SUPPORTING THE AAPI COMMUNITY
Standing Against Anti-Asian Violence: Webinars and Video Series Promote Allyship
Stacey Wang
After recent hateful acts against the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community, Holland & Knight’s Diversity Council and the Asian/Pacific Islander (API) Affinity Group wanted to do something extra for the firm’s commemoration of Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month in May. They encouraged attorneys and staff from across the firm to discuss racial justice and allyship as well as reflect on how to better support the AAPI community. These conversations have been captured on video with the hope that the stories educate viewers and inspire further discussion on being better allies to AAPI friends, family and colleagues. (For a link to each episode, see API Video Series, page 8.)
“The increasing racial attacks since last year, culminating in the attacks in recent weeks, make us fear for ourselves and our parents, grandparents and children,” said Partner and API Affinity Group Chair Stacey Wang (LAX). “We truly feel that ‘open season’ has been called on our communities.” In addition to the candid discussions, the API Affinity Group hosted “Understanding and Supporting the AAPI Community” on April 8. The webinar promoted a dialogue about the recent escalation of AAPI hate incidents in the U.S. and the history behind them. Stacey led the conversation with two esteemed guests: Connie Chung Joe, CEO of Asian Americans Advancing Justice, and Eugene Moy, vice president of the Chinese Historical Society of Southern California. During the discussion, Ms. Chung Joe cited two essential calls for action. First, victims need to get their story recorded and counted. “They need to post on social media, report it to various websites and not let it go until it helps push toward change,” she said.
Clockwise, from top left, Stacey Wang, Eugene Moy and Connie Chung Joe 7
Second, she said, was for those who witness others being victimized: Record the incident on your phone and report it to various websites, take bystander intervention
