Stockton Boulevard Partnership Recruits Volunteers In Effort To Protect Sacramento's AAPI Community
SACRAMENTO (CBS13) – The Stockton Boulevard Partnership is recruiting volunteers in an effort to bring protection to the Asian American community in Sacramento.
After brutal attacks on the Asian American community all over the country, Sacramento volunteers are stepping up to protect their own.
"I'm here to be the eyes and ears of the community," said Ernest Maharaj.
Maharaj joined Safety on Stockton this week. The group protects Stockton Boulevard between Fruitridge Road and 65th Street.
"Where we have a lot of our Asian-owned businesses, our mom and pops, but we also have four large supermarkets that are Asian supermarkets specifically," said Frank Louie.
Louie is the executive director of the Stockton Boulevard Partnership.
"On Stockton Boulevard, I will tell you we have not had a single incident related to hate crimes against our API community but being more proactive versus reactive is a good thing right?" Louie said. "If we see anything suspicious we'll call it into 9-1-1 or to the dispatcher. We have a patrol that's going by keeping an eye on us."
Maharaj was stationed outside of a grocery store on Stockton Boulevard armed with a safety vest, walkie-talkie, and a whistle. His job is to protect.
"I have elderly parents too, so if anything happens to them I'd be really upset," said Bounyok Vansee, who lives in Sacramento.
She says with Ernest and his partners looking out for her parents, she can rest easy.
"It's very important that we as a community come together and not hate each other," Vansee said.
Just two days into the program, Safety on Stockton has already recruited close to 20 volunteers.