As crimes against Asian Americans increase nationwide, politicians and others are coming together to spread awareness of the importance of protecting the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community. Speaking at the first AAPI Victory Alliance Unity Summit Wednesday, Vice President Kamala Harris noted the importance of the AAPI community and its contributions to the country and electoral process. She emphasized the importance of hate crime legislation and other bills that protect the rights of voters of color. The event was focused on urging lawmakers to pass voter rights protection legislation like the John Lewis Voter Rights Advancement Act and the For the People Act.

“Asian Americans have the right to be recognized as American. Not as the ‘other.’ Not as ‘them,’ but as ‘us,’” she said. “In America, I do believe a harm against any one of us is a harm against all of us, and we should all then recognize that interconnection between each of us.” 

Harris serves as the first woman and person of color to hold the position of vice president. Since her election into office, she has addressed efforts by GOP lawmakers to restrict voting for marginalized communities. 

“Since the start of 2021, more than 360 bills to restrict the right to vote have been introduced in nearly every state,” Harris said. “Many of these bills specifically target vote by mail. And let’s be clear about this, (they) specifically target vote by mail while 64% of Asian Americans vote by mail.”

“We must see these efforts for what they are. Let’s be clear-eyed. They are an attempt to suppress the right to vote,” she added.

By passing the John Lewis Voting Rights Act, Harris hopes to support both automatic and same-day voter registration to help those with limited access to the polls. She noted that without this law, GOP states across the nation will continue to pass laws that disproportionately impact communities of color by reducing early voting and closing voting locations.

Speaking of the AAPI community, Harris credited them for her victory. According to data analyzed by TargetSmart and published by USA TODAY, the AAPI community increased its voter turnout by 46% between the 2016 and 2020 elections and was the group with the highest rate of utilizing vote-by-mail. 

According to AAPI Victory Alliance executive director Varun Nikore, the engagement can be attributed to the rise of anti-Asian rhetoric, especially at the hands of the previous administration.  While hate crimes against the AAPI community are not new to America’s history, spikes can be traced back to the start of the pandemic last year. COVID-19 misinformation and the use of xenophobic language like  “Chinese virus,” “Wuhan virus,” and “Kung Flu” have been connected to a rapid surge in hate crimes nationwide.

“This has likely cemented a permanent shift and change within the AAPI community that will last a while going forward. And yet, unless continued investment happens in the AAPI community, we can see a flattening of the turnout in future elections for AAPIs. We have to continue engaging them,” Nikore told USA TODAY.

Wednesday’s event follows the House passage of the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act on Tuesday, a bill that aims to combat the rise in hate crimes toward the AAPI community amid the pandemic. Anti-Asian crimes have been at an all-time high, and the number hate crimes increased by 50% from 3,795 cases reported from March to December 2020, to 6,603 reported between January to March 2021, Daily Kos reported.

The bill is now on its way to Joe Biden, and Harris said the president “will soon sign this historic bill into law.” The bill serves as the most concrete response by the government in addressing anti-Asian bias.

“I know this past year has been marked by pain, so much pain, for so many, including and in particular members of the Asian American community,” Harris said. “As a member of this community, I share in that outrage and grief. And I believe we have an opportunity now to turn that pain into action.”  

Alongside noting the importance of the hate crimes legislation, she addressed the importance of making voting “easier, not more difficult.”

“While we must be vigilant in defending the voting rights that currently exist, we must also do that and work to expand the right of all Americans to vote,” Harris said. “That includes urging Congress to pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act and urging the Senate to pass the For the People Act.”

In the past few years, alongside a rise in hate crimes, communities of color have been targeted by bills in multiple states including those that impact voting and participating in protests. Harris’ address gives hope that change is on the way.