Since the murder of George Floyd and the following demand for police accountability, conversations about police abolition and reform have reached an all time high. In November, Minneapolis residents will vote on whether to replace the Minneapolis Police Department with a Department of Public Safety, effectively abolishing the current structure of the Minneapolis police.
Currently, there is limited research and understanding of how Asian Americans view policing and abolition. Gathering Asian American experiences and perspectives is important when talking about community policing, safety, and justice. While some folks feel that police endanger their communities based on their experiences, others can’t see their lives without police officers existing in their communities. These diverging perspectives result from different upbringings, intersectional identities, and different ways of viewing how our communities operate.
In the summer of 2021, Asian American Organizing Project’s Organizing Fellows worked on a participatory action research project, consisting of a survey, listening session, and workshop to better understand our communities perspectives on policing. The purpose of this report is to share our findings on how Asian Americans view policing and abolition. The goal is to continue this work in the future.
SURVEY TEAM
Lily Dutton (she/her) | Melody Gao Shua Her (she/her) | Mindy Chang (she/her)
LISTENING SESSION TEAM
Abinaya Ilavarasan (she/her) | PaNhia Vang (she/her) | Thai Llyod (he/him)
