Today is #StopAsianHate National Day of Action and Healing. Asian American and Pacific Islander lawmakers, community leaders, and organizers have chosen today to highlight ways that community members, businesses, and communities can work to end racism and targeted violence against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs).

On March 16^th, a gunman in Atlanta murdered 8 people, 6 of them women of Asian descent. We mourn the loss of Delaina Ashley Yaun, Xiaojie Tan, Daoyou Feng, Paul Andre Michels, Soon Chung Park, Hyun Jung Grant, Suncha Kim, and Yong Ae Yue. These horrific murders are heartbreaking, enraging, and devastating.

We at United Way of Central Oregon strongly condemn these acts of violence, anti-Asian racism, and we grieve these losses. Our hearts go out to the loved ones of those who were killed, and all who have been affected. And we are aware that words of sympathy are not enough. We seek to turn our words into action by standing with our Asian American and Pacific Islander community members, listening, and examining our role in dismantling systems, structures, and processes that perpetuate harm to members of our community.

Anti-Asian racism has deep roots in this country. This racist anti-Asian act of violence is not an isolated incident. People of Asian descent have been the target of bigotry and xenophobia for more than 160 years – facing racism, discrimination, and violence since before the Civil War. For instance, Chinese immigration was banned to the US by the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882; those of Asian descent faced restrictions on owning property, voting, or running for political office; and during World War II, the US government imprisoned 120,000 Japanese people in concentration camps, separated from families and deprived of rights, property, money, community, health, and their lives.

Since COVID-19, our country has seen a disturbing surge of discrimination and hate crimes directed at Asian Americans, with nearly 3,800 anti-Asian hate incidents having been self-reported across the country in the last 12 months.

Our local communities are not isolated from this. Many in our community who identify as Asian and Pacific Islander are deeply impacted not only by these recent acts of violence, but also by the history of Anti-Asian racism in this country, as well as microagressions, racism, discrimination, hate, and violence they and their loved ones may have faced right here in Central Oregon.

We at United Way are committed to building a stronger and more equitable Central Oregon. We all must speak out and act against racism towards Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and protect the basic human rights and freedoms to which we all are entitled. We urge everyone in our community to stand in support of Asian American communities.

Now is the time to educate yourself about this history of racism in Oregon and our nation, speak up, disrupt it, talk to your children, and fight anti-Asian racism and white supremacy.

 

Here are a few places to start:

To learn how you can act today to #StopAsianHate, visit this list of focused AAPI community actions.

To learn how you can help stop and report acts of hate towards the Asian American and Pacific Islander communities, visit: Stop AAPI Hate.

To learn how to take action and get educated, visit:  Anti-Racism Daily.

To help individuals educate others, take action, donate, and more, visit: Anti-Asian Violence Resources.

To support Asian American advocates in Georgia, and donate to support victims and their families, visit: the Asian Pacific American Network of Oregon.

 

Go deeper!

Educate yourself

Learn about the history, contributions, and past and present experiences of Asian American communities.

Watch:

• The PBS series Asian Americansabout the history of identity, contributions, and challenges experienced by Asian Americans
• The Smithsonian’s video series We are not a stereotype: Breaking down Asian Pacific American biaswhich explores what it means to be Asian Pacific American and the impacts of Asian Pacific American stereotypes

Read:

• Books about Asian Pacific American history and experiences
• What is the Model Minority Myth?
• Anti-Asian Racism Exposes the Model Minority Myth

Listen:

• Asian America: The Ken Fong Podcast
• Self-Evident: Asian America’s Stories
• Asian Enough

 

Speak up

Silence is consent. Now is the time for all of us, particularly those who have privilege, to speak up and challenge racism, discrimination, and white supremacy when we encounter it.

• How to Respond to Coronavirus Racism
• COVID-19 Toolkit: Strategies to Defeat Asian American Racial Profiling and Xenophobia
• Show Up: Your Guide to Bystander Intervention
• Speak Up! Responding to Everyday Bigotry
• Sign up for a virtual Bystander Intervention trainingjointly organized by Asian Americans Advancing Justice and Hollaback!
• Safety Tips for Those Experiencing or Witnessing Hate

 

Report any incidence of hate or bias

If you see something, say something. Report any incidence of hate or bias locally to the Chinese Information & Service Center and nationally to Stop AAPI Hate or Asian Americans Advancing Justice.

 

Shop at businesses owned by Asian Americans

The Intentionalist has a database of businesses owned by Asian Americans.