Photo Credit: Getty Images
Only last month we republished an article on racism against East Asians since this pandemic started, a matter sweeping across nations, spouting hatred and stupidity. Within a month matters have grown exponentially, as attacks on Asian men and women have escalated in numbers and degree: yesterday, a gunman opened fire and killed 8 people in an anti-asian shooting in an Atlanta spa.
As the number of hate crimes rises, so does the number of protests and online posts fighting back, as the hashtag #StopAsianHate is spreading solidarity and awareness for the vicious mistreatment happening across Europe and North America, but much like the beginning of BLM activism last year, action has to be pushed to extend beyond a yellow square and an Instagram story share. So what can we do to help?
Stop AAPI Hate is a GoFundMe page supporting the American Asian and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) community fund aimed to support and protect the community in the face of this violence. The page also has links to funeral and medical bill fundraisers for the victims of this senseless attack in Atlanta yesterday.
ImReadyMovement.org is a site and movement that supports AAPI women in all social issues, from equality in the workplace as women to these Covid-related discriminations. A good source for information and a good site to support, share and donate to.
Especially in the UK, where racism and hate crimes seem to be so downplayed, it’s important to see this increase in anti-Asian attacks since the beginning of Covid and find ways to support and protect our own East and South East Asian (ESEA) communities. Here are petitions, fundraisers and support communities to share and contribute to, to make a change during this horrible time of malice and hostility.
CARG Against Covid Racism is a petition to the government calling for a declaration condemning the hate crimes against the British Chinese and East Asian heritage people of the UK.
@DearAsianYouthLondon is the UK chapter of worldwide community DearAsianYouth. Empowering British Asian communities, it’s a hotspot for support and information if you’re part of the British Asian community, or an ally.
Besea.n is a grassroots community organisation aiming to champion ESEA voices in the UK, working to support and inform about ESEA culture and issues and constantly providing the petitions and fundraisers for the community.
The #WeAreNotAVirus petition is standing up to the depiction of East and South East Asians in Covid-related media, something that triggered, and still perpetuates, this Covid-related hate crime on East Asian communities. It takes just a few seconds of signing to place these large publications at the centre of their responsibility.
Words By Daisy Greetham
