Solidarity with Asian Americans: Resources for Allies
April 8, 2021
Category: Resource
Tags: Community-Building, Diversity, Equity, History, Inclusion, Respect,
Anti-Asian hate crimes in the United States have increased by nearly 150% since the beginning of the pandemic. Women reported 2.3 times more incidents of violence than men.
Recently, media coverage of the many assaults on Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) elders and the high-profile murders of 8 people (including 6 women of Asian descent) in Atlanta last month has placed this urgent issue in the national spotlight.
However, Anti-Asian violence discrimination and violence is not a new problem – far from it. The history of Anti-Asian hate is long and complex. It’s deeply intertwined with American history, because Asian-American history is American history.
To our AAPI readers: we see you, we stand with you, and we support you. See below for a few resources you may find helpful.
To our white and non-Asian BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and People of Color) readers: your words of love, solidarity and support matter. But change requires action.
First, we ask that you take the time to educate yourself, both about the rich history and diverse experiences of Asian-Americans and the challenges they face today.
Here are some resources to help you get started.
Resources for AAPI Readers
Asian American Healing Space – virtual spaces “for anyone who identifies as Asian American and is looking for a sacred space to come home and connect with self. Come sit and breathe with us.” These take place every 4th Sunday of the month from 8 – 10 PM.
Asian American Federation – Stay Safe From Hate
Asian and Asian American Studies Institute and IAMNOTAVIRUS – A Mental Wellness Activity Book for Asian Americans
Resources for Allies: Learning the History
NPR – The History of Anti-Asian Sentiment in the U.S (4-minute listen)
PBS – Asian Americans (documentary series)
Japanese American Citizens League – An Unnoticed Struggle: A Concise History of Asian American Civil Rights Issues (PDF document)
Resources for Allies: Taking Action
Hollaback – Bystander Intervention Training to Stop Anti-Asian/American and Xenophobic Harassment
Berrett-Koehler Publishers – #StopAsianHate: Leading Anti-Racist Efforts in Organizations – A Conversation with Lily Zheng
Organizations: North Carolina
Montagnard Dega Association Inc. (Greensboro)
Southeast Asian Coalition (Charlotte) – Their Facebook seems more up to date
North Carolina Asian Americans Together
Organizations: National
Stop AAPI Hate –“Our communities stand united against racism. Hate against Asian American Pacific Islander communities has risen during the COVID-19 pandemic. Together, we can stop it.”
Movement Hub – “a centralized platform created to amplify the on-the-ground activism and organizing within Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities across the country.”
National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum – “Our mission is to build collective power with AAPI women and girls to gain full agency over our lives, our families, and our communities.”
Asian Americans Advancing Justice – a “voice for the Asian American community – the fastest-growing population in the U.S. – fighting for our civil rights through education, litigation, and public policy advocacy.”
Japanese American Citizens League – The nation’s oldest and largest Asian American/ Pacific Islander civil rights organization.
Southeast Asian Freedom Network – “a movement family of Southeast Asian organizations dedicated to the development and mobilization of Southeast Asian communities with base-building, grassroots organizing, and movement building through gender and queer justice lenses.”
