Asian Hate Symposium
Carson, California 2023
Press Release
For Immediate Release: July 10, 2023
Contact: Karen Roxas, NAFCON USA - [email protected]
Filipino Community Holds #StopAsianHate Forum to Support Hate Crime Survivors
Contact: Karen Roxas, NAFCON USA - [email protected]
Filipino Community Holds #StopAsianHate Forum to Support Hate Crime Survivors
Participants of the Stop Asian Hate symposium gather at Veterans Park in Carson for a photo after the event.
Carson, CA - On Saturday, July 8, more than 100 community members from over 30 organizations and local elected officials made up a #StopAsianHate forum held in Veterans Park. The forum was a collaborative response by the community against the recent incidents of anti-Asian hate crimes against Filipino Americans. It provided a platform for four Filipino survivors of hate crimes to share their personal accounts of the crimes and their aftermath, their frustrations with several governmental bodies for unfair treatment or lack of support, and their gratitude for the overwhelming support that they have received from the community.
Survivors of anti-Asian hate crime Nerissa Roque, Gabriel Roque, Nicanor Arriola, Julienne Ochengco joined a panel alongside representatives of Kabataan Alliance, the National Alliance for Filipino Concerns (NAFCON), and Migrante Los Angeles.
Attacked in a drive-thru in the San Fernando Valley over a year ago, the Roque Family continues to seek justice with widespread community support. Nicanor Arriola, a photojournalist who had been covering the Roque case, and his wife Julienne Ochengo were also brutally attacked in Sacramento in February.
Survivors of anti-Asian hate crime Nerissa Roque, Gabriel Roque, Nicanor Arriola, Julienne Ochengco joined a panel alongside representatives of Kabataan Alliance, the National Alliance for Filipino Concerns (NAFCON), and Migrante Los Angeles.
Attacked in a drive-thru in the San Fernando Valley over a year ago, the Roque Family continues to seek justice with widespread community support. Nicanor Arriola, a photojournalist who had been covering the Roque case, and his wife Julienne Ochengo were also brutally attacked in Sacramento in February.
Gabriel Roque (63), survivor of anti-Asian hate attack speaks in front of forum attendees sharing his experience on the court process
Gabriel Roque, the father of the Roque family, vented his dismay with the court’s decision to drop the hate crime charge. “I went there hoping that the court would shed more light to what happened to us, and more or less, support our allegations that what happened was true,” said Mr. Roque. “The lawyers said that my injuries were not caused by Webber but were caused by coughing [...] Instead of getting the truth out, the truth was twisted; therefore, justice was not served.”
“I am frustrated with the California Victim Services and Philippine consulate; it has been a year since we have been asking for help, and we still have not gotten it,” said Nerissa Roque, the mother of the Roque family, sharing her discontent with poor services from the U.S. and Philippine government.
Nicanor Arriola, President of the Asian American Press Club, described his and his wife Julienne’s experience during their recovery following the attack. “It was hard to stand up from the bed, with six broken ribs, and lots of abrasions and bruises. It was hard for me; especially for Julienne, who had difficulty walking around the house due to her injuries,” said Mr. Arriola.
“Julienne would often cry out of fear, worried that our assailants would find our home and attack us once again.”
A common theme amongst panelists was the lack of support and resources for victims, often faced with the daunting task of navigating complicated systems to receive help on their own.
Instead, grassroots community efforts from across California stepped in to provide the needed support for the Roques and the Arriola-Ochengo families.
“I am frustrated with the California Victim Services and Philippine consulate; it has been a year since we have been asking for help, and we still have not gotten it,” said Nerissa Roque, the mother of the Roque family, sharing her discontent with poor services from the U.S. and Philippine government.
Nicanor Arriola, President of the Asian American Press Club, described his and his wife Julienne’s experience during their recovery following the attack. “It was hard to stand up from the bed, with six broken ribs, and lots of abrasions and bruises. It was hard for me; especially for Julienne, who had difficulty walking around the house due to her injuries,” said Mr. Arriola.
“Julienne would often cry out of fear, worried that our assailants would find our home and attack us once again.”
A common theme amongst panelists was the lack of support and resources for victims, often faced with the daunting task of navigating complicated systems to receive help on their own.
Instead, grassroots community efforts from across California stepped in to provide the needed support for the Roques and the Arriola-Ochengo families.
Audience listens and later asks questions to the survivors and panelists on ways to work together and address the issues mentioned.
The panel also included a discussion on the history of Filipino migration and the myriad issues that plague Filipino immigrants and migrants. “We have Kababayans (fellow Filipino Americans) that work double and triple jobs, sacrificing themselves, and leaving their children and parents behind because of the lack of opportunity to find a job and earn a decent living,” said Cathy Miraballes of Migrante Los Angeles, an organization of Filipino migrants formed to address the community’s urgent needs. “Health and education is one of the basic services that our government should provide to everybody. But now it has become a privilege to those who can only afford it.” Mirabelles pointed out worsening conditions for Filipino migrants today, including being subject to anti-Asian hate with little to no assistance from the Philippine government.
Rozlind Silva, a regional coordinator of the national Filipino youth organization Kabataan Alliance, urged young people to take action. “We see how little support there is from people who are supposed to be helping us–people who we elect, people who are supposed to be providing a safe space for Filipino migrants. They have shown up very little or have gaps in the way they have shown support for the families. It’s really us as the Filipino youth. We need to step in, we need to protect our own.”
Karen Roxas, Vice President of NAFCON, urged support for a “Justice and AccountabilityCampaign” that she says aims to “go beyond the crime statistics and individual stories throughcomprehensive systematic reform, including speedy response to send aid to victims,reallocation of funds towards community-based approaches rather than law enforcement, andeffective rehabilitation and education for those who have caused harm to the victims.” Inpartnership with the Filipino Migrant Center, NAFCON launched an emergency services fund forlow-income migrant Filipinos in Southern California.
Rozlind Silva, a regional coordinator of the national Filipino youth organization Kabataan Alliance, urged young people to take action. “We see how little support there is from people who are supposed to be helping us–people who we elect, people who are supposed to be providing a safe space for Filipino migrants. They have shown up very little or have gaps in the way they have shown support for the families. It’s really us as the Filipino youth. We need to step in, we need to protect our own.”
Karen Roxas, Vice President of NAFCON, urged support for a “Justice and AccountabilityCampaign” that she says aims to “go beyond the crime statistics and individual stories throughcomprehensive systematic reform, including speedy response to send aid to victims,reallocation of funds towards community-based approaches rather than law enforcement, andeffective rehabilitation and education for those who have caused harm to the victims.” Inpartnership with the Filipino Migrant Center, NAFCON launched an emergency services fund forlow-income migrant Filipinos in Southern California.
Julienne Ochengco (65), survivor of an attack in Sacramento expresses gratitude to supporters of their case and campaign.
With a great sense of hope and gratitude, Julienne Ochengco tells the audience, “Through this event, I am sure it would help us fight for the justice that we long for. And also for the other victims, not only of hate crimes but of other crimes that we are yet to be aware of. Through your presence, we can help them and also build our community. I’m sure we can be successful through this solidarity.”
For next steps and how to get involved: https://linktr.ee/organizeagainstasianhate
For next steps and how to get involved: https://linktr.ee/organizeagainstasianhate
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