March 9, 2021 (Washington, DC) – As the rapid attacks on the Asian American community continue to surge amidst the pandemic, the National Federation of Filipino American Associations (NaFFAA) seeks to address the most recent attacks on the community.
74 year-old Filipino American grandfather named Juanito Falcon was attacked on February 16th in Phoenix, Arizona. He was allegedly punched in the face and hit his head as he fell to the ground – the suspect responsible for the attack has been arrested and is facing charges. We send our deepest condolences to the family of Juanito Falcon.
NaFFAA denounces all acts of violence against the Asian American/Pacific Islander community, especially against our elders. We urge everyone to take action by supporting their AAPI friends and family members, donating to victims affected by hate crimes, supporting legislation that advances the safety and protection of communities of color, circulating factual information about AAPI history and hate crimes, and supporting and participating in local organizations who work to dismantle systems of oppression.
National Chairman of NaFFAA Brendan Flores, comments, “My condolences go to the family of Juanito Falcon. No one should have to endure this kind of pain. It’s very sad, since these hate crimes are no longer a new occurrence. Action is long overdue. We need to end the spread of false information regarding COVID-19, we need local communities to organize and educate people on Asian American cultures and histories, and we need everyone to commit to confronting those who perpetuate stereotypes that are harmful to Asian Americans.”
NaFFAA acknowledges the historical and long-standing violence that has not only affected AAPI and Filipino communities, but also Black, Indigenous, and other communities of color. We seek to unite all of our communities in the fight against discrimination, hate, and institutional racism.
We promote the following resources:
- Juanito Falcon GoFundMe: https://gofundme/0fce39c9
- Stop AAPI Hate Reporting Center: https://stopaapihate.org/
- OCA – Asian Pacific American Advocates Toolkit: http://bit.ly/ProtectAllPeople
- National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) Pro Bono Legal Resources: https://www.napaba.org/general/custom.asp?page=HateCrimeResources
Since 1997, the National Federation of Filipino American Associations (NaFFAA) has been the standard-bearer for promoting the welfare and well-being of the four million Filipinos and Filipino Americans throughout the United States. NaFFAA is the largest non-partisan, non-profit organization and national affiliation of Filipino American institutions, umbrella organizations, and individuals. Its fourteen-member regions cover the continental United States, Alaska, Hawaii, and the Pacific Islands.
