How to Help Stop Hate Crimes Against Asian Americans

Not helped by the "China virus" rhetoric of former President Trump, the pandemic has put Asian American and Pacific Islanders at increased risk of physical and verbal attack, due to the obviously false belief that Asian people are responsible for the spread of COVID-19. Stop AAPI Hate, a national coalition aimed at addressing anti-Asian discrimination amid the pandemic, reported 3,800 firsthand accounts of anti-Asian hate crimes between March 2020 and February of 2021.

Related | Protect Our Elders: A Movement Against Anti-Asian Violence

These racist and xenophobic incidents are coming at a time when Asian-American businesses, many of them first generation immigrant-owned and therefore at a disadvantage when applying for bank and government loans, are already suffering tremendous economic losses.

There are ways you can help: through donating your money and time, educating yourself and your networks, supporting your local Chinatown and donating directly to GoFundMes and other community fundraisers.

Here are some resources to get started.

Reading list

Learn about bystander intervention and sign up for Anti-Asian and Xenophobic Harassment Intervention, Conflict De-Escalation, and Reaction Training.

Stop AAPI Hate has detailed reports on incidents of anti-Asian hate in 2020, and the role of political candidates in perpetuating racist and xenophobic rhetoric.

The YouTube series #AsianAmCovidStories documents the Asian-American pandemic experience.

Two great additions to your bookshelf: Minor Feelings: An Asian American Reckoning by Cathy Park Hong and The Color of Success: Asian Americans and the Origin of the Model Minority by Ellen D. Wu.

Here's an awesome Black and Asian feminist solidarity reading list via Black Women Radicals.

A thoughtful guide to talking to your Asian immigrant parents and elders about racism.

Learn about coded language from the National Education Association's EdJustice.

Read about why anti-racist action has to extend outside of saving your favorite noodle restaurant.

Donate and Volunteer

Legal and prison funds

Asian Americans Advancing Justice Atlanta
Asian Prisoner Support Center
Sikh American Legal Defense Fund
The Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund
Asian Law Caucus
Asian American Advocacy Fund
Asian Pacific COVID-19 Recovery Fund

Support Chinatowns and Asian-owned businesses

#StopAsianHate AAPI Community Fund
Welcome to Chinatown
Save Our Chinatowns
Think Chinatown
Send Chinatown Love
Heart of Dinner
Oakland Chinatown Coalition

Support women and LGBTQ people

Support Sex Workers

First up, sign the Declaration of Support for Migrant Sex Workers.

Then check out these orgs:

Support Asian-American writers and journalism

Report Anti-Asian Hate Crimes

Help contribute to data that raises awareness of racism and xenophobia in order to protect Asian American communities:

Asian-American Mental Health Resources

Find comprehensive info via the Asian American and Pacific Islander Mental Health Association.
And check out this Asian Health Collective therapist directory.

Photo via Getty