Let’s Talk About Stopping Anti-Asian Hate (March 24, 2021)

Crossing Division

Over the last year there has been a rise in hate incidents and hate crimes directed at Asian-American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) neighbors in our communities. Recently the hate became more deadly. Last week a white gunman targeted Asian businesses in Atlanta, with specific animus against Asian women, and killed six people.

What is happening, and how can we help each other?

We asked local activists and community leaders to talk about the rise in Anti-Asian hate, our history of exclusion and racism, and how we can work together to fight the hate that goes hand in hand with white supremacy. Enormous thanks to:

• Kim-Khanh Van, lawyer, Renton City Councilmember, and candidate for King County Council (Renton)
• Stan Shikuma, writer, Taiko drum artist. activist (Seattle)
• Silong Chhun, artist, digital communications manager at PLU (Tacoma)

To be AAPI is to be treated as an outsider, whether you are an immigrant or have been in this country for generations. Our stereotypes add to that otherness, and turn people from humans into soulless facades. And then there is rhetoric, recently even Presidential rhetoric, designed to demonize and blame people for a virus and pandemic for which no person is at fault. All of these streams of hate come together, and violence results.

Listen to this discussion and think about how you can be part of the solution and take positive action.

If you see or experience an incident in Seattle, you can use this link to report: https://cisc-seattle.org/report-an-incident-of-hate-or-bias/

If you would like to get involved, or learn more, here are links to local resources:

King County Coalition Against Hate and Bias

https://www.kingcounty.gov/elected/executive/equity-social-justice/Coalition-Against-Hate-And-Bias.aspx

API Chaya https://www.apichaya.org/

API Chaya empowers survivors of gender-based violence and human trafficking to gain safety, connection, and wellness. We build power by educating and mobilizing South Asian, Asian, Pacific Islander, and all immigrant communities to end exploitation, creating a world where all people can heal and thrive.

ACRS https://acrs.org/

ACRS promotes social justice and the well-being and empowerment of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and other underserved communities – including immigrants, refugees, and American-born – by developing, providing and advocating for innovative, effective and efficient community-based multilingual and multicultural services.

APALA https://www.apalanet.org/seattle

Founded in 1992, the Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance (APALA), AFL-CIO, is the first and only national organization of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) workers, most of who are union members, and our allies advancing worker, immigrant and civil rights. Since its founding, APALA has played a unique role in addressing the workplace issues of the 660,000 AAPI union members and in serving as the bridge between the broader labor movement and the AAPI community. APALA is dedicated to promoting political education and voter registration programs among AAPIs, and to the training, empowerment, and leadership of AAPIs within the labor movement and APA community. Furthermore, APALA works to defend and advocate for the civil and human rights of AAPIs, immigrants and all people of color, and continues to develop ties within international labor organizations, especially in the Asia-Pacific Rim.

As always, we would love to get your feedback on this episode or your ideas for other programs!

Evelyn Lopez: [e-mail] @True_Tacoma