In Solidarity with Asian Americans

by Sarah Lyman, Executive Director, Alliance Healthcare Foundation

As we hurt and fear for those in the Ukraine battling against invasion by Russia, we must keep vigilant in our own country against the divisive wars we bring upon ourselves be they racial, political or social. In the wake of a series of brutal hate crimes against Asian Americans in New York and other attacks against Asians that have accelerated nationally since the start of the pandemic, we want to take a moment to pause and stand in solidarity with our Asian communities, friends and colleagues.

Anti-Asian hate crimes increased 339 percent nationally last year, according to some reports. And yet despite this alarming and heartbreaking statistic, these stories and their impact on survivors and Asian communities can feel invisible, further fueling the feelings of fear, anxiety and oppression many individuals are facing.  As one dear friend of AHF’s shared recently “Just because our stories are not visible in data points or headlines does not mean that we are immune to the systemic oppression of racism; it doesn’t mean that we’re not in pain.”

For me personally, this is a call to action and a reminder to better educate myself about the painful stories and daily lived experience of many Asian Americans and people of color more broadly.  The impact those experiences have on so many of our friends, family members, neighbors, colleagues, and strangers is deep and real, even if it may not always be visible. Today, we encourage you to spend some time listening, learning and finding more ways to share your time, talent or resources in standing up against xenophobia and racism.

Below are a few resources to check out.

Stop AAPI Hate – Report a hate incident in multiple languages; access relevant reports and findings related to the impact of anti-Asian hate crimes.

Learn more about the San Diego Asian Pacific Islander (API) Coalition and follow on Instagram @sdapicoalition