Indian American Impact Condemns Racist Attacks Against South Asian Women in Plano, Texas

Plano, Texas —  Yesterday, Esmeralda Upton from Plano, Texas was arrested for the racially-motivated physical and verbal assault of four South Asian women in a parking lot. The attack is yet another in a string of deplorable anti-Asian hate crimes that have taken place over the past two years and comes on the heels of a similar incident involving the first Indian American woman in Congress, Pramila Jayapal. 

Indian American Impact Executive Director, Neil Makhija, shared the following statement: 

“Esmeralda Upton’s dangerous and violent sentiments towards the South Asian community should not be taken lightly. For legal purposes, we are lucky that the racist tirade was caught on camera, but her shameless display of hate towards members of our community is alarming and, unfortunately, not uncommon.  

We are so thankful that the four victims of the attack were not severely physically harmed, but it’s imperative we begin to address the psychological effects of consistent attacks on minority communities. The state of Texas needs more than just a reactive approach to overt racism. Leadership should prioritize expanding multicultural education and implementing safety protocols in order to ensure the welfare of vulnerable people of color, immigrants and women.

While we’ve made substantial progress in the advancement of South Asian leadership in Texas, disturbing events like this distract from our work and endanger our citizens. We thank the Plano Police Department for properly investigating the incident as a hate crime, but we also demand bold action moving forward to avoid history from repeating itself once again.”

###
Indian American Impact is a national 501(c)(4) organization that elevates the voices of Indian Americans and South Asians to ensure that every level of government represents us and our values. Impact works to mobilize, engage and elect South Asians in an effort to build a world in which all Americans have the opportunity to thrive. To connect with Neil Makhija, Executive Director of Indian American Impact, please reach out to Charlotte Bennett or María Gamba.
We would be happy to get something scheduled.