Governor Hogan announced the formation of the nation’s first statewide Asian American Hate Crimes Workgroup, which will recommend specific actions to address the rise in violence and discrimination targeting the Asian American community. This effort will be led by former U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert Hur.
Last month, Governor Hogan penned an op-ed in The Atlantic urging leaders across the country to forcefully denounce the rise in hate crimes against Asian Americans and recommending steps Congress could take to protect these communities. Yumi Hogan – the first Korean American first lady in US history – also wrote a CNN op-ed telling her story of pursuing the American dream and advocating for greater protections for victims of hate crimes.
Even before the formation of this workgroup, Governor Hogan has already taken action on this issue, including directing state and local law enforcement agencies to increase enhanced visibility patrols, issuing awareness bulletins to help ensure the safety of Asian-owned businesses, and launching a campaign to encourage victims and witnesses to report incidents to Maryland’s hate crimes hotline.