1-800 Contacts stands in solidarity with Asian American Pacific Islander community #STOPAAPIHATE
Following the recent acts of violence against the Asian American Pacific Islander community, our head of Diversity and Inclusion and a proud Asian American, Peng Se Lim, shared the following thoughts:
“As a child of refugee parents, and someone who works in the space of inclusion, it has been difficult and saddening to see attacks and acts of racism further divide our communities and cause fear for so many. I worry for my spouse, my mother, and for my friends and want them to feel safe in their own neighborhoods. While the current moment is focused on the hatred toward AAPI, it is a reminder of the intersectionality of who we are and a reminder that we are stronger in unity. It is up to us to fight against these forms of oppression and come together during these difficult times. More than ever, we must take care of each other.”
Last summer, 1-800 Contacts voiced its commitment to fighting against racial inequity in our nation. We once again find ourselves faced with continued acts of hatred and violence. We stand committed to and in support of our Asian American Pacific Islander families, teammates, communities, and customers and once again look inward to do our part.
What started with having difficult conversations around inclusion and belonging has led to training opportunities for our leadership on how to better support our associates, recognize bias, and create a safe environment for our team members. Everyone should feel comfortable sharing their experiences and be met with open ears and whatever resources or help they need. Racism, violence and hatred have no place within our company or our country. There is still so much work to be done.
In our continued efforts to support racial justice and equity, we’ll be contributing to Stop AAPI Hate, a reporting center for anti-Asian hate incidents and advocacy group for the AAPI community. We invite you to join us in supporting Stop AAPI Hate as well as other organizations that currently fight to #StopAAPIHate and continue to advocate for BIPOC communities and other marginalized groups. Below are a few sources we recommend learning from and considering making a donation.
