We continue to be heartbroken by the recent news of the mass shooting in Atlanta, which resulted in the death of eight people, including six Asian women. While anti-Asian racism in the U.S. dates back centuries to the 1850s during the first wave of East Asian immigrants to the U.S., it has manifested in very specific and concerning ways during the Covid-19 pandemic.
We at CH/LSS stand with members Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community and condemn any and all acts of hate, violence, and racism. We recognize that many in the APPI community intersect as adoptees, family members, and friends. Below is a list of anti-racism resources that include articles to read, an upcoming webinar for Asian American adoptees to attend, and action steps we can all take to fight anti-Asian racism.
Read:
Anti-Racism Resources to Support Asian American, Pacific Islander Community (nbcnews.com)
In the aftermath of the recent increase in hate crimes and bias incidents against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, many communities are showing their support in various ways, from social media activism to mutual aid efforts. Read about how you can engage with and support the AAPI community.
How to Talk to Kids About Anti-Asian Violence (parents.com)
Hearing the news of anti-Asian racism around the country is heartbreaking. Having conversations with your kids about it is important, but it’s not always easy. Experts offer tips to help parents navigate these difficult conversations.
My White Adoptive Parents Struggled to See Me as Korean. Would They Have Understood My Anger at the Rise in Anti-Asian Violence? (time.com)
“As an adoptee, I don’t really have Asian elders in my family—or many elders at all, since the deaths of my father, grandmother and mother. Yet I’ve found myself wondering: If my adoptive parents were alive, witnessing the spike in anti-Asian racism and violence in the U.S. and around the world—with Asian women the most common targets—would they be concerned about me? Would they understand why I cried when I told my own Korean American daughters about the spa shootings? Would I have reached out to them during this past hard, heavy week, or held back, uncertain of how to share my fear and rage as the only Asian in my white family?” —Nicole Chung, author of the memoir All You Can Ever Know
Resources to Help Empower Asian and Pacific Islander Communities (onlinemswprograms.org)
Words have consequences. And many have pointed to the way that leaders have framed the COVID-19 pandemic as a contributing factor in the uptick in racist incidents against Asian and Pacific Islanders in the United States. To learn more about how to empower the API community, OnlineMSWPrograms.com has collected a list of organizations and resources focused on addressing the needs of Asians and Pacific Islanders.
Watch or Attend:
Psychiatrist on How Racism, Hate Crimes Are Detrimental to Emotional Health (CBS This Morning)
In light of the recent attacks against the Asian American community and the rise in hate crimes around the country, psychiatrist Dr. Sue Varma joins “CBS This Morning” to discuss the toll that hate crimes take on our mental health, how the model minority myth is hurtful, how young people are impacted and give tips for how to protect our mental health and cope with trauma.
Reclaiming My Voice as a Transracial Adoptee (ted.com)
In this honest, and sometimes heartbreaking talk, Sara Jones shares her experience as a South Korean transracial adoptee in this TedTalk video and asks us to consider all the narratives that are part of a single adoption story.
Take Action:
How to Take Action Against Anti-Asian Racism at Work and in Your Personal Life (cnbc.com)
Educating yourself about the history of anti-Asian racism in the U.S., donating to AAPI causes and businesses, and making a commitment to long-term anti-racism work are all ways in which you can help build a better future. “The conversation always comes back to: How are you being anti-racist and supporting your entire community and employee base with education and support, so when it happens to another community in the future, you’re ready? The reality is, being anti-racist isn’t a 2020 thing. It’s not even a 2021 thing. It’s a forever thing.”
Stop AAPI Hate (stopaapihate.org)
In response to the alarming escalation in xenophobia and bigotry resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, the Asian Pacific Planning and Policy Council (A3PCON), Chinese for Affirmative Action (CAA), and the Asian American Studies Department of San Francisco State University launched the Stop AAPI Hate reporting center on March 19, 2020. The center tracks and responds to incidents of hate, violence, harassment, discrimination, shunning, and child bullying against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in the United States.
The University of Minnesota and Children’s Hospital are Seeking Asian American Adolescents to Complete Survey to Understand Racism and Resilience
The Coalition of Asian American Leaders (CAAL) is looking for Asian American youth to complete an online survey in partnership with Children’s Minnesota and the University of Minnesota to help us better capture the experiences and realities that youth are experiencing with racism. The survey titled “Invisible No More: Understanding the Experiences of Racism & Coping of Asian American Youth During COVID-19” should take approximately 20-30 minutes and participation is voluntary. Participants will be able to complete only the questions they want to complete and can withdraw from the study at any time. Learn more and register your child here.
What You Can Do to Fight Violence and Racism Against Asian Americans (pbs.com)
Right now, there’s a need to support Asian American and Pacific Islander communities in the Atlanta area, who are reeling from the aftermath of the March 16 killings. “It’s listening to the immediately impacted folks — the communities on the ground — and honoring what they’re asking for, and what they’re saying they need,” said Marita Etcubañez, senior director of strategic initiatives at Asian Americans Advancing Justice – AAJC.
