03/26/2021
Today, on March 26, 2021, we join the national movement to .
We honor the lives of:
Soon Chung Park
Hyun Jung Grant
Sun Cha Kim
Yong Ae Yue
Xiaojie Tan
Daoyou Feng
Delaina Ashley Yaun Gonzalez
Paul Andre Michels
Vicha Ratanapakdee
Pak Ho
On March 26, 1790, the Naturalization Act was signed into law, prohibiting non-white people from becoming citizens of the United States. Over 200 years later, Asians in the U.S. are still suffering from the effects of the racism our country was founded upon. Asian elders are being physically assaulted in the streets. Asian American children are afraid to go back to school. We are still grieving the murders of 6 Asian women in a racially-motivated killing spree in Atlanta last week.
As the entire country grapples with the COVID-19 pandemic, the Asian American community is also facing an alarming rise in anti-Asian violence, racism, and discrimination. Websites such as https://stopaapihate.org/ and https://www.standagainsthatred.org/ are tracking a shocking number of stories of racially motivated attacks. These events did not occur in a vacuum. America has a long history of vilifying minorities, including targeting the Asian American community, and using federal law to enable this discrimination and violence. The current rise in anti-Asian racism is not just limited to random acts of violence and discrimination. It reflects current geopolitical tensions and the use of anti-Asian rhetoric by major political leaders—rhetoric that is putting a target on the backs of Asian Americans.
Here are some things we can do:
Invest time and energy to support existing AAPI based social justice organizations and initiatives such as Asian Americans Advancing Justice Atlanta, Stop AAPI Hate, National Asian Pacific American Women's Forum (NAPAWF), AAPIs for Civic Empowerment -AAPI FORCE, and AAPI Women Lead. Learn about and get involved in local efforts by signing this collective community statement (https://www.advancingjustice-atlanta.org/aaajcommunitystatement) or sharing resources you can offer to the victims and their families.
Donate to the victims of the violent acts and their families and provide financial support to campaigns for Asian American communities. Check out New York Magazine’s 61 Ways to Donate in Support of Asian Communities (https://nymag.com/strategist/amp/article/where-to-donate-to-help-asian-communities-2021.html) to: challenge misinformation campaigns, expand documentation of anti-Asian violence, provide medical relief & social services to Asian American families targeted in hate crimes, and advance policies & legislation that enforce greater protections for people of color.
Build your skills by taking Harassment Intervention Trainings for bystanders and those experiencing harassment (https://www.ihollaback.org/harassmenttraining/). Learn more and read about the roots of anti-Asian violence (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fs57dkNG-C6ROcKzyzRXFkBxFna2U9qsjgTjzLMMIOI/edit).
Diversify your sources by interviewing & quoting Asian American experts. The Asian American Journalists Association’s speakers bureau at AAJAStudio.org features Asian Americans with expertise in equal rights, hate crimes, AAPI history, racial justice and community-building work, racial profiling and discrimination.
Encourage federal, state, and local partners as well as faith and CEOs to take actions to (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1zwhYCg7ss4t2kplsiAJIAGupu_d4GgTC7JRRn4J98iI/edit?usp=sharing)
