Standing with Asian American and Pacific Islander communities
CEO Charlie Scharf condemns recent violence and xenophobia; pledges continued support for diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Across the U.S. in recent months, attacks on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have continued a disturbing trend of violence and harassment exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to New York Police Department data, hate crimes against Asians in New York City increased by 1,900% in 2020. Stop AAPI Hate, a coalition launched during the pandemic to track anti-Asian and Pacific Islander hate incidents across the nation, reported receiving more than 2,800 firsthand accounts of hate between March 19, 2020, and Dec. 31, 2020 — nearly 44% of which occurred in California. The incidents ranged from verbal harassment to physical assault to shunning and bullying.
Wells Fargo CEO Charlie Scharf expressed solidarity with Asian American and Pacific Islander communities and pledged to continue the fight to advance equity and inclusion for all.
“This is unacceptable and we stand with our Asian colleagues and communities. We will continue to work diligently to take action against racism and injustice.” — Charlie Scharf, Wells Fargo CEO
“During these challenging times, when we all should be supporting and uplifting each other, it’s disturbing to see this rise in violent acts and xenophobia,” Scharf said. “This is unacceptable and we stand with our Asian colleagues and communities. We will continue to work diligently to take action against racism and injustice.”
Wells Fargo has committed to a five-point action agenda to advocate for historically oppressed groups and raise awareness of the adverse impacts of COVID‑19. The action plan is led by Ascend, one of the largest nonprofit Pan-Asian membership organizations in North America, and more than 100 partner organizations and companies have pledged to promote inclusion, raise awareness, denounce bias, support communities, and give donations to vulnerable populations and impacted businesses.
