On Tuesday, March 16th, 2021, a gunman killed at least eight individuals and injured others in Atlanta in yet another unspeakable tragedy. Most of the individuals lost are from the Asian American community.  Sadly, this is yet another example of the current threat facing our community. The rise in anti-Asian American violence and hateful rhetoric contributing to that violence in the United States cannot be ignored. Between March 2020 and February 2021, there have been 3,795 hate incidents reported by Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) in all 50 states and D.C., according to Stop AAPI Hate.  It is clear the derogatory anti-Asian language used throughout the past year continues to have a real-world impact. While President Biden’s condemnation of the violence against Asian Americans in his prime-time address last week is a good start, more political leaders need to speak out against this type of rhetoric and do more to support Asian American communities. More of us need to step up and speak out in our communities to make it clear that hate has no place here. Racist comments should not be brushed aside or ignored, they must be confronted and condemned. If it was not clear before, it is clear now that AAPI communities around the United States are targets of hate.  While this will not solve the racism problem in our country, we must continue to work together to pass common sense gun control legislation. Gun homicide (mass shootings, so-called “everyday” violence, and police-involved shootings) are a universal American threat that only make other social challenges worse. Call your Senators to tell them to support handgun laws, including S591 and S763, which expand background checks.  Democrats Abroad condemns these acts of violence. We stand in solidarity with the AAPI community and our AAPI Democrats Abroad members. We must work together to speak out and stand up against this type of hate. These hate crimes must be taken seriously and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Hate against any of us affects us all. We extend our deepest sympathies to those who have lost loved ones to last night’s shootings. We stand with you, we hear you, and we will fight with you to combat this wave of hatred and violence.    In Solidarity, Democrats Abroad Chair Julia Bryan Democrats Abroad Asian American & Pacific Islander Caucus Co-Chairs Cory Lemke and Emily Lines

Call for Nominations: Democrats Abroad Regional Vice Chair Asia Pacific We are now accepting nominations for the bi-annual election of Regional Vice Chair (RVC) for the Asia Pacific (AP) region! This election will take place during the AP Regional Meeting on the 16th of May as part of the Democrats Abroad Global Meeting. One vote is allocated to each AP country committee and will be cast solely by country committee chairs and vice chairs. The chair and vice chair each carry ½ vote. If either is not present, the other will carry the full vote. Democrats Abroad has three RVCs, one for each region, who: Are elected to a two year term that begins and ends with the regional election. Cannot serve more than two consecutive terms. Serve as one of 8 voting members of the International Executive Committee. Meetings are currently held weekly and typically last from two to three hours, but this is subject to change with the new leadership.  Organize and lead monthly regional calls of about one to two hours to encourage, inform, and create a sense of community among regional country committees.  Organize and lead a one to three day annual regional meeting to encourage, inform, and create a sense of community among regional country committees. When practical, these annual meetings are held as in-person events with remote participation available.  Act as a liaison between the International Executive Committee and one or more of the Democrats Abroad committees, lending a hand to the committee chair and assuming chair responsibilities should that position not be filled. Assist in organizing and attend the annual Democrats Abroad Global Meeting, preferably in person when conditions allow. Note that travel costs are the responsibility of the RVC. Work with existing country committees to mediate and resolve issues within their committees including election issues, membership queries, etc.  Track compliance status of country committees with Charter requirements and work with emerging and out-of-compliance countries to help bring them into compliance. Communicate International Executive Committee decisions, policies, and Democrats Abroad best practices to the country committee leaders. Bring regional issues to the International Executive Committee for discussion and resolution. The eligibility requirements for AP RVC are as follows:  Be a citizen of the United States.  Be a member of Democrats Abroad residing within a country in the Asia Pacific region. Adhere to the principles of the Democratic Party of the United States. Due to the extenuating circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic, residents of the AP region who are temporarily residing outside of their country of residence due to the pandemic may still run for AP RVC (example: resident of Singapore who is temporarily residing in France due to quarantines and travel restrictions). There must be an intent to return to the AP region following the lift of travel restrictions. Self-nominations and nominations of others are both welcomed and encouraged! Please submit any nominations via the nomination form at this link no later than 23 March 11:59 PM EDT (UTC-4). Each nominee is required to accept their nomination no later than 31 March 11:59 PM EDT (UTC-4). Nominations from the floor of the election meeting will be accepted as well, and all official candidates will be given time to make a short speech. A list of candidates will be released on 1 April following the nomination acceptance deadline.  Please direct any questions to [email protected] behalf of the 2021 AP Nominations and Elections Committee (NEC), Anthony Nitz (Vietnam, Chair)Christine Valverde (New Zealand)Michael Ramos (Australia)Phong Quan (Singapore)