We stand with our Asian community

The Asian community in the United States has experienced significant, and often unnamed, racism, xenophobia, and fetishization throughout history. This is not a new reality or one that stems solely from racism related to Covid-19. As incidents of harassment and violence towards Asians and Asian Americans have risen over this past year, we are yet again faced with more painful reminders of xenophobia, racism, and intolerance towards this community. The shootings on March 16th, 2021 serve as additional horrific acts of violence due to the increasing anti-Asian sentiment growing within our country.

As we stated during the resurgence of the #BlackLivesMatter movement in May 2020 as a result of George Floyd’s murder, we do not want to add to the noise of performative allyship as a company with a white CEO and Clinical Director. However, we want to make our stance clear and unequivocal and hold ourselves accountable to continue to learn, grow, and do better by the Asian and Asian American folks in our lives and in this country. 

We want to reiterate that we are not “blank slates” as therapists. Practical Audacity is not a company that is politically neutral. We will not sit idly by while anti-Asian sentiments, xenophobia, racism, fetishization, and sexism continue to be used as a dismissal of Asian lives. The Atlanta shooting was motivated by racism and misogyny. Sex addiction is not only an invalid diagnosis, but has been used in this case to justify and normalize the murders of Asian sex workers. This is not ok. We stand beside sex workers everywhere in solidarity. 

Here are some actions that Practical Audacity is currently taking:

  • We created a Clinical Fellowship, centering BIPOC clinicians, that allow for lower sliding scale appointments. We will be welcoming our third fellow this April. These spots are reserved for BIPOC, including Asian clients. 

  • We are continuing to engage in a formal consultation process with a diversity and inclusion consultant to continue to center the voices and needs of our BIPOC and Asian staff and community.

  • We committed to a quarterly financial contribution to YEPP for all of 2020 and will be voting on what organization we want to partner with for 2021. 

  • We are affiliated with the Sex Worker Outreach Project (SWOP) and listed as a sex-worker positive mental health practice. We will continue to do our own learning on how to best support our sex-worker clients and community. 

  • All staff members are required to attend and participate in an Anti-Oppressive Practice Group monthly; we are aware that anti-oppressive practice extends to all communities and the continued need for growth and direction is required. We will be focusing our learning on Asian-specific xenophobia for the next two months.

We want to lift up voices of Asian and Asian American activists, organizations, and resource/education articles. Here are a few that we follow and would encourage you to check out:

Here are a few resources for Asian, Asian American, and Pacific Islander folks during this time:

We strive to be a safe and supportive space for our Asian and Asian American clients, staff members, and community and will not be silent in our fight against anti-Asian hate.

- Rae & the Practical Audacity Team

Rae McDaniel