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API Summit 2020 with the Comcast logo.

API Summit 2020: A Community Gathering to Support the AAPI Community

8 months ago

By Audrey Yamamoto, President & Executive Director, Asian Pacific Fund

As we continue to bear the consequences of the health crisis caused by the COVID-19 virus, we’ve seen the impacts spread across our communities—especially amongst the most disadvantaged. These communities are being hit the hardest, facing health impacts, economic instability, and are now the target of an alarming rise in xenophobia and hate incidents.

On Thursday, the Asian Pacific Fund hosted the API Summit 2020 event presented by Comcast and NBC Bay Area. The Asian Pacific Fund (APF) is the only foundation supporting the work of local organizations that serve vulnerable Asians and Pacific Islanders in the Bay Area. Since March, APF has raised over $500,000 dollars to support the work of 80 nonprofits working on COVID-19 relief efforts.

The convening brought together foundations, corporations, media, and government leaders to discuss the current and future impact of COVID-19 on the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community. The discussion took focus on the alarming wave of anti-Asian sentiment and the importance of owning and shifting the narrative by and for the community.

Many of the speakers are in the frontlines actively working to address the overwhelming demand for essential services while also focusing on recovery and rebuilding efforts. We also heard from prominent speakers like Maulik Pancholy, activist, author and actor, David Chiu, California State Assembly member, and Debbie Chang, President & CEO of Blue Shield of California Foundation.

The conversation provided a guide and a foundation to support the AAPI community facing education, employment, health, housing, and immigration fundamental needs that have been amplified by the health crisis. In the Bay Area alone, the death and rate of unemployment among the AAPI community is higher compare to other groups. A live poll conducted during the event showed that unemployment, mental health, and racism/xenophobia are top of mind issues for many of the attendees.

To address the rise in racism and xenophobia, several Asian American organizations including the Asian Pacific Policy and Planning Council (A3PCON) and Chinese for Affirmative Action (CAA), through the STOP AAPI HATE reporting center, have been collecting data from self-reporting incidents. These range from experiencing microaggressions, racial profiling, and hate violence.

Since March, over 1,800 reports of coronavirus discrimination against Asian Americans were received from across the nation. The findings also indicate that 40 percent of these incidents came from California and 18 percent came from the Bay Area. Cynthia Cho, the Co-Executive Director of Chinese for Affirmative Action, explained that while the statistics are alarming, there’s a significant number of undercounted reports and these are just the tip of the iceberg.

The executive directors from organizations working directly with the community, including Sherry Hirota with Asian Health Services, Sarita Kohli with AACI, including Cynthia Choi, addressed the most pressing needs they identified for the AAPI community now. These needs include making resources available in-language, actively countering misinformation, organizing the community, and building solidarity with groups across racial lines.

After hearing these needs, Comcast California took swift action by announcing it will be donating $25,000 dollars to APF and making two months of free internet available to low-income families through their Internet Essentials program.

To continue working towards addressing the current needs of the AAPI community, The Asian Pacific Fund and Comcast NBC Bay Area will be partnering to provide a Virtual API Speaker Series. The series will be a monthly virtual conversation with speakers that will dive deeper into topics raised during the API Summit and identify ways that we can continue to step up our efforts during these unprecedented times to ensure our most vulnerable get the support they need to survive and thrive.

Filed Under: California News, Community Investment, Internet Essentials, NBCUniversal, Profile Series

Public Safety Power Shutoff

An Xfinity technician examines a forest

Preparing for PSPS Events

Many of us are looking forward to a return to some form of normalcy as we work to rebuild and recover from the public health crisis. Californians are clever, resilient and optimistic people and we will find joy in every season no matter what happens.

While this year will probably feel very different, one thing that will, unfortunately, remain consistent is the threat of wildfires. June 1 was the official start of fire season and at Comcast we are working tirelessly to ensure we continue to serve our customers.

Concurrent with fire season, in many parts of California, we anticipate planned power outages – called Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS) – during this time, which runs from June through November. When gusty winds and dry conditions are forecasted, combined with a heightened fire risk, electricity providers pre-emptively turn off the power to protect the public.

Comcast’s Internet, TV and landline telephone services for homes and businesses require commercial power to operate. During a PSPS event, these Comcast services may stop functioning within hours after the commercial power is shut off. Mobile phone service may also be affected by a PSPS event.

Comcast understands this disruption to services is frustrating and has a major impact on people’s lives and businesses. The safety of our communities and employees is our utmost priority and Comcast takes care during PSPS events to ensure public safety.

Comcast also takes care during PSPS events to ensure we’re keeping our customers informed. We’ve sent a letter and an email to our customers with important information about how to keep informed during wildfire season.

You may also see public service announcements on your local news channel reminding you how these power outages may affect your services.

Here are a few things you can do now to be prepared:

  • Confirm your contact information at xfinity.com/myaccount—We will use this information to contact you if we expect a service disruption caused by a planned power outage. You can also use My Account to check if your service has been restored.
  • Comcast Business customers can check their My Account app or the Comcast Business Status Center to get information and valuable updates.
  • Download your favorite shows and movies for offline viewing—With the Xfinity Stream app, you can watch shows and movies offline in case you lose power.
  • Download the Xfinity Connect App to receive Xfinity Voice calls via your mobile phone—Xfinity Voice customers can make and receive calls with their Xfinity phone number using their mobile phone.
  • Visit the Comcast California Blog where we will post information, updates and answers to commonly asked questions. On the blog, we’ve launched a special PSPS web page where you can get additional information.
  • Follow us on Twitter — our handle is @ComcastCA and we regularly post valuable updates.

Even if power is off, Comcast’s team never stops working for you. From our family to yours, we hope you remain safe.

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