#StopAsianHate Together video features Hollywood AAPI actors

Hollywood personalities of Asian descent are fighting against the surge of hate-inspired anti-AAPI violence in the best way they can by using the tools of their trade.

A year of mounting attacks has spurred AAPI actors and producers to use their media platforms to speak out against the racism against their community.

“The racist, verbal and physical assaults have left my community fearful to step outside,” Vietnamese American actress Olivia Munn wrote on Instagram. “These hate crimes have spiked since Covid and continue to increase even though we ask for help.”

Because millions of people follow the celebrities, some AAPI actors have become more outspoken in giving voice to those AAPI who don't have the outreach that the artists have built.

This recent effort hopes to raise funds for community organization in the frontlines fighting against the racist hatred.

The video features, (in order of appearance): Olivia Munn, Ken Jeong, Simu Liu, Akemi Look, Lisa Ling, Khalif Boyd, Lacy Lew Nguyen, Winston Duke, Diana Barbadillo, and Vivian Bang.

A GoFUndMe account #StopAsianHate, has been set up with donations going to a number of anti-hate organizations. 

"Together, it is our responsibility to condemn anti-Asian acts and create lasting social change," says the website. "We must amplify AAPI voices and find ways to uplift, empower, and protect the AAPI community. The AAPI Community Fund aims to do just that, addressing the urgent issues that face the AAPI community as well as broader, systemic problems."

Breaking the Silence: Business leaders pledge millions to the fight against anti-Asian bigotry

A coalition of Asian American business leaders have made it clear that they will no longer be silent against the racism facing AAPI communities.

Almost 1,000 AAPI business executives from across the country added their voices and their pocketbooks against the attacks targeting Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders with a full page ad in the Wall Street Journal Wednesday, March 31, by pledging to donate $10 million to organizations fighting against the anti-Asian violence.

Part of the "open letter" published in the WSJ states:

"We, the Asian American business leaders of America, are tired, angry and afraid — and not for the first time. We are tired of being treated as less than American, subject to harassment and now, every day, we read about another member of our community being physically attacked — simply for being Asian. We are afraid for the safety of our loved ones. We are angry that our families can no longer go outside in their own neighborhoods where they have lived for decades because it may not be safe. 

"We have given a lot to this country where we were born or to which we immigrated. Our community includes your cashiers, your teachers, your cooks, your doctors, your dry cleaners, your colleagues, your neighbors, your friends. We cut your nails. We write your code. We, together, have launched rovers to Mars and back. Many of us have created jobs for hundreds of thousands of Americans. We choose to make America our home and we strive every day to make America better — just like you.

"We don’t deserve to live in fear in our own country."  

The violence against AAPI communities has been growing for over a year since the Trump administration began blaming the coronavirus to China, calling it the China Virus, the Wuhan Virus and the Kung Flu.

By insisting on associated the virus to China, Trump has successfully playing to the country's centuries-old fear of Asians by blaming Asians for the pandemic that has disrupted the economy.

The mass shooting in Georgia that killed eight people, six of whom were Asian women, sparked nationwide demonstrations condemning the anti-Asian attacks and prompted statements and actions by the business community.

Zoom CEO Eric Yuan, YouTube cofounder Steve Chen,  DoorDash founder Tony Xu, OpenTable CEO Debby Soo and Care.com founder Sheila Marcelo are among the business leaders who have signed onto the open letter.

Other high-profile signatories include Facebook vice president of product George Lee, Boxed CEO Chieh Huang, Peloton Interactive co-founders Yony Feng and Hisao Kushi, and Alfred Lin, partner at Sequoia Capital.

“As a proud Asian American, it is disheartening to see the hatred and violence against our community,” Zoom’s Yuan told CNBC in a statement. “Racism in any form is unacceptable, and I feel strongly it is important to lend my voice and stand up with my fellow colleagues, friends and family who are suffering during this time.”

Since the ad appeared two days ago, over 2,800 AAPI business leaders and their allies have joined the pledge.

Part of the commitment the coalitions is asking includes "creating and funding AAPI employee resource groups to ensure Asian employees, especially women who bear the brunt of the harassment, have a safe space to tell their stories, receive support and report discrimination without fear of retaliation" and a commitment "to reporting out on diversity of all groups and to redefine Asian Americans as a group worth representation at all levels of the organization."

