My name is Pengchu Zhang and the president of Association of America-Chinese Engineers and Scientists, New Mexico.

Firstly, I would like to thank all of you attending today’s event, here and online. Thanks to the Mayor, the city councilors and city officers to have this conference to raise the awareness of Asian Hate to our city citizens.

Most members in our organization have enjoyed the diverse culture of Albuquerque and New Mexico.

We are conducting research, education, production, medical services in every research facility, manufactures, universities and hospitals in the city. We appreciate the quality life the city provides and at the same time, we contribute to the city’s prosperous and growth. As the members of this community, we determine to do our best to make Albuquerque more diverse, open and more welcome to anyone who come here, working and raising family.

We wish Albuquerque is a race fear free community, but we need work more on this. Let me tell you my personal experience, I had a hire cut appointment just right after the Atlantic City mascara, my hairdresser came from the Korea many years ago. When I arrived at her barber shop, there was a sign said it is closed. I checked my calendar, the app was right but why it was
close. I stepped out my car and approached the barber shop. She came out behind the window carton and opened the door for me. She told me that she was afraid something may happen to her and her shop. The sign “walking in welcome’ has been removed.

Any citizen at Albuquerque should not have such a fear just because her/his race. We would call all people in the City to be aware of such things happen, happening close to us. Please join us to do everything possible to end the hate, discrimination and violence in our city.

Thanks.

City of Albuquerque held an Assembly in the theme of Ending Asian Hate, Discrimination and Violence in the Civic Plaza on 1:00, March 28, 2021. City Councilor Lan Sena, a Vietnamese descendant, organized this event. City Mayor, Attorney in General, APD, APS and a number of elected officers made speeches in condemning the violence and hate against Asian Americans. Leaders of local Asian organizations, including Pengchu Zhang, current president of ACES-NM, were invited to give speeches on the assembly. This event was online at real time and reported by major medias in the evening news.

We estimate that 25-30 of ACSE-NM members attended the assembly. ACES-NM T-shirts wearied by members made our organization much visible over the assembly. Again, our members, signs and speaker showed in the news report. A good turn-out considering the pandemic and current State regulations. Albuquerque Police Department approached to us, invited us to join its outreach program – the APD Ambassadors to help make Albuquerque safer to all people including Asian.

The board members had only two days to prepare for participating: printing T-shirts, making sign, contacting with city councilors and other Asian groups, distributing information… Many thanks to the board members and ACES volunteers, their efforts made our participation successful.