Speaking Out About Violence Against Asian Americans

On Tuesday, March 16th, a man killed eight people in Atlanta, Georgia. Six of the eight victims were women of Asian descent.

Before I go any further, I want to say the victims’ names. I want to honor them, because this story is not all about the perpetrator. The names that have been released so far include:

Xiaojie Tan
Daoyou Feng
Delaina Ashley Yaun Gonzalez
Paul Andre Michels
Elcias Hernandez-Ortiz, who was severely injured but survived

Asian women in America have historically suffered from the tropes of being interchangeable, disposable, exploitable, and sacrificial.

It’s especially important for us to remember the victims in these killings, most of whom were Asian women, because Asian women in America have historically suffered from the tropes of being interchangeable, disposable, exploitable, and sacrificial.

Personally, I’m feeling a complicated mix of grief, fear, and anger. I know many others, especially my fellow Asian Americans, feel the same way. Our hearts are broken for the victims and their loved ones. I can’t imagine their pain and trauma.

But what I can imagine—because my family and I, as well as many of my friends, have experienced it—is anti-Asian racism. Many Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have had similar experiences, especially during the surge of anti-Asian violence in the past year.

There were nearly 3,800 hate incidents against Asian Americans reported in the United States over the past 12 months. And that's likely an underestimate because it’s difficult to charge hate crimes against Asians. As The New York Times pointed out, "proving a racist motive can be particularly difficult with attacks against Asians... There is no widely recognized symbol of anti-Asian hate comparable to a noose or a swastika."

There were nearly 3,800 hate incidents against Asian Americans reported in the United States over the past 12 months.

If you’re also feeling helpless or crying angry tears, know that you’re not alone, and it’s completely okay to feel this way. Let yourself grieve, and tell your friends how you feel. During collective grief and trauma, we need to give ourselves and each other grace, and we should reach out for support.

Speaking of support, I also want to acknowledge the outpouring of solidarity that non-Asian communities are showing. On social media and in my personal life, I...

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