Since the start of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic last March, there has been a rise in racist acts and violence against Asian Americans. A study by the center for the Study of Hate and Extremism at Cal State San Bernardino found anti-Asian hate crime increased 149% between 2019 and 2020.
More people are beginning to speak out on these issues, including professional basketball player Jeremy Lin, who revealed he has been the target of hate-fueled comments on the court.
After becoming aware of this, Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts felt it was important to address the organization via email on the nationwide attacks of Asian Americans. “I just think there’s a lot of things going on in and outside of our country towards Asians,” he said.
“Racist, bullying acts, and I just felt it obviously hit close to home for me. I just felt I wanted to address it internally and show my support for the Asian-Americans in our organization. We’re all aware of it and just kind of something that was on my heart that I felt needed to be shared.”
Roberts, whose mother is Japanese, drafted the email with Dodgers traveling secretary Scott Akasaki. Also of Japanese ancestry, Akasaki is one of the team’s longest-tenured employees.
Roberts was pleased with how the organization responded to the message. “It was received the way it was intended,” he said. “In a sense of what’s going on is not right; treating any race that way.
“I just think a lot of people felt heard and supported. Their voice was kind of heard, and that was really important to me.”
Roberts previously spoke out on racism against African Americans
Roberts, who made history by becoming the Dodgers’ first minority manager, previously lended his voice in support of the ongoing protest to end police brutality last summer.
Roberts said “normal is not good enough” and believes U.S. leaders must listen to protesters about racial injustice.
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