Anti-Asian hate crimes have risen 1900% since the start of the pandemic. Hatred for the Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) community is not something new — it’s just something that has finally sparked the attention of the media.
In the month of February alone, various news outlets all over the country have reported Asian-American-owned businesses being ravaged, Asian-American toddlers being stabbed, Asian-American elders being abused in the streets, and Asian-Americans dying. This past week there has been reports of new Asian hate crimes in the news every. single. day.
We need to protect them because the people who were supposed to did not. Leaders all across America chose to encourage this hatred, calling COVID the “China Virus” or the “Asian Virus” which led to the spike in Asian discrimination and xenophobia in this country.
As of now, all we can do is support each other — eat at Asian restaurants, shop at Asian-American-owned stores, donate to organizations, call your Asian-American Pacific Islander (AAPI) friends and family, look out for each other on the streets, and spread awareness.
To help you help this community, I’ve compiled a list of resources below:
Asian-American-owned restaurants and markets to support in Salt Lake City
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Asia Palace
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One More Noodle House
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Stun Cube
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Sawadee Utah Thai Restaurant
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Japan-Sage Market
Small Asian-American online businesses to support
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Nuunchi Masks (@nuunchimasks)
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bold ‘n simple (@boldnsimple)
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MIRAMUI (@miramui_studio)
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dous (@shopdous)
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Milky Lashes (@milkylashes.co)
Good books to read
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Minor Feelings by Cathy Park Hong
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America is in the Heart by Carlos Bulosan
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No-no Boy by John Okada
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Yokohama, California by Toshio Mori
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Asian Settler Colonialism by Candace Fujikane
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The Making of Asian America by Erika Lee
Practices to support your Asian-American friends
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Facilitate a conversation — talk to your friends about their experience as an Asian-American and how the spike in Asian hate crimes has affected them and/or their families.
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Reach out — it doesn’t have to be serious if you don’t want it to be. Just check-in with them, ask to hang out, and see how they are doing.
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When in public, make sure to keep an eye out for elders, children, or any Asians who may be fearful to go to their car, enter a store, or are having an altercation with someone. Speak up and stand up for them; don’t just walk away.
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Donate to organizations that are fighting for action against hate crimes towards AAPI and spread awareness via social media or word of mouth.
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Educate yourself by learning more about the Asian-American experience, because there isn’t just one. There is a multitude of ethnicities, cultures, and experiences all lumped into the term “Asian-American.”
You can learn even more by visiting StopAAPIHate.org. This is just a small list of things you can do, but even the smallest things will help the Asian-American community feel heard and seen.