For our community, in particular, the future is hazy.
This existing racism has only fueled the anti-Asian attacks weve observed more recently.
Asians received the blame for the pandemic, says Yoon.
Of course, we cant neglect to highlight Trump nationally mentioning anti-China rhetoric, adds Lee.
Despite the 2020 election results and declining COVID-19 numbers, were experiencing a surge in anti-Asian hate incidents.
Lee describes this rise in violence as an aftershock of the pandemic.
Michelle Lee / Design by Tiana Crispino
People have lost their family members and jobs.
People have experienced serious financial difficulties that are going to impact them and the next generation.
If theres still suffering, there still needs to be someone to blame for it.
Lisa Ling / Design by Tiana Crispino
I’m scared for my loved ones.
Logically, I knew that this was a situation that would not be resolved quickly.
But emotionally, it’s taken a real toll.
Sara Tan / Design by Tiana Crispino
But we knew back then that awareness was only a small step toward a solution.
All those actions certainly contribute to a long-term solution.
And it’s going to take time.
Jo-Ann Yoo / Design by Tiana Crispino
But we have to explore why most of the victims of these violent attacks are Asian women.
Untangling the roots of racism and misogyny against Asian American women is so complex.
We are fucking strong together.
Amy Liu / Design by Tiana Crispino
Knowing that keeps me going.
“But out of this crisis, something powerful has happened.
We are holding one anothers hands and providing support to one another.
Priscilla Tsai / Design by Tiana Crispino
We have been grieving together and are championing each others successes.
It seems that most people are generally more aware of the rise in anti-Asian attacks as of late.
However, this awareness has done virtually nothing to stop the attacks from continuing to happen or worsen.
Ive always been hyperaware of my surroundings for fear of my safety.
Now, the anxiety has heightened.
I worry more about the safety of my parents and sisters.
I worry about what the future will be like for my daughter and my nieces.
In the absence of support from others, weve found support from one another.
The tragedies have taught us to lean on each other.
Ive never wanted to love and protect and celebrate my brothers and sisters more.
Ive never been prouder to be an AAPI.
And I hope we never go back to when we were sitting quietly.
We know that if we want something badly enough, we have to get up and scream.
This anti-Asian hate is not going away any time soon.
This is just the start.
We need to work together.
We need to call out bullshit and engage in the system that tries to keep us out.
It all makes a difference.
We are continuously bonding together to fight against racism.
Personally, Ive bonded so much with my AAPI sisters and brothers over the last year.
We understand and lean on each other, even when were not otherwise feeling heard.
However, it still feels like the rest of the world has a lot of catching up to do.
By ourselves, we can only accomplish so muchno matter how hard we try.
We need everyone to amplify the anti-AAPI hate message.
We need more support from everyone else and the mainstream media.
We need more people to rally with us.
In so many ways, Ive been inspired by the AAPI community.
Im so proud of that.
While it has proven traumatic, the last two years have been a moment of extreme solidarity for us.
Were really not just asking but demanding to take up space, says Yoon.
Ive examined the micro-aggressions (and straight-up aggression) Ive experienced.
Were at a critical point in the fight against AAPI hate.
Resources
AAPI community members can use the below resources to protect themselves both physically and mentally.
Allies can use them to learn more about the Asian experience.
