San Francisco AIDS Foundation condemns recent acts of violence against Asian American community members. The surge of  hateful rhetoric and race-based violence since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic is an extension of xenophobia and racism that have tormented our communities for generations. 

As a service organization and community clinic serving 25,000 people annually, we see how anti-Asian racism is harmful to the health outcomes of clients we serve. Last year, we provided health care services to 2,460 Asian and Pacific Islanders (API) equating to nearly 10% of our total clients and continue to provide services during the pandemic.

According to the San Francisco Department of Public Health, 6% of people living with HIV in San Francisco identify as Asian or Pacific Islander (API). In 2019, 11% of new HIV diagnoses in 2019 were among API individuals. The proportion of new diagnoses that occurred at a later stage, defined as an AIDS diagnosis within three months of HIV diagnosis, was higher in this group than other groups. 

As an organization committed to racial justice and a future where race is not a barrier to health and wellness, San Francisco AIDS Foundation vehemently condemns race-based violence in any of its insidious forms. We stand in solidarity with the Asian communities, Black communities, Indigenous communities, Latinx communities, and for all communities of color against white supremacy and all forms of racism, especially those which would turn us against one another.