Bias Incidents Target Asians in Westfield Myrtle Ave. Residents

Published Every Thursday Since September 3, 1890 (908) 232-4407 USPS 680020 Thursday, April 1, 2021 OUR 131ST YEAR – ISSUE NO. 13-2021 Periodical – Postage Paid at Rahway, N.J. www.goleader.com [email protected] ONE DOLLAR Bias Incidents Target Covid Angels Swoop In to Help Asians in Westfield By REBECCA MEHORTER Specially Written for The Westfield Leader By JENNIFER GLACKIN able to connect with the officer again. AREA — Residents from across Specially Written for The Westfield Leader He told her that he had tried to call New Jersey are rolling up their sleeves WESTFIELD — Bias incidents the individual a few times and be- and undertaking the essential task of have been on the rise in New Jersey lieved it to be a fake phone number. scheduling vaccine appointments for since 2015, according to a report The officer said he did not believe the state’s most vulnerable popula- from the New Jersey State Police the caller knew where Jenny lived tions. (NJSP). In 2019, 994 bias incidents and most likely targeted her because Almost four months after vaccines were reported in New Jersey, a 75- of her last name. The Westfield Po- arrived in New Jersey, eligible indi- percent increase in reported inci- lice Department did not respond to viduals, especially elderly residents, dents from 2018, according to the The Leader’s request for comment. are struggling to use the mainly online report on the NJSP website. This was not the first instance of appointment scheduling system. “If you think hate speech is just a bigotry Jenny has experienced in “Covid Angels,” as social media has problem that exists somewhere else, town. About five years ago, she said, called them, have rallied on these that’s sadly incorrect,” Westfield she was driving near the border of residents’ behalf, utilizing technol- Mayor Shelley Brindle wrote in a Clark and Westfield when a car full ogy to share tips, leads and motiva- letter to the editor of The Westfield of young women sped past her. She tion. Leader, pointing to two recent inci- said the young women jeered at her All of the volunteers who spoke dents involving hate speech target- and yelled, “Chinese chicken” re- with The Westfield Leader began by ing Asian American families in town. peatedly out the window while also signing up elderly family members After The Leader reached out to a giving her “the finger.” The incident and friends and expanded due to word- member of the Westfield Area Chi- was not reported because Jenny said of-mouth. That overarching theme of nese-American Association she had no idea how to identify the these Covid Angels is that, as tech- (WACAA) for comment, two fami- girls. nology has left many older residents behind, word-of-mouth has been the lies came forward with stories of These particular occurrences are Susan M. Dougherty for The Westfield Leader bias incidents. memorable because most people are STANDING IN SOLIDARITY...Supporters listen to the almost 20 speakers who address the Westfield Area Chinese great driver of both sharing volun- Late one evening in February, good, she said. Jenny encouraged American Association's demonstration on Saturday in Mindowaskin Park. Representatives from state and local government, teers and sharing tips for finding ap- clergy, the school board, police, Westfield's Human Relations Advisory Commission and students voiced their support for pointments. Jenny Q. received a call from an people to speak up about bias inci- the Asian community. The message of "Hate has no place here" echoed from one and all. unknown person who asked her if dents. “We cannot keep silent,” she Pamela Bookbinder Clarke of she was Chinese. This unknown in- added. Westfield said that as the number of dividual then told Jenny to “Go back Another Asian American Westfield people requesting appointments “re- to your home.” The phone call ended family who reported experiencing Myrtle Ave. Residents Voice ally ballooned,” she created a Google shortly after, before Jenny was able racist slurs spoke to The Leader on Document with her husband, Ernie to record the conversation. the condition of anonymity. Their Clarke, to organize the information “I was a little afraid,” said Jenny. child was in first grade when three for the 152 appointments they have Fearing that this person might know classmates began taunting him about Safety, Parking Concerns made. where she lived, Jenny called the his lunches and calling him Jackie Law of Scotch Plains said By REBECCA MEHORTER Myrtle Avenues “as a spillover,” Ms. The group then discussed the South something similar — that she did not Westfield Police Department. A po- “Chinaman.” Their son tried to ex- Specially Written for The Westfield Leader Vanderbeck said. The