A roundtable discussion, on August 20th, featuring Newark Mayor Ras Baraka brought together community leaders to address the complex issues surrounding the police killing of Victoria Lee and to explore solutions for improving emergency response and community safety. Hosted by Mom & I magazine at MPlus Creative Production & Media Corp., attendees included representatives from the Korean American Association of NJ, Korean Community Center (KCC), AAPI New Jersey, MinKwon Center for Community Action NJ, and allies including the New Jersey Institute for Social Justice (NJISJ). One of the main topics discussed was the urgent need for mental health first responders and community-led crisis responses. Yannick Wood of NJISJ emphasized, “We need to move away from armed police responses to clinical, compassionate care in mental health emergencies.”
The discussion also uncovered a pervasive sense of fear among Fort Lee residents, particularly among elderly individuals and those with limited English proficiency, who are now hesitant to call 911 during crises. “The fear is real,” said Sungkwan Jang of One Boat Coalition and a Fort Lee resident. “People are terrified to call 911, unsure if they will receive help or face harm.” This fear is compounded by the deep stigma surrounding mental health within the Asian American community. Attendees agreed on the necessity of pushing for greater awareness and understanding to combat this stigma and promote healthier community dialogues around mental health.
Another key point raised was the need for increased funding and infrastructure to ensure sustainable and effective community responses. Participants called for policy changes that would allocate resources toward building a support system capable of handling emergencies with the necessary sensitivity and expertise.
The roundtable emphasized the importance of cross-organizational collaboration and building cross-racial solidarity. Community leaders stressed that the fight for justice is not limited to one community and requires a united effort to drive meaningful change.
The discussion concluded with calls for greater accountability and transparency from Fort Lee’s leadership and police department. Mayor Baraka summarized the sentiment by stating, “This is not just a tragedy; it’s a call to action for all of us. We must ensure that what happened to Victoria Lee never happens to anyone else.”
Resources and help are available for our community members in New Jersey. You are not alone. We encourage members to seek mental health support from NAMI-NJ at www.naminj.org or to reach out to AAPI New Jersey for non-emergencies. Asian American and Pacific Islander families in New Jersey seeking mental or behavioral health services for themselves or loved ones may schedule a free consultation with a licensed AAPI mental health provider by emailing us at advocacy@aapinewjersey.org.
