5 Ways to Support the Stop AAPI Hate Movement

The Stop Asian-American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Hate movement is an online and IRL response, born in light of the rising number of racist and xenophobic hate crimes against the AAPI community this year.

Words like kung flu can live forever, and if we don't wake up and work against ignorance, violence follows. This year has made one thing increasingly clear: the real virus is racism.

While this pervasive racism can seem subtle and quiet at times, it's like a wave in the ocean – it always reaches the surface.

According to Sam Cabral’s article for the BBC, “Covid 'hate crimes’ against Asian Americans on rise,” the number of violent attacks against the AAPI community has heavily increased thanks to the pandemic. Racist comments in the media, which particularly target the Chinese community and senior population, increased too.

“From being spat on and verbally harassed to incidents of physical assault, there have been thousands of reported cases in recent months,” Cabral writes. It's an alarming increase of not just numbers or statistics but people being constatly abused.

You don't need to look too far away to realize the hatred-fueled actions and ignorant statements that have been deep-seated in popular culture since its inception. AAPI characters have long been at the receiving end of racialized jokes: Hollywood movies have long loved to portray the stereotype around Asian communities and news headlines aren’t any better.

Moreover, this mediatic harassment has moved online. In many instances, k-pop artists and k-drama actors have faced constant cyber-bullying just because they are Korean. In one instance, a Chilean TV show went so far as putting blatant racism on full display when mocking BTS band members' accents as part of a "humorous" sketch.

Olivia Munn, Asian-American actress, shared some touching words in an Instagram post:

“To simply exist as a minority in this country is seen as a protest to some.

We need help amplifying the outrage.

We need help to feel safe in our country.

We need help to be safe in our country.”

Kimmy Yam for the BBC shares a research published by reporting forum Stop AAPI Hate, which found that 68% of the attacks that took place last year in the U.S. were against women (excluding incidents reported to the police). Not only is it hard – dangerous, even – to be a minority, but a woman too. In our world, it is a sad reality that these two things are aspects to be threatened for. Racism, social injustice and gender discrimination live on.

The Stop AAPI Hate movement needs all of us allies – not just the AAPI community it affects – to step forward and lift our voices in protest to provide a safer community for women, kids, families, seniors and local businesses.

As a LatinX woman myself, the pain that aches my chest as I see and live in racism, discrimination and xenophobia can't be explained with a few sentences. It's a violence that steals children's dreams and innocence and destroys entire families. It is obligatory to condemn discrimination. It's difficult to see all this happening and not know what to do, so here are some ways that you can help and become an ally to the AAPI community:

Donate and support the AAPI community, locally or elsewhere.

https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/stop-aapi-hate

https://nymag.com/strategist/article/where-to-donate-to-help-asian-communities-2021.html

Read, learn, educate others and yourself.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2021/02/09/attacks-asian-american-elderly-/

Follow AAPI creators on social media, support and amplify their work. Here are a few of my favorite creators: @jezzchung, @christineee.lee, @pyper.bleu, @rhea.y_, @ninaeyu and @moyamawhinney on IG. Send me a dm and share yours!
Use your voice in any case of racism and xenophobia towards the community. The platform that you perhaps hold can make a difference if you stand up against this.
Learn about the 5 Ds of Bystander Intervention Training to serve as a helper to someone else in case of witnessing an attack.
Search the hashtag #StopAAPIHate to find more resources and spread information.
Get to know other resources.

I'm from Venezuela, a small country in Latin America, and I made sure to find resources that anyone from anywhere can use! Most of my whole family and friends are spread all over the world, living as immigrants and creating small communities there. Therefore, these crimes touch deep down my heart.

Immigration and broader cultural acceptance and support is an organic process in every country. It should be embraced and welcomed. I like to think that borders are thin lines that divide us from our real home, which is this world. People might have different reasons to leave their hometown, but the goal is typically something we all share: searching for a better present and a hopeful future.

By Luisana Rodríguez

Psychology student, learning enthusiast who loves the contraries of doing nothing and being productive, Virgo reader girl