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WHEREAS, on May 25, 1906, a mass rally of 1 ,000 citizens gathered to watch and <br /> celebrate as the area known as Chinatown on 2nd, Main, and Bush Street was burned to <br /> the ground; and <br /> WHEREAS, the Chinese Exclusion Laws were repealed in 1943 and subsequent <br /> federal legislation officially banned racial bias in immigration and citizenship, a <br /> fundamental step in the struggle for racial equality and justice in the United States; <br /> WHEREAS, the recent rise in anti-Asian violence and racial discrimination <br /> demonstrates that xenophobia remains deeply rooted in our society and that Chinese and <br /> Asian-Americans are still stereotyped as perpetual foreigners; and <br /> WHEREAS, the story of Chinese immigrants and the dehumanizing atrocities <br /> committed against them in the 19th and early 20th century should not be minimized in the <br /> telling of Santa Ana's history; and <br /> WHEREAS, the City must acknowledge and take responsibility for the legacy of <br /> discrimination against early Chinese immigrants as part of our collective consciousness <br /> that helps contribute to the current surge in anti-Asian and Pacific Islander hate; and <br /> WHEREAS, a genuine apology for the City's role in this history and legacy is an <br /> important and necessary step in the process of racial reconciliation; and <br /> WHEREAS, an apology for grievous injustices cannot erase the past, but <br /> admission of the historic wrongdoings committed can aid us in solving the critical <br /> problems of racial <br /> discrimination facing America today; <br /> NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Santa <br /> Ana <br /> Section 1 . Apologizes to all Chinese immigrants and their descendants who came to <br /> Santa Ana and were the victims of systemic and institutional racism, xenophobia, and <br /> discrimination; <br /> Section 2. Acknowledges acts of fundamental injustice, terror, cruelty, and brutality, <br /> including the dismantling and destruction of the City's Chinatown; <br /> Section 3. Recognizes the contributions and resilience of the Chinese community and <br /> their commitment to fostering reconciliation and friendship; and <br /> Section 4. Resolves to rectify the lingering consequences of the discriminatory policies <br /> of the City of Santa Ana, and to use this resolution as a teaching moment for the public <br /> to move forward. towards justice for all. <br /> ADOPTED this day of May, 2022. <br /> Resolution No. 2022-XXX <br /> Page 2 of 3 <br />