A trio of local Asian-American groups endorsed Andrew Yang for mayor on Tuesday, giving an added boost to the candidate who's been leading the polls.
Yang touched on the ongoing spike in anti-Asian hate crime as he accepted the kudos from the Chang Le America Association, the Fujian Foundation in USA, and the United Overseas Fujianese Association of America.
"Asian-American retail districts and neighborhoods like this one have been hit as hard as any other community by the coronavirus pandemic," he said during a press conference in Chinatown.
© Theodore ParisienneNew York City mayoral candidate Andrew Yang
New York City mayoral candidate Andrew Yang (Theodore Parisienne/)
He went on to say government relief has been slow to reach communities there, with the increase in anti-Asian hate worsening matters.
"That includes folks being reluctant to come into areas like this one, to be able to shop and have fun with their families," Yang said. "These are things that I am committed to help change."
He promised to help "reactivate" struggling small businesses. On crime, he said he'd bolster the NYPD Asian Hate Crime Task Force.
Kenny Chen of the Fujianese Association of America called Yang, who is of mixed Fujianese and Taiwanese descent, "the pride and joy of our community."
"He already made history," Chen beamed, describing Yang's unsuccessful 2020 run for the Democratic presidential nomination. "Now he is running to be mayor of the greatest city in the world."
The groups also endorsed Gigi Lee for City Council.
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