street has, be- Avenue redevelopment. Mr. Contract anticipate her post with a Google lice officer called her back. She gave plain where he was born (as it was WESTFIELD — Approximately sides the tennis court, a children’s explained the 193 units are a court- him the phone number, and he said not in China) and that he did not Form in a community Facebook group 15 residents of Myrtle Avenue and care center, Lightbridge Academy, mandated development to cover “took on a life of its own that I didn’t he would call her back with any understand why they were calling the surrounding area spoke with Third and a new development that adds to Westfield’s share of affordable hous- news. him that. expect.” Ms. Law said that people are Ward Councilmen Mark LoGrippo parking issues. ing. “This is what we all inherit,” he desperate, though, and filled out her Jenny called the police station ev- The teacher was sensitive to the and David Contract via Zoom on “It’s not on its own significant, but said. ery day for a week before she was CONTINUED ON PAGE 8 form as a “Hail Mary.” When she March 25. The 90-minute meeting when you add the cumulative effect The group discussed the allotted would contact people with their ap- had been set to discuss the impact of of that, it’s felt throughout the street,” 1.5 parking spots per unit, which he pointment information, they would the 193 new apartments to be built on she said. said experts have endorsed as more ask, “Is this real?” South Avenue, but expanded to in- Ms. Vanderbeck said the daycare than enough. Residents expressed Using social media like the clude issues like speeding, traffic and employees park on the street. Mul- their desire to have permit parking for Facebook page “New Jersey Covid parking and paving. tiple residents complained the em- residents only on Myrtle Avenue to Vaccine Info,” volunteers and ap- Residents first talked about the lack ployees double park and park too limit street parking. Ms. Vanderbeck pointment-seekers have been able to of stop signs on Myrtle Avenue. close to the stop sign, limiting visibil- asked if the Public Safety Committee collaborate and share patterns of when “What’s leading to the desire for ity. Mr. Contract advised residents to could complete a retroactive study on appointments drop. Twitter bots, or stop signs?” Mr. Contract asked. “Is call the police if people are parked the new buildings and townhouses in automated Twitter accounts, tweet out there a particular intersection that you illegally. Westfield as part of the traffic and drops from different sites. For ex- perceive as dangerous or people aren’t Resident Daniel Aufiero said resi- parking study. ample, Ms. Law said, Union County stopping?” dents of the new townhouses park on “We can’t do anything about the does its appointment drops mostly He said the town’s traffic consult- the street on Grove and Boynton. units being built, so we have to make between 3 and 6 p.m. Ms. Book- ant uses collected data and police Adding the new complex will only sure what we do is we have got to put binder Clarke said she sees Rite Aid reports to take action regarding speed- exacerbate current street parking con- our neighborhood in the best situa- drop its appointments between 5 and ing issues, so having specific inter- cerns, he said. tion possible given that units are be- 6 a.m. The technology that is allow- sections to ask about, “we can get the “Five years from now, we’re going ing built,” Ms. Vanderbeck said. ing people to easily schedule appoint- Public Safety Committee involved” to be calling you guys, saying, ‘What Residents also brought up concerns ments also is leaving others behind, and have the committee make recom- can we do about all these cars on the that construction or landscaping Erica Stasio, a volunteer and South mendations. Resident Iva Vanderbeck street parking?’ and you’re going to trucks were destroying the street. Mr. Plainfield resident, said. Susan M. Dougherty for The Westfield Leader mentioned the lack of stop signs at the say, ‘Well, there’s nothing we can do; Contract said the town completed a She said that since almost all ap- SIGN OF THE TIMES...People from all over Union County, including families, intersection of Myrtle and Boynton you’re going to have to call the po- road assessment for all the roads in join forces with their signs at the Saturday rally in support of Asian Americans. pointments are only able to be booked Avenues. Resident Andriy lice,’” Mr. Aufiero said. Westfield and this week released a online, anyone who is not “tech savvy” Yakymenko said there is no stop sign Mr. Contract said that calling the three-year paving plan in which “all faces the “biggest barrier.” at Windsor and South Avenues.

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