$1.25 BILLION INITIATIVE FROM BANK OF AMERICA

Prompted by the attacks against the AAPI communities, has caused an awakening of the business community to the scourge of racial discrimination has prompted other big corporations to create their own initiatives.  The giant banking behemoth, Bank of America, committed $1-billion over a four-year period to fight racial inequities. Since the rise in anti-Asian violence, the bank has extended the initial initiative to a fifth year and added $250 million.

“The urgency we feel to address long-standing issues of inclusion and racial inequality has only increased following the attacks and hate speech directed at Asian people over the last year,” said Bank of America Chairman and CEO Brian Moynihan. “Across the public and private sectors, it is clear that we must do more – to take action, help others convene, and serve as a catalyst for a broad-based, collective response to the critical issues affecting our nation.”

“The urgency we feel to address long-standing issues of inclusion and racial inequality has only increased following the attacks and hate speech directed at Asian people over the last year,” added Brian Moynihan.

Immediate actions taken to help accelerate and expand pre-existing work include:

• A grant to the Asian Americans Advancing Justice (Advancing Justice) organization to advance the nonprofit’s work to promote civil rights, bystander intervention, in-language advocacy, social services assistance and legal support. This funding supports five Asian Americans Advancing Justice affiliates based in Atlanta, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, San Francisco and Chicago.
• The addition of Connie Chung Joe, chief executive officer of Asian Americans Advancing Justice – Los Angeles, to serve as a member of Bank of America’s National Community Advisory Council (NCAC), in support of ongoing dialogue and stakeholder engagement with the Asian community in the U.S., and on broad issues of gender and racial equality. Members of the NCAC engage with leaders on Bank of America’s business policies, practices and products in support of employees, clients and local communities.
• Additional support for the National Coalition for Asian Pacific American Community Development (National CAPACD) and The Leadership Conference Education Fund as the two organizations work to advance local community advocacy, training, and resources through community-based efforts.
• Increased philanthropic support through Bank of America’s employee matching gift program. Bank of America employees can double their charitable donations to these three nonprofits and select others; the company’s matching gift minimum has been lowered to $1 for the next 90 days, to expand the impact of their support to the Asian community in the U.S.

“The rising number of attacks against Asian people, including the tragic shootings in Atlanta recently, have served as a stark reminder that we must stand united against discrimination, hate speech and violence,” said Thong Nguyen, vice chairman at Bank of America. “We will not tolerate acts of racism in any form. Today’s commitment builds upon Bank of America’s many years of work in support of inclusion and racial equality.”

SONY'S $100 MILLION RACIAL JUSTICE INITIATIVE

In June 2020, Sony Music Group led to the establishment of a $100 millionGlobal Social Justice Fund with the full support of all Sony Group companies. This fund is used to support initiatives that promote social justice, anti-racism initiatives and to foster diversity, equity and inclusion both inside and outside of the company around the world.

This past week, Sony announced it has made donations to Asian Americans Advancing Justice (AAJC) and Asian American Legal and Education Fund (AALDEF).

"Racial injustice is a global issue that affects us all," said Kenichiro Yoshida, Chairman, President and CEO, Sony Corporation. "Today I join together with the leaders of Sony's businesses in the U.S. to denounce the appalling violence against the Asian American community. 

"As a company that cherishes diversity as one of our core values, we are committed to the human rights of all people. Sony places great importance on treating everyone with dignity and respect, regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, age, religious beliefs or physical ability," said Yoshida. "I stand shoulder to shoulder with our group leaders to condemn this ongoing violence and discrimination."

Day of Action: WarnerMedia and AT&T commits $7 million to fight anti-AAPI assaults, bullying and harassment

On the Day of Action, a national day of mourning and remembrance of the lives lost and impacted by racism and hatred, AT&T and WarnerMedia announced a $7 million pledge to help combat for social justice.

“Hate and discrimination don’t have any place in our society. I’m saddened by the current incidents and my coronary heart goes out to the AAPI neighborhood,” Corey Anthony, AT&T senior vice chairman and chief range and improvement officer, mentioned whereas saying the dedication. “AT&T has a duty to handle equality points that affect our workers and the communities we serve. We are going to proceed to work on assembly the wants of these affected.”

The financial commitment includes a multi-platform campaign to raise awareness around the escalating violence towards the AAPI community and to give the public an opportunity to show their support and stand in solidarity. This campaign continues the company's ongoing commitment in response to racial and social injustice.

