04.14.2021

AAPI Resources to Bring People Together and #StopAsianHate

By Dr. Lisa Chin, Treehouse CEO

“People question my patriotism. That I don’t look American enough. They cannot get over this face. I want to show you something. I want to tell you. Because I’m not afraid. I don’t have to live in fear, intimidation or insults. Is this patriot enough?” said Lee Wong during his testimony in Ohio.

Last week Lee Wong, elected official in Ohio, went viral, touching the hearts of millions worldwide, after exposing his scars from his 20 years of service in the U.S. Army. Just one week after the tragic shootings in Atlanta that took the lives of eight innocent victims and just six days before the broad daylight brutal assault of a 65-year-old Asian woman in New York City, Lee’s message continues to echo profoundly.

As CEO of Treehouse, an organization dedicated to the equity of our youth, and a member of the Asian-American community, I have worked to advocate for our community in an effort to bring people together, encourage communal conversations and education around creating an inclusive and compassionate culture.

We must come together and embrace the beautiful and unique diversity we’re so lucky to have in the U.S. As Lee so passionately and vulnerably shared, these hateful incidents are hurtful and remain negatively impactful throughout our lives. As I’ve said before, it is our obligation as citizens of Earth to treat each other with compassion and respect. If not for ourselves, for our children.

As incidents of hate continue to be reported daily and at an alarming rate, we’ve compiled some resources to help aid and facilitate those needed conversations and some educational resources addressing the historic omissions surrounding Asian-Americans in our country’s history.

Resources for Education and History  

• A Literary Guide to Combat Anti-Asian Racism in America is a compilation of critical books that address the historical roots of Asian American discrimination in the U.S. Electric Literature did a great job of including a variety of genres and perspectives in this article.
• Anti-Asian Violence Resources has a plethora of resources making it a quick one-stop resource center with everything from news updates, statistics, education and allyship resources, donation centers and mental health resources. This is a great place to start if you’re just beginning your exploration into Asian American history.
• The AAPI COVID-19 Project is a collective research project funded by Harvard University and the University of Colorado at Boulder. This project is collecting data to examine the ongoing COVID-19 crisis and how this crisis is shaping the lives of AAPI peoples in the U.S. They are actively looking for participants. Please consider if you’re eligible to contribute to this research.
• The Children’s Book Council: Stop Asian Hate Book List provides resources designed for youth and children. If you’re looking for ways to start these conversations with your children or students, these books are age-appropriate and recommended by nonprofits, editors and many others in the world of children’s literacy.

Local Voices

Hearing personal anecdotes and experiences showing different perspectives create the opportunity for compassion and empathy within communities. Below are a few voices whose stories really resonated with me.

• Letter from Seattle Japanese American Citizens League (JACL): “Stop Anti-Asian Hate”
• Article by My Tam Nguyen on Medium: “Asian American Women Are Resilient – and We Are Not OK”
• Naomi Ishisaka, Seattle Times columnist

Professional Development & the Workplace 

• Unfiltering the Fury: Workshop for White Managers on Reducing Racial Harm is a workshop hosted by Yejin Lee, an equity and justice practitioner with over a decade of experience in New York City nonprofits. The three-hour workshop takes place on April 27 and supports white managers in acknowledging and working through white supremacy culture and how this can negatively impact their staff of color. This is a great resource for managers who have a racially diverse staff and who would like to begin addressing change within their organization.
• Diversity for Social Impact: Asian Hate and Anti-Asian Racism has created some resources for exploring Asian hate and anti-Asian racism both nationally and globally. Diversity for Social Impact is a good source of information if you’re looking for ways to disrupt barriers and promote diversity in the workplace, this a good place to start.

Moving Forward

It is clear that racial bias and racism in our nation and culture is as prevalent today as it has been historically. The best way forward is to continue to engage in conversations that encourage adequate retelling of history and build community resilience and intolerance of discrimination and hate.

In addition, it’s critically important to report incidents of hate and discrimination. Stop AAPI Hate and #hateisavirus are great organizations that have been working diligently to track and examine anti-Asian violence. Please not only report any incidents you may witness, but also speak up against any injustices you may witness. We cannot continue to idly stand by and watch as violence is perpetuated, as happened in New York City last Monday.

As I, and Treehouse, continue to advocate and engage our community, please consider joining me in an upcoming panel discussion: Combating Racial Animus Against the AAPI Community (live stream) Solutions for Change. This panel includes former U.S. ambassador to China and former Washington Governor Gary Locke, interim Seattle Police Chief Adrian Diaz and myself. Hosted by Town Hall Seattle and Seattle University Institute of Public Service, the cost of attendance is $5 and free for all youth.

What happened in Atlanta and New York City last month is not what the United States stands for and we cannot—and will not—tolerate it anymore.

To learn more about our upcoming panel, Combating Racial Animus Against the AAPI Community: Solutions for Change, please click here.

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