Yesterday (March 16), like the rest of our community, we were horrified and enraged by the domestic terrorist attack on three Asian massage parlors in the metro Atlanta area of Georgia, resulting in the deaths of eight people, six of whom were Asian women. Our hearts go out to the loved ones of those who were murdered in this senseless shooting, and we implore the media to call this tragedy what it clearly is: an anti-Asian hate crime as well as an act of domestic terrorism.

Just a year ago, TACL issued a statement regarding the impact that calling COVID-19 the “Kung Flu” and “Chinese Virus” has on the Asian American community. It is unfortunate that we have to issue a new statement one year later in response to the alarming increase in racially-motivated hate crimes targeting Asian Americans throughout the United States. We have seen an appalling rise in reports of anti-Asian hate crimes, ranging from aggressive verbal harassment to vandalism of Asian-owned businesses to assault and now mass murder. Even more heinous is the targeting of the most vulnerable in our community, including immigrants, women, and the elderly. We encourage everyone to remain on a heightened sense of alert and to continue to watch out for one another, as these hate crimes show no signs of abating. 

In the midst of all this pain, TACL calls on our communities to remain vigilant against racism and bigotry. If you are a target or a witness to such acts of hate, please report such events to your local law enforcement and Attorney General’s office. At the same time, make sure you do not yourself engage in race-based discrimination or acts of hate, as that will only continue to hurt and divide our communities instead of heal our anguish and pain. Please see below this statement for some additional resources in your area, as well as some steps you can take.

TACL programs will also be hosting various events to spread information, provide a safe space to speak about your experiences, and help everyone remain vigilant. 

Your health and safety are paramount during this difficult time – please stay safe and healthy. #stopaapihate #stopasianhate

TACL National Board

TACL Program Events:

TAP – Boston – Spill The Boba Tea Instagram Campaign 

Starting March 17, 2021 at 6:00 PM ET/3:00 PM PT

Time to SPILL THE BOBA TEA! Did you know bubble tea originated in Taiwan in the early 1980’s at a small tea stand? Boba tea is more than just a drink. Boba tea shops have become social gathering grounds and “let’s get boba” is synonymous with “let’s catch up.” Sharing food is a large part of Taiwanese culture, and our shared love for boba brings us together to share food, share about life, and share about what we hope to see in our future. 

With the increase in hate crimes against the Asian community, we want to share why we love our culture, starting with one of our most beloved foods. Hate stems from fear of the unknown. We hope you get to know more about our foods, culture, people, and community from this series.

If you’d like to join us in spilling the boba tea, please re-share, share your fun fact or story, and tag 5 friends!

TAP – Atlanta – Write to Your Congressperson

Send a letter or email to your Congressperson asking them to take action using this Letter Template as a base.

TAP – Orange County – Self Defense Workshop 

March 21, 2021 at 2:00 PM ET/11:00 AM PT

Event Link – https://fb.me/e/3I5gGHury 

TAP – San Francisco – Stopping AAPI Hate: A Conversation With Professor Russell Jeung

April 5, 2021 at 9:00 PM ET/6:00 PM PT

Event Link – https://fb.me/e/U3PV7GBk 

Resources to Report Acts of Hate:

• Asian Pacific Policy and Planning Counsil self reporting website – http://www.asianpacificpolicyandplanningcouncil.org/stop-aapi-hate/ 
• Asian Americans Advancing Justice self reporting website – https://www.standagainsthatred.org/
• Stop AAPI Hate website – StopAAPIHate.org 
• California’s Office of the Attorney General – https://oag.ca.gov/hatecrimes
• Georgia’s Office of the Attorney General – https://law.georgia.gov/contact-us
• Massachusetts’s Office of the Attorney General – https://www.mass.gov/service-details/protections-against-hate-crimes
• New York’s Office of the Attorney General – Civil Rights Bureau – civil.rights@ag.ny.gov, or calling 1-800-771-7755.
• Texas’s Office of the Attorney General – https://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/contact-us 
• Washington’s Office of the Attorney General – https://www.atg.wa.gov/contact-us-3
• Washington DC’s Office of the Attorney General – https://oag.dc.gov/about-oag/contact-us 

Raise awareness, speak up, and condemn these attacks and anti-Asian racism:

• Sign and share these petitions to raise awareness and stop anti-Asian racism:
  • Get mainstream news coverage of national elderly Asian American assaults
  • Provide Safety Ambassadors & prevent Hate Crimes on elderly in San Francisco Chinatown
  • End Hate Crimes against Asian Americans 
• Watch and share these videos on the rise of anti-Asian violence in the recent weeks:
  • ‘We are crying out for help’: Actors, activists sounding alarm on surging attacks against Asian Americans (MSNBC)
  • Oakland Chinatown press conference denouncing attacks on Asians in the community
  • #NeedToKnow by Yoonj Kim from MTV News
  • The Reidout on MSNBC: Asian Americans face rise in racist attacks amid pandemic
• Read and share this article on the rise of recent hate crimes on Asian Americans by Vice: Asian Americans Are Calling on Allies in Response to a Wave of Violence 
• Read about anti-Asian racism during COVID-19 and how to advance Asian American recovery

Protect yourself in the face of discrimination or safely stand up for others as a bystander

• Join webinars and training hosted by the Hollaback Bystander Intervention.

Learn about the history of Asian Pacific Islander discrimination and other challenges we face 

• Read up on the model minority myth, why it exists, and why it’s harmful to other  marginalized communities
• For a historical overview on anti-Asian racism in America:
  • Read this article about America’s long history of scapegoating its Asian citizens by National Geographic 
  • Read the book “Chinese in America” by Iris Chang 
  • Watch the PBS documentary “Asian Americans” 
• Read this article on the importance of Asian & Black solidarity by Michelle Kim
• Follow these API community leaders and activists for more resources and education:
  • Michelle Kim, activist and co-founder of Awaken 
  • Amanda Nguyễn, activist and founder of risenow.us
  • Dr. Kiona, activist (see this post from Dr. Kiona on other accounts to follow)
  • Daniel Wu, actor and activist
  • Hasan Minhaj, comedian, actor, political commentator, and television host
• Learn more about how anti-Asian discrimination manifests in the workplace by reading Jane Hyun’s “Breaking the Bamboo Ceiling” and Margaret Chin’s “Stuck: Why Asian Americans Don’t Reach the Top of the Corporate Ladder”.

Support, donate, and volunteer with organizations actively combating racism against the Asian Pacific Islander community

• Stop AAPI Hate – aggregates and responds to incidents of hate and harassment against Asian American/Pacific Islanders. Stop AAPI Hate received 1,843 reports of anti-Asian discrimination due to COVID-19 in its first eight weeks of reporting (March 19 to May 13). 
• Hate is a virus – started as a grassroots movement to combat racism and xenophobia against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) fueled by COVID-19, Hate is a virus has evolved into a sustainable organization that addresses xenophobia and hate in the AAPI and BIPOC communities.
• Act To Change – a national nonprofit organization working to address bullying, including in the AAPI community. They published “The Racism is a Virus Toolkit” to support the community in combating racism. 
• Asian Americans Advancing Justice – a national nonprofit organization that focuses on housing rights, immigration, civil rights, labor rights, and others for Asian Americans
• National Council of Asian Pacific Americans – a nonprofit organization that serves to represent the interests of the greater Asian American (AA) and Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander (NHPI) communities through a coalition of 37 national Asian Pacific American organizations around the country.