Over the last two years, violence, discrimination, and harassment against Asian people have prevailed at an alarming rate across the U.S. Due in part to misinformed and hateful rhetoric around COVID-19 and its origins, Asian American communities around the country and the world have had to deal with harassment ranging from micro-aggressions to outright violence.
According to the organization Stop AAPI Hate, a total of 10,905 hate incidents against Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) persons were reported between March 19, 2020 and December 31, 2021. Of incidents reported, 4,632 occurred in 2020 (42.5%) and 6,273 occurred in 2021 (57.5%).
How can we all support our Asian American friends, neighbors, and the larger community during this time? Here are some resources to get started.
Provide Monetary Support
From Stop AAPI Hate and the Asian Pacific Fund to Asian Americans Advancing Justice and the Asian Mental Health Collective, there are many worthwhile organizations you can support to stand in solidarity with Asian Americans.
Support Asian American-owned businesses.
While nearly all small businesses have suffered during the pandemic, Asian American-owned businesses, especially restaurants, were among the most affected. Find out which of your local businesses are Asian American-owned and purchase their goods and services. If you’re ordering from a restaurant, try to order directly through the establishment instead of third-party pick-up/delivery services so that all of your money goes to the restaurant.
You can also donate to organizations like Welcome to Chinatown, which gives support to local businesses.
Read, watch, listen, and learn.
We all progress by learning about each other’s experiences and histories. Educate yourself by listening to podcasts like “Asian America: the Ken Fong Podcast,” Self Evident: Asian America's Stories, and “Asian Enough” by the LA Times. You can also watch documentaries like “Asian Americans.”
Read historian Erika Lee’s The Making of Asian America: A History, or novels like American Born Chinese, Mambo in Chinatown, The Sympathizer, or The Leavers.
The more we know about each other, the more we can recognize our similarities and celebrate our differences. Let's look out for each other and stand up against racism together.