<div dir="ltr"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:115%;font-family:Arial,sans-serif">The
Oregon Library Association condemns anti-Asian hate crimes and strongly supports
the <a href="https://www.apalaweb.org/apala-statement-against-anti-asian-violence" style="color:blue">Asian/Pacific
American Librarians Association (APALA)</a><span class="gmail-MsoHyperlink" style="color:blue;text-decoration-line:underline"> Statement
Against Anti-Asian Violence</span>.<br></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:115%;font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><span lang="EN" style="line-height:115%"> </span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:115%;font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><span lang="EN" style="line-height:115%">We
join with the <a href="http://www.cala-web.org/" style="color:blue">Chinese American Librarians Association
(CALA)</a>, <a href="https://www.reforma.org/blog_home.asp?Display=166" style="color:blue">REFORMA</a>,
and <a href="http://www.ala.org/news/press-releases/2021/03/ala-executive-board-supports-apala-recognizing-and-condemning-ongoing-anti" style="color:blue">American
Library Association (ALA)</a> in recognizing the rise in <span style="background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial">criminal acts and racist comments during
the COVID-19 pandemic </span>against <span style="background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial">Asian, Asian American, and Pacific Islander communities and stand with
them to denounce this racist violence and rhetoric. Such activity is also <a href="https://www.opb.org/article/2021/02/20/oregonians-say-rise-in-racism-against-asian-americans-being-felt-here/" style="color:blue">taking
place in Oregon</a>. We remain unequivocally united against such despicable violence.
</span></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:115%;font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><span lang="EN" style="line-height:115%;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"> </span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:115%;font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><span lang="EN" style="line-height:115%;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial">The Oregon Library Association is
actively committed to antiracist values. We urge members of the Oregon library
community to look out for actions and policies that condone bigotry, systemic
racism, and prejudicial misinformation and to do their part to eliminate them
in library organizations and local communities. We urge library workers to
actively support and protect Black, Indigenous, and people of color<span style="color:rgb(31,73,125)"> (</span>BIPOC) communities from discrimination and
hateful actions and find ways to act (or serve) as allies to our colleagues
across the state and country.</span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:115%;font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><span lang="EN" style="line-height:115%;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"> </span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:115%;font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><span lang="EN" style="line-height:115%;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial">All library workers are charged with the
responsibility to report instances of bias and racism in support of our
racially and socially marginalized communities. For more information and
assistance, contact the </span><span lang="EN" style="line-height:115%"><a href="https://www.doj.state.or.us/oregon-department-of-justice/bias-crimes/about-the-law/" style="color:blue"><span style="background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial">Oregon Hate and Bias Information
and Reporting</span></a><span style="background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial">. </span></span></p><div><br></div><div>Kate Lasky</div>-- <br><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_signature" data-smartmail="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div>Oregon Library Association President, 2020-2021<br></div><div dir="ltr"><div><a href="mailto:olapresident@olaweb.org" target="_blank">olapresident@olaweb.org</a><br></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>