but it will definitely improve our safety," said Lam.
California is known for its diversity and the State's API leaders hope it will continue to be a trailblazer ensuring the safety and well-being of the Asian communities.
Leaders hope the these policy proposals could eventually form a blueprint for other cities with sizable Asian populations.
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