As a part of the multi-platform marketing campaign, AT&T and WarnerMedia have produced 4 public service bulletins, that includes expertise and executives from throughout WarnerMedia and AT&T, together with CNN host Lisa Ling and correspondent Amara Walker; Within the Heights and Loopy Wealthy Asians director Jon M. Chu; Mortal Kombat star Ludi Lin; Warrior actor Olivia Cheng; Kung Fu stars Olivia Liang and Tzi Ma; AT&T Enterprise CEO Anne Chow; and DC Comics chief inventive officer and writer Jim Lee.

The commitment from AT&T and WarnerMedia comes days after Kaiser Permanente, the nation's larges nonprofit health care provider, announce it's commitment of $5.4 million to fight the hate and violence directed at Asian Americans.

"As a company, WarnerMedia unequivocally stands with the AAPI community and all marginalized communities. We acknowledge that racism and sexism often provide the foundation for hatred, inequality and violence—and these are systemic issues we must all fight," said Christy Haubegger, WarnerMedia's EVP Communications and Chief Inclusion Officer.

"We are creators and thinkers, and we understand our responsibility to help foster greater understanding and awareness, in both the content we create, and through our words and actions."

For more information on ways to support, visit the AT&T AAPI Stand for Equality website att.com/StopAsianHate.

#StopAsianHate Voices from Asian America: Journalists talk about effects of hate on their hob

Minnesota Public Radio / Twitter

AAPI journalists find themselves between a rock and a hard place when covering the recent wave of hate crimes against Asians. 

Journalists are taught to remain objective when covering a story. However, Asian American journalists are finding it hard to do when the attacks against Asians increase and grow more violent, occurring almost daily and the victims look like our parents or grandparents.

A major part of Bay Area's KGO reporter/anchor Dion Lim's beat is talking to victims and their families after the crimes have been committed. “As a journalist, you want people to trust you and share and believe in you enough to tell their story that it’s a privilege,” she told The Wrap. “But then, on the other hand, it’s almost like a burden to bear.”

"I feel fortunate to be in a role where I can help continue to bring these stories to a wider audience, and I feel inspired by this new generation of young activists who are using their voices to lead important discussions while organizing in their cities," said NBC's Vicky Nguyen in an interview with People. "I also feel energized by longtime activists like Amanda Nguyen, who has helped sphere head this movement to combat COVID racism, which is still being wildly underreported."

"AAJA commends journalists who have championed coverage of our communities by pitching and advocating for the stories of our community to be told," said a statement from the Asian American Journalists Association. ... "We are thankful that their journalism brings context and nuance to a topic that can be difficult to discuss."

Below, AAPI journalists from CBS  talk about how the anti-Asian sentiment has affected them personally and how they do their job.

Despite the number of AAPI journalists, mainstream media has generally not recognized the rise of Asian hate violence. "We have been miserably late," journalist Connie Chung told CNN. "We are insignificant, and it's so apparent to all of us who are Asian."

The veteran journalist told CNN that "anti-Asian hate started the moment it came out of President Trump's mouth," adding that it started picking up the moment Trump called Covid-19 The China Virus or the Kung Flu.

Below, CNN's Amara Walker describes three back-to-back racist encounters she experienced at New Orleans International Airport.

"I'm shaking right now," she said.

Lisa Ling (below), host of "This Is Live," is interviewed by CNN's Erin Burnett.

The Asian American Journalists Association has put out guidelines for media encouraging them to let their AAPI staff cover these stories because oftentimes, they can get the witnesses or victims open up to them because they are also Asian.

"Meet the Press" with Chuck Todd apparently get the AAJA memo. Last Sunday, the MSNBC host's topic was the anti-Asian attacks afflicting the AAPI community with the Georgia mass shooting where six of the eight victims were Asian women as its centerpiece. For some unexplainable reason, not one of his guests was an AAPI.

For the information of readers for this blog, "Views From the Edge," is not compelled to remain objective. We allow our feelings and opinions seep into our coverage. After three decades of community and mainstream journalism, the compunction to show both sides of a story sometimes dilutes the true meaning and impact of the issue at hand, especially when the "other side" has no merit.

Towards the end of my career, as a columnist and editorial writer, I was allowed and paid to express these "opinions," which I continue to do with this personal blog.

That's why at the end of most of our opinions on the news, we often leave this message and warning:

Word of Caution: This posting is news laced with opinion. Readers are encouraged to seek multiple news outlets to form their own opinion.

