Update: On March 16, 2021, a series of mass shootings occurred at three spas or massage parlors in the metropolitan area of Atlanta, Georgia, United States. Eight people were killed, six of whom were Asian women, and one other person was wounded. A suspect, 21-year-old Robert Aaron Long, was taken into custody later that day.
Asian Americans are often invisible on the racial map. Recent attacks have escalated and renewed fears over a wave of anti-Asian violence and harassment that was spurred earlier in the pandemic. The anti-Asian violence we are seeing is neither unprecedented nor coincidental – it is very much a manifestation of white supremacy and structural racism. The rise of anti-Asian violence and intentional racist scapegoating is not inconsistent with this country’s long and storied legacy of racism.
Over the past year, I have watched the dual pandemics of COVID-19 and racism ruin and tear communities apart. Since February of 2020, Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities have been subjected to attacks and beatings, violent bullying, threats, racist abuse, and discrimination that appear linked to the coronavirus pandemic.
This is a rallying call for allies to stop being passive bystanders. You can be showing support by being actively anti-racists.
6 Ways to Help If You Witness Hate (adapted from Stop AAIP Hate)
1. Safety First: Trust your instincts and assess your surroundings. Keeping eyesight of what’s going on taking note of possible exits and/or other hidden danger. If you can, snap a photo or record video. What you see and hear could be valuable evidence.
2. Take Action: If you can, de-escalate the situation or intervene in a way that doesn’t make the situation worse. Approach the targeted person, introduce yourself, and offer support. Ignore the attacker and focus on the individual being attacked.
3. Actively Listen: Ask before taking any actions and respect the targeted person’s wishes. Monitor the situation if needed.
4. Ignore Attacker: Using your discretion, attempt to calm the situation by using your voice, body language, or distractions.
5. Accompany: If the situation escalates, invite the targeted person to join you in leaving.
6. Offer Emotional Support: Help the targeted person by asking how they’re feeling. Assist them in figuring out what they want to do next.
Here are a few ways you can get involved in supporting Asian American and Pacific Islander communities
Find local associations and organizations helping AAPI businesses:
Asian American businesses saw drops in customers as high as 80% long before the U.S. isolation rules, as stigma surrounding the virus kept customers out of local Chinatowns.
In Seattle’s Chinatown, for example, begun organizing a fund to provide financial assistance to local businesses. The Chinatown International District Restaurants and other Small Businesses Relief Fund allocates grants to businesses in the district, which houses over 400 businesses and over 140 restaurants. The area has seen a sharp decline in revenue since the outbreak began. 100% of the funds will be provided to local businesses.
Other cities such as San Francisco, Oakland and New York also have several initiatives supporting local AAPI businesses.
Support for in-language health information and resources:
Assaults and homicides against people 60 and older have surged in recent years, and elderly Asian Americans are particularly vulnerable. 60% of Asian and Pacific Islanders over 65 have limited English proficiency, according to the Asian Pacific Institute on Gender-Based Violence — which makes them less able to defend themselves and less likely to report a hate crime.
Food donations and volunteering:
Isolation has led to loss of employment and further stagnation of business for many Asian Americans and many are facing financial hardship. Initiatives by non-profit and faith-based organizations are organizing social distance/contactless food deliver and donations for their food pantry programs. Monetary donations are also accepted to help keep their services running.
Participate in social media campaigns, supporting Asian Americans:
Several National social media campaigns have been invigorated and aim to promote awareness of the violence and hostility APPI have faced as a result of the virus. Examples include: #StopWhiteTerrorism, #StopAAPIHate and #RacismIsAVirus.
Recent data from Stop AAPI Hate shows Asian women are the majority of victims of anti-Asian violence, with 68% of reports coming from women. This is a sobering and important reminder that anti-Asian violence, like all structural violence, often occurs at the intersections of misogyny, racism, classism, and U.S. imperialism. To look at interpersonal violence as separate from these compounding systems of oppression is a disservice to the people impacted who hold multiple identities.
It is not enough to simply recognize and condemn such crimes; we all, together, must work toward creating a more just, equitable, and inclusive society. We must address the root causes that harm BIPOC communities every day. We need language-accessible mental health and crisis intervention resources. We need unemployment benefits and robust safety net programs available to all regardless of immigration status. We need public school education that teaches our children about multi-racial solidarity. We need resourced community safety programs that are led by us. We need so much more from a system that has failed us time and time again.
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