Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan announced the creation of an Asian American hate crimes workgroup amid an increase in anti-Asian violence nationwide.

Hogan said that while violence against Asian Americans has spiked during the COVID-19 pandemic, anti-Asian hate and sexualized violence against Asian women is not new, and there’s a deep history of it across the U.S. Between 2019 and 2020 all hate crimes in America’s 16 largest cities decreased by 7 percent,  but there was a 150 percent increase in anti-Asian hate crime, according to data from the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism.

“That hit close to home for me and my family,” Hogan told reporters Friday. “Like so many of their fellow Asian Americans, my wife and our three daughters have had to contend with some of this throughout their lives.”

Hogan, while standing next to his wife Yumi Hogan, who is Korean American, said he’s taking action to protect the Asian American communities in the state. He’s asking the Maryland State Police and other law enforcement agencies to increase patrols and provide additional protection for those in Asian American communities, issuing announcements about protecting Asian-owned businesses from attacks, and encouraging those with information about anti-Asian hate crimes to come forward.  He also appointed former U.S. Attorney for Maryland Robert Hur, who is Korean American, to chair the workgroup.

“As an Asian American I am so grateful for Governor Hogan and the first lady for focusing intention on the important issues of bias and violence against members of the Asian American communities,” Hur said. “I am now concerned for my parents’ safety and the safety of other members of my family on the basis of their physical appearance.”

The makeup of the remaining members of the workgroup is still being decided, Hur said. He added that he expects the group will have tough conversations about why hate based incidents go underreported and how Asian communities interact with other communities in the state.

Yumi Hogan said she’s heard from a number of Asian Americans in the state, including many of her friends and family, and wants to make sure this doesn’t happen to future generations.

“We had a family Zoom with everyone just pouring out and telling us all the stories of all the things that have happened to them throughout their lives,” Gov. Hogan said.

Last month, Hogan and the first lady visited Korean American businesses in Ellicott City to hear about their security concerns. Hogan said at least 10 people came up to him to share their stories of violence committed against them.

“Many of these people didn’t report these crimes…but a lot of times these are first-generation immigrants and they didn’t think anyone would do anything,” Hogan said. “They kept it to themselves…and some of it is cultural.”

Virginia is also working on ways to better serve the Asian American community. Last month, state lawmakers began an Asian American Pacific Islander caucus to work on legislation and law enforcement policy that will protect these groups.