John Leguizamo is an All-American helping his fellow man…
The 55-year-old Colombian actor and stand-up comedian has thrown his support for The All Americans Movement, an initiative that helps unify cross-cultural support for marginalized communities affected by COVID-19.
The initiative was launched by the Asian cultural collective Gold House and Andrew Yang’s Humanity Forward.
In addition to Leguizamo, the campaign has garnered support from numerous multicultural leaders and celebrities including Hasan Minhaj, Sen. Kamala Harris, Dave Chapelle, Olivia Munn, Joseph Gordon Levitt, George Takei, Daniel Dae Kim, Twitter founder Jack Dorsey, Mark Cuban and Sophia Bush.
The initiative is also driven by nearly 100 volunteer partnerships between independent businesses, nonprofit organizations including fashion houses like 3.1PhillipLim and Prabal Gurung.
Businesses are selling #AllAmericans-inspired products with proceeds going towards medical relief, combatting racism, and economic stimulus.
Nonprofit organizations are working to provide resources and funds to support and empower marginalized communities. All the while, multicultural leaders are launching an #AllAmericans social media campaign. All are under the newly launched allamericans.us, an online destination that catalogs ways the public can fulfill medical supply needs, curb racism and violent actions against minority groups, and support additional independent companies.
When the COVID-19 pandemic first hit the U.S., Donald Trump and his administration started to label it as the “Chinese Virus” despite reports that the United States’ condition came from Europe. As a result, anti-Asian attacks and harassment started to surge across the country.
In addition, Black and Latino communities have higher COVID-19-induced fatalities than any other groups. Reports found that the Black community represents 72% of COVID-19 deaths in Chicago while Latino Americans represent 34% of COVID-19 deaths in New York City. Brick and mortar businesses — particularly those owned by Asians — have seen a 40-80% decline in business.
“Crises often force us to retreat to what we know — too often, at the expense of others, but COVID-19 does not discriminate, which is why we cannot either,” Bing Chen, Chairman, Gold House, told Deadline. “Asians have slurs and acid thrown at us; the African American and Latinx communities have systemic bias masked in health care systems and employment thrown at them daily.”
He continued, “Surviving this — and the months to come — is going to take all communities, all industries, and all nations to fortify resources for a cure, more proactive prevention, and fluid lines for empathy that will hopefully endure this pandemic. This is a wakeup call for how we can — and must– all rise together. It is the only way our species endured any catastrophe. And it’s the only way — being tougher together — that we’ll get through tomorrow.”
Other creatives who have boarded the All Americans Movement include Noah Centineo, Jay Williams, Pamela Adlon, Dane Dehaan, Lisa Ling, Fat Joe, Joel McHale, Richard Marx, JJ Redick, Teri Hatcher, Sue Bird, Alyssa Milano, Van Jones, Marcellus Wiley, Taylor Rapp, Megan Rapinoe, among many more.
