The Fresno Center kicks off Keeping Community Safe workshop to help stop hate in AAPI communities

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- The Fresno Center and local leaders are taking action to stop hate crimes against our Asian-American Pacific Islander, or A-A-P-I community.

They are starting with "Keeping our Community Safe" workshops, where locals learn about reporting incidents to Fresno Police.

According to Fresno Police, there was one documented AAPI hate crime this year.

Pao Yang, President and CEO at the Fresno Center, says these types of crimes often go unreported.

"As a community leader, it hurts, it is frightening. We have a lot of honorable community members, especially our elders that are afraid," says Pao.

The workshop is funded by Sierra Health Foundation through California's department of social services "Stop the Hate" grant.

The Fresno Center received a $200,000 grant. Those funds are going towards keeping the community safe and educated.

"Almost like The Fresno Center having cultural brokers that serve as liaisons for the city to help residents navigate. They are really utilizing The Fresno Center as having a peaceful place to come together," says the center's director of public relations and special projects, Cheri Cruz.

The center serves over 4,000 people each month.

One of the focuses is culturally sensitive resources to underserved populations.

"We do refer them to our holistic center, where they do a lot of the mental health relaxation healing, and things like that and also to our living well center, which is another one of our mental services that we provide here," mentions program manager, Cyndee Loryang.

The first "Keeping our Community Safe" workshop kicked off last week.

The center hopes to continue the program, to help bridge a gap between barriers such as language, technology and utilizing government resources.

For help on reporting a crime, visit here.