Combating hate
Leaders from Asian American communities have some advice about fighting against racism and being an ally.
Issue #19
Hi all —
While there’s been hope as COVID-19 vaccinations continue to increase across the nation, the country has also been reconciling with anti-Asian hate and mass shootings. (As a Coloradan, my heart goes out to the Boulder community.)
I spoke to Asian American community leaders in Colorado about the surge in anti-Asian hate crimes and incidents in our state, for 5280 Magazine in Denver. And in an effort to center voices of women of East and Southeast Asian descent following the Atlanta tragedy, I spoke to four women leaders about what they believe folks can do to be an ally in helping combat this hate. Here’s what they told me:
Support the immediate needs of AAPI groups on the ground
Speak out if you witness a hate crime or incident
Report the hate crime or incident
Consider taking part in a training about hate
Check in with your Asian American peers
Learn about the history of Asian American discrimination
Advocate for awareness in your workplace
Reach out to your elected officials
The biggest takeaway I heard was: Speak out if you witness something (if it’s safe to). “Over and over again, we heard from respondents [who submitted reports of hate] that it was hurtful to be targeted,” said Cynthia Choi, Stop AAPI Hate’s co-founder. “But it was even more hurtful to have no one stand with them — no one intervened when clearly they were being targeted because of their race, ethnicity and gender.”
Read the full story on the PBS NewsHour online.
Thanks for joining the conversation,
Vignesh Ramachandran (@VigneshR)
Co-founder of Red, White and Brown Media
Forwarded
The folks at Brown Girl Magazine reached out to share a new anthology they curated called “Untold: Defining Moments of the Uprooted.” I haven’t read it yet but it’s a collection of stories about the South Asian experience in North America and the U.K. The stories are told “through the lens of identity, being and relationships” and explore topics that include immigration, infertility, divorce, mental health, suicide, racism, colorism and LGBTQIA+ issues.
And in an effort to understand more about the history of Asian American communities of East and Southeast Asian descent, Vox has an interesting list of books to check out. I’ll soon be reading Erika Lee’s “The Making of Asian America: A History” from that list.
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