AFP Statement on Standing With and For the Asian American/Pacific Islander Community

(Arlington, VA) The Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP), the largest community of charities and fundraisers in the world, has released the following statement from President and CEO Mike Geiger, MBA, CPA, regarding the rise in violence towards Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in the U.S.:

“All of us in the AFP community—charitable fundraisers working to bring people together to improve communities and create philanthropic impact across the globe— condemn the growing violence against the Asian American/Pacific Islander community. We join with people across the United States and around the world in mourning the victims of the recent shootings in Atlanta, and resolve to continue our work in fighting for a fair, equitable and inclusive society free of racism and bias.

We condemn not only this particular incident, but the wave of discrimination and bias that has harmed these communities, and in turn, harmed our society. We must be willing to stand with them—and for them—every single day, not just when incidents like this occur. The future of our world is directly linked to helping all groups flourish and advance in our society.

I wrote last year after the murder of George Floyd that what we are seeing is the true fabric of our world—and frankly, always has been. These kinds of events are what people are experiencing and living, on a daily basis in communities big and small. This is the world in which we raise funds and provide services. If we don’t meet people in their world—and have empathy and seek to create change—then we are doing them, and our causes, a disservice. And we are not living up to the principles and values that undergird our work every day.

We are saddened by these horrific shootings, but they only serve to galvanize our commitment to bring about change that is long-lasting and impactful. We will continue to use our unique role as fundraisers—bringing people together—to unite communities and create greater understanding between peoples of all backgrounds. And in doing so, we will fight to ensure that the principles we espouse so much in our society—such as equity, diversity, fairness, compassion and justice, to name a few—become a reality."

Since 1960, the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) has been the standard bearer for professionalism in fundraising. The association works to advance effective and ethical philanthropy by providing advocacy, research, education, mentoring, collaboration and technology opportunities for the world’s largest network of professional fundraisers. AFP’s 26,000 members in more than 240 chapters raise over $100 billion annually for a wide variety of charitable organizations and causes across the globe. For more information, go to www.afpglobal.org.