Press Releases

LOWELL, MA – Today, Congresswoman Lori Trahan (MA-03) and State Representative Vanna Howard (D-17^th Middlesex) marked the final days of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month by touring Asian-owned small businesses in Lowell’s Cambodia Town. During the visits, the lawmakers highlighted the work of the business owners – and that of Asian business owners across the Commonwealth – to overcome not only the health and economic challenges created by the pandemic, but also increased discrimination because of their race.

“Although Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month is coming to an end, our support for our AAPI neighbors and businesses should absolutely endure through the pandemic and beyond,” said Congresswoman Trahan. “Businesses like the ones we visited today here in Cambodia Town are part of what make our city so great. I’m glad that by partnering with leaders like Representatives Howard, Golden, and Mom, we could highlight their tremendous efforts and contributions.”

“We are so grateful to Congresswoman Trahan for accepting our #ShopAAPIMonth challenge and visiting our Asian-owned small businesses in our great City of Lowell. Our AAPI communities have been tremendously affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, both socially and economically,” said Representative Howard. “These businesses continue to need our support – whether that means helping them apply for state or federal small business loans or by simply helping to promote our small businesses. Let’s continue to stand in solidarity with our small business owners because supporting locally owned business does not end here. This deserves constant attention."

Trahan and Howard – both of whom recently highlighted the dangerous rise in anti-AAPI hate crimes during a Facebook Live discussion – were accompanied for portions of the tour by State Representatives Thomas A. Golden, Jr. (D-16^th Middlesex) and Rady Mom (D-18^th Middlesex). The lawmakers visited Mony Var Insurance Agency, Amara New Pailin Market, and Dessert Shop and Bakery, all located in Cambodia Town’s Pailin Plaza, before enjoying lunch at Simply Khmer, a Lowell staple and recipient of COVID-19 relief funding through the Paycheck Protection Program.

While the pandemic has been challenging for small businesses, 59 percent of which report negative effects due to COVID-19, AAPI owners have fared even worse due to an increase in anti-Asian sentiment and decreased patronage. A survey conducted by the Asian Pacific American Chamber of Commerce found that more than 80 percent of AAPI small business owners reported negative effects from the pandemic. The financial impact of COVID-19 has proven disproportionate for small businesses as well, with nearly one third of AAPI-owned businesses having missed at least one loan or debt repayment since the start of the pandemic compared with just 19 percent of all small businesses, and 28 percent of Asian-owned businesses remain behind on their payments compared to 18 percent of small businesses nationwide.

Trahan recently voted for the American Rescue Plan, which allocated additional relief funding for small businesses and included priority time periods for traditionally disadvantaged owners. The relief package established the $28 billion Restaurant Revitalization Fund, which offers assistance to restaurants and bars hit hardest by the pandemic and stipulated that during the program’s first 21 days, applications from restaurants owned and operated by women, veterans, or socially and economically disadvantaged individuals will receive priority. The long overdue legislation also created the Community Navigator Pilot Program, a new program designed to increase the awareness of and participation in COVID-19 relief programs for business owners currently lacking access by prioritizing businesses owned by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals, women, and veterans.

Additionally, data collected by Stop AAPI Hate shows that more than 6,600 anti-Asian hate crimes were reported nationally between March 2020 and March 2021, including verbal harassment, shunning, and physical assault. That includes nearly 1 out of every three AAPI women small business owners who have experienced some form of anti-Asian sentiment due to COVID-19.

Just last week, Trahan joined with her colleagues in the House to pass the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act, legislation that will address the dangerous rise in hate crimes and violence targeting AAPI individuals. The bill, which was signed into law by President Biden shortly after its passage, assigns a point person at the U.S. Department of Justice to expedite the review of COVID-related hate crimes, authorize support for state and local law enforcement responding to hate crimes, and coordinate with local and federal partners to stop racially discriminatory language used to describe the pandemic.

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