Solid Ground is deeply disturbed and alarmed by escalating violent hate crimes and race-based harassment against Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) people and communities in the United States. In the last week alone, we’ve seen reports of race-based attacks on AAPI community members from San Francisco, Los Angeles, and even here in King County, WA.
According to recently reported data from Stop AAPI Hate, between March and December 2020, the group received over 2,808 firsthand accounts of anti-Asian hate. What’s worse, many experts agree that this number likely underreports what people have actually experienced.
Anti-Asian sentiment runs deep in U.S. history. Our nation’s leadership has promoted xenophobia and violence. False reports that Asian countries are responsible for the coronavirus have created a triple pandemic for the AAPI community – the virus itself, inequities in the medical community’s response, and racial violence, bias, and harassment. Taken together, the AAPI community is experiencing not only traumatic health impacts from COVID-19, but also business, employment, and other devastating impacts.
Solid Ground condemns these acts of racist violence and stands with the AAPI community and other communities of color to end racism and other forms of oppression. It is essential for us to work together to create a resilient, liberated community.
Looking to get involved?
Step 1: Learn
- Question your own assumptions.
- Research the history of anti-Asian racism in the United States and Seattle.
Step 2: Act
- Speak up! If you witness a hate crime or are the victim of one, report it through Stand Against Hatred or Stop AAPI Hate. (Hollaback! offers accessible virtual Bystander Intervention Training and other resources.)
- Volunteer or donate to AAPI community-based organizations such as:
- Raise your voice on issues identified by these organizations, and when you see harassment happening (Hollaback! offers this useful resource: SHOW UP: Your Guide to Bystander Intervention).
- SeattleWorks offers more great ideas in their Statement in Solidarity with our Asian American Neighbors.
Step 3: Engage
- Call on your leaders to condemn racism.
Ali says
“False reports that Asian countries are responsible for the coronavirus have created a triple pandemic for the AAPI community”
What? The WHO Commission, even heavily controlled by China’s governmental handlers, still recently concluded that COVID 19 started in Wuhan, China. This is not in dispute.
So why are you pitching this falsehood? It doesn’t garner SG any credibility to deny scientific conclusions.
Of course I stand with AAPI to denounce ANY harassment. That would be ludicrous!
Mike Buchman says
The fact that the virus was first identified in China does not make the Chinese or other Asian peoples responsible for the virus.
Glad that you stand with us against harassment!