#StopAsianHate Voices From Asian America: Some of the recent victims of the violence against Asians

(Graphics by Christine Chen of APIAvote.)

I wrote about four incidents of violence against AAPI elderly in the same posting last Feb. 6. Each incident was terrible but putting them all together it was shocking: the slashing of an elder's face in the New York subway, the violent shove of an elder in Oakland, the robbery of an elder in San Jose and the death of an 84-year old grandfather in San Francisco. 

However, it wasn't until the video by Nobel Peace Prize nominee Amanda Nguyen's video went viral, showing the violence of the unprovoked attacks on the elderly, who could have been our own grandparents that anger turned into action.

In the video, Nguyen complained that mainstream media hadn't been reporting the incidents and she was right. But seeing the elderly men falling, a woman fighting to hold onto her purse and the subway victim's scar got the media's attention.

After viewing the video, actors Daniel Wu and Daniel Dae Kim offered a $25,000 award that would lead to an arrest for the the attacker who pushed a 91-year old violently to the Oakland sidewalk.

“I decided, ’You know what?" Nguyen tells CNBC. "If we are getting locked out of mainstream media, I’m going to turn to social media, and I’m going to have a call to action for mainstream media outlets to uplift Asian stories'” 

The video racked up millions of views on TikTok, Instagram and Twitter.

Soon, the networks were. interviewing Wu, Kim and Nguyen. AAPI journalists advocated for coverage of the incidents and produced and reported special extended segments on news shows.

However, despite the media attention, the attacks continued. Most of the victims were the helpless elderly. Then the rallies, opeds, other celebrities and politicians began speaking out.

The following are not all of them. It seems like we hear of a new incident of hate directed at AAPI every day.

Then a lone white gunman walked into a spa in Georgia. 

#StopAAPIHate reports that from March 2020 to March 2021, about 3800 incidents have been collected on their website. Experts believe that many more attacks, insults or harassment have not been reported.

In the first two months of this year, over 500 incidents of violence and hate have already been recorded, says @StopAAPIHate.

#StopAsianHate Voices From Asian America: AAPI entertainers talk activism efforts & giving back

Should entertainers use their platforms to express their personal views outside the realm of acting and performing? 

Why the hell, not? As citizens of this country, they have the same rights that all American have. They're entitled to their views if you believe in the Constitution's First Amendment that guarantees Freedom of Speech.

Movies and television help shape American culture and the way we see ourselves. Progress is occurring, but so much more needs to be done to include AAPI actors and representation onscreen. 

First up, on a Zoom call, Daniel Dae Kim, George Takei, Olivia Munn, Dianne Doan, Hari Kondabolu, and Chloe Bennet sat down with EW on Sunday March, 14th 2021 to speak about their experiences as Asian artists and the rise in attacks against Asians during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"We can't really address the racism that's happening towards Asian Americans without addressing the racism that is happening towards African Americans, our Latinx brothers and sisters," states Bennett, the Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. actress.

Below, Ken Jeong, takes a break from his usual comedic nature and gets serious on Late Night.

Unfortunately, "It's going to get worse before it gets better," says the New York-born actress Lucy Liu (below) as she is interviewed by CNN's Erin Burnett.

Margaret Cho, puts the current wave of violence towards Asians in the context of American history. "In the industry I work in, we have a distorted view of Asian Americans," she says.

The more we shift away from the single Eurocentric world view, the better we will be as a country. 

The more we see Americans as more than White, the more we can accept citizens who don't conform to the American self-mage.

#StopAsianHate: On this Day of Action, Voices from Asian America -- Olivia Munn

Olivia Munn, an actress of Chinese/Vietnamese heritage, has not been afraid to use her celebrity platform to speak out. This interview was conducted before the shooting spree in Georgia that killed six Asian women.

DAY OF ACTION: The United States began making anti-Asian laws as early as 1790

Why today, March 26, of all days? Why is the AAPI community asking all Americans to reflect and act on this day?

On March 26, 1790, the Naturalization Act was signed into law, prohibiting non-white people from becoming citizens of the United States. Over 200 years later, Asians in the U.S. are still suffering from the effects of the racism our country was founded upon. Asian elders are being physically assaulted in the streets. Asian American children are afraid to go back to school. We are still grieving the murders of 6 Asian women in a racially-motivated killing spree in Atlanta last week.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Views From the Edge will be posting #StopAsianHate throughout the day.