The OC Human Relations Commission speaks out on discrimination and COVID-19

SANTA ANA, Calif. (March 16, 2020) – The Orange County Human Relations Commission issues the following statement on discrimination against the Chinese American and Asian American community due to fears about COVID-19, commonly known as novel coronavirus.

“We stand with the Chinese American and Asian American community against the rise of racist rhetoric, stigma, and paranoia due to fears about COVID-19. We support the right of every person to go to school, work, and other public places without being subjected to race-based discrimination. During times of crisis, Orange County residents will rise above the tendency to look for scapegoats. We will not give into fear, panic, prejudice and discrimination.

We encourage residents who have experienced a hate incident or other racist actions related to the coronavirus outbreak to report it to the OC Human Relations Commission Hate Crime division by calling 714-480-6570 or filing online at http://www.ochumanrelations.org/hatecrime/report/.”

The OC Health Care Agency (HCA) continues to engage and monitor the rapidly changing worldwide response to COVID-19. Residents are encouraged to visit HCA’s website or call the HCA’s Health Referral Line from Monday – Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at (800) 564- 8448 and monitor HCA’s social media channels for the most accurate and up-to-date information related to COVID-19.

About OC Human Relations Commission The mission of the OC Human Relations Commission is to seek out the causes of tension and conflict, discrimination and intolerance and attempt to eliminate those causes. We serve to advise the Board of Supervisors on issues that affect the human and civil rights. The Commission is led by volunteer members of the public appointed by the Orange County Board of Supervisors to seek out the causes of tension and conflict; discrimination and intolerance based on race, religion, national origin, ethnicity, disability, age, gender, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, or marital status. For more information, please visit the OC Human Relations Commission website at: http://occommunityservices.org/ochrc.