support and educational resource for the AAPI community and allies
amika stands with the AAPI community and will continue to denounce racism of any kind. Our hearts and thoughts go out to all victims of hate crimes, their families, and anyone in the world who is feeling hurt, scared, or traumatized.
We’re sure all of our friends and community members are aware of the tragedy that took place in Atlanta on March 16th, but this is just one racially charged incident out of many against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. “An analysis of police department statistics has revealed that the United States experienced a significant hike in anti-Asian hate crimes last year across major cities. The analysis released by the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism at California State University, San Bernardino this month examined hate crimes in 16 of America’s largest cities. It revealed that while such crimes in 2020 decreased overall by 7 percent, those targeting Asian people rose by nearly 150 percent.” *NBC News
These statistics are terrifying, disheartening, and cannot continue. To show our support for the AAPI community and take steps toward amplifying this issue, we have gathered resources below for our amika friends to act and raise awareness.
- get educated
- mental health resources for our AAPI friends
- take action
- donate + support
- diversify your feed
get educated
Educating yourself about recent events and the increased hate crimes since the COVID-19 lockdown is the first step to raising awareness to the issue. Here are some articles that will give you a full picture of how Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have been at the center of hate crimes the past year:
mental health resources for our AAPI friends
- @asianmentalhealthcollective - comment thread of therapists willing to provide reduced/free sessions to the AA community.
- @subtleasianmentalhealth – offering free 1:1 supportive listening sessions.
- @laichientherapy – offering Asian Pacific American pay-as-you-wish group therapy.
- Crisis line: 1-800-273-TALK
- Crisis text line: text “connect” to 741741
take action
It’s more important than ever to start talking to your Asian American and Pacific Islander friends about their experiences, traumas, and feelings. Make those people in your life feel validated and supported in whatever way they need. Also, make sure to start these conversations with the immediate people in your life. Educate them about the issue, raise awareness, and talk about how you can help:
- Offer to walk members of the AAPI community (especially elders) to their destinations.
- If you see a racist act, stand with that victim, support them, and report it.
- Diversify your social media feeds.
- Call your local and state government officials to find out what they are doing to support the AAPI community and their safety.
- Continue to stay informed about the issue and have conversations.
- Support your local AAPI-owned businesses.
- Sign a petition to hold the media accountable for covering these stories.
donate + support
- Stop Asian Hate gofundme
- Chinatown Service Center
- Stop AAPI Hate
- Asian Health Services
- Victims of crime in the Bay Area gofundme
- Red Canary Song - supporting migrant + Asian sex workers in NYC
- GAPIMNY – empowering queer and transgender Asian Pacific Islanders
diversify your feed
Follow:
- @kimsaira
- @angryasianfeminist
- @amandagocnguyen
- @michellekimkim
- @jackfrootx
- @seoulcialite
- @intersectional.abc
- @weija
- @courtneyahndesign
amika will be donating to both the Asian American Federation and the Community Action Fund by Hate Is A Virus (through Philanthropic Ventures Foundation).
We hope our friends and community will share this resource with others and continue to reference back to it whenever needed. Have a suggestion for an action, place to donate, etc? Leave us a comment down below!