RESOLUTION FOR BOARD MEETING OF MAY 2, 2019
Title
RESOLUTION sponsored by the Board of Commissioners Honoring a Day of No Bullying
Body
WHEREAS, May is Asian Pacific American Heritage Month; and
WHEREAS, May 18th is the birthday of Vincent Chin, who was brutally murdered in a hate crime in 1982. His murder fueled a national Asian American activist movement that continues to this day; and
WHEREAS, we are now seeing a staggering rise in bullying, discrimination, and hate crimes in an anti-immigrant and xenophobic climate; and
WHEREAS, in honor of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month and Vincent Chin, May 18th shall be recognized as a Day of No Bullying; and
WHEREAS, every day, kids of all ages suffer from being bullied in schools and online across the country; and
WHEREAS, in the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community, this problem is often compounded by cultural, religious, and linguistic barriers that can keep these youth from seeking and receiving help. Certain AAPI groups - including South Asian, Muslim, Sikh, Micronesian, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, immigrant, and limited English proficient youth are more likely to be the targets of bullying; and
WHEREAS, half of Asian American students report being bullied; two-thirds of Sikh American students report being bullied; and half of Muslim American students report being bullied; and
WHEREAS, Act To Change is a national nonprofit dedicated to fighting bullying in the Asian American and Pacific Islander community; and
WHEREAS, we join Act To Change in sharing one vision: we envision a world where all youth, including within the AAPI community, have the opportunity to grow up feeling proud and supported in the development of their identity and sharing of their stories. We must continue to empower students by advocating for systemic change and providing resources to promote healthy communities; and
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that we, the Board of Commissioners of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago, on behalf of ourselves and our staff, are committed to this important issue and encourage the public to foster dialogue, share resources, and learn more about what they can do to fight bullying; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that this Resolution be spread upon the permanent Record of Proceedings of the Board of Commissioners of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago and that a copy of same, suitably engrossed, be presented.
Dated: May 2, 2019