New York Life donates $200,000 to groups supporting civil rights for Asian American and Pacific Islander communities

New York Life | April 5, 2021

NEW YORK — New York Life announced today that it has donated $100,000 to Asian Americans Advancing Justice/AAJC and $100,000 to Stop AAPI Hate in response to the recent violence against the Asian American and Pacific Islander communities. As part of the donation to Advancing Justice/AAJC, $50,000 is directed to a special fund supporting victims and their families impacted by the March 16, 2021 shootings in Atlanta.

“We are outraged by the senseless murders that took place in Atlanta, as well as the many other violent hate crimes against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders we've witnessed over the past year,” said Ted Mathas, Chairman and CEO. “Our contributions today will support the important work of two organizations defending these communities, but we, as a society, need to come together to not only raise our collective voice to condemn racism in all forms, but work to eradicate it.”

Asian Americans Advancing Justice/AAJC is a national affiliation of five leading organizations advocating for the civil and human rights of Asian Americans to promote a fair and equitable society for all. Of New York Life’s contribution, $50,000 is being directed to the Washington, D.C. affiliate to support its nationwide efforts and $50,000 is going to the Atlanta affiliate to a special fund supporting victims and their families impacted by the March 16 shootings.

The Stop AAPI Hate reporting center was launched in March 2020 by the Asian Pacific Planning and Policy Council (A3PCON), Chinese for Affirmative Action (CAA), and the Asian American Studies Department of San Francisco State University in response to the alarming escalation in xenophobia and bigotry resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. The center tracks and responds to incidents of hate, violence, harassment, discrimination, shunning, and child bullying against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in the U.S.

New York Life recently signed a pledge issued by the Asian American Business Development Center, United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and U.S. Black Chambers, calling on CEOs across America to support Asian Americans and to stand against the racial attacks on this community. 

The company also participated in Partnership for New York City’s anti-Asian prejudice social media campaign using the hashtag #STOPASIANHATE, in support for a call to end to hate crimes against Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders, on March 26th.

As part of New York Life’s support for the community, the New York Life Foundation will leverage its partnership with First Book, a nonprofit social enterprise dedicated to educational equity for children in need, to provide Atlanta area schools with free books to help guide young people through this difficult time. The Foundation has had a partnership with First Book since 2018.

In 2020, New York Life and its Foundation provided nearly $68 million in charitable contributions including nearly $35 million in response to the pandemic and other natural disasters to support communities across the country.

About New York Life

New York Life Insurance Company (www.newyorklife.com), a Fortune 100 company founded in 1845, is the largest mutual life insurance company in the United States* and one of the largest life insurers in the world. Headquartered in New York City, New York Life’s family of companies offers life insurance, retirement income, investments and long-term care insurance. New York Life has the highest financial strength ratings currently awarded to any U.S. life insurer from all four of the major credit rating agencies**.

New York Life Group Benefit Solutions products and services are provided exclusively by or through Life Insurance Company of North America (“LINA”) or Cigna Life Insurance Company of New York (New York, NY) (“CLICNY”), or by or through affiliates or subsidiaries of Cigna Corporation and reinsured by LINA. LINA and CLICNY are responsible for their own financial condition and contractual obligations. LINA is not authorized in New York and does not conduct insurance business in New York.

*Based on revenue as reported by “Fortune 500 ranked within Industries, Insurance: Life, Health (Mutual),” Fortune magazine, 5/18/2020. For methodology, please see http://fortune.com/fortune500/.

**Individual independent rating agency commentary as of 10/15/2020: A.M. Best (A++), Fitch (AAA), Moody’s Investors Service (Aaa), Standard & Poor’s (AA+).