NYC Tech Companies Decry Anti-Asian Hate
Startups with a presence in New York City are denouncing anti-Asian hate. They are also funding nonprofits that raise awareness about discrimination and fight violence against Asian American and Pacific Island (AAPI) people.
Yotpo, an e-commerce marketing platform, created a list of resources to support AAPI communities and businesses.
Tomer Tagrin, CEO and founder of Yotpo, said,“ Our community is hurting. Our customers, partners, and teammates are angry, sad and frustrated. As a company, we are dedicated to supporting AAPI communities and contributing to anti-racism efforts.”
Direct Agents, a digital marketing agency, is auctioning off a series of 10 GIFs as non-fungible tokens (NFTs). The company will match the sale price of each NFT. It will also ensure $1,500 per sale is donated to Hate is a Virus, a community dedicated to stopping hate crimes against AAPI people.
Josh Silverman, CEO of Etsy, said, “We are providing bystander training to all U.S. employees that will equip us to better recognize racial harassment and intervene effectively. We also remain committed to keeping our marketplace safe. Etsy has always had zero tolerance for hate–we have long-standing policies and rigorous enforcement processes in place to protect our community and prohibit items that promote hate or violence on our marketplace.” Silverman added Etsy is pledging $500,000 in donations to two nonprofits that support AAPI communities, Los Angeles-based Asian Pacific Policy and Planning Council and Washington, D.C.-based Asian Americans Advancing Justice.
Facebook hosted two Instagram live conversations on anti-Asian hate, one of which was a talk with Facebook’s Global Head of Social Marketing, Eric Toda. The second conversation begins with a written message: “We stand against racism. We condemn the recent violence and xenophobia against the Asian American community.”
Apple CEO Tim Cook tweeted: “The rising violence against the Asian community is a painful and urgent reminder that we must unite against racism in all its forms.”
A group of officers in major New York City tech companies, including Yony Feng and Hisao Kushi, co-founders of Peloton Interactive, Chieh Huang, co-founder of Boxed, and Shan-Lyn Ma, co-founder of Zola, are donating $10 million through Stand with Asian Americans, an association that partners with the Asian Pacific Fund, a community foundation. The Asian Pacific Fund supports over 80 affiliate nonprofits based in the San Francisco Bay Area that share news about hate crimes and assists AAPI communities.
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