#AscendTogether for India
Dear Ascend Community,
My thoughts and prayers are with India as the country deals with the surging cases of COVID-19 and the rising death toll each day. India is projected to fall further into poverty because of this crisis. Our Ascend members, along with the greater Indian diaspora in the U.S.A. and Canada with loved ones back home and companies with employees in India, are all worried and concerned.
As a community, we are once again tested in unimaginable ways. A year after the pandemic took over the world and changed the way we live and work, we are experiencing yet another surge in an Asian country. Furthermore, COVID-19’s disproportionate impact on us Asians in form of anti-Asian sentiments, bias, targeted acts of violence, and hate crimes, is an unfortunate yet preventable outcome. Our focus should continue to be on the well-being of our fellow human beings.
Amidst all the sorrow, there is hope! It is during times of uncertainty and suffering that the human resilience shines through to create and embark on a greater sense of purpose through unity. I am confident that the global community will stand for India and with its people around the world and not let the history of this pandemic repeat itself.
As we start the Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month and reflect on the immense resiliency, generosity, and contributions of our people, I urge you to support India in any way you can. Several reputable organizations are working hard and around the clock. American India Foundation (AIF) in particular, through multi-faceted community-centered interventions is providing critical support and resources to the Indian people. I am proud to share that some of the key leaders at AIF, including Lata Krishnan (Founder & Co-Chair of the Board) and Ajay Shah are also active Ascend members. I am personally pledging to support AIF. I call on you to join me in this effort to support AIF to help bring much needed resources and services to India.
Thank you for being part of Ascend and doing your part to make greater impacts in the community.
Anna W. Mok
President & Executive Board Chair
Ascend & Ascend Foundation
