News

Message from WIN's President, Kim Sauer

We are heartbroken and outraged by the recent horrific events in Atlanta and by the heinous attacks upon members of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities in Washington State and elsewhere. AAPI communities across this nation are grief-stricken, anxious, fearful, and angry. It is no secret that many of us from the AAPI community are fearful for the safety of ourselves and our loved ones.

The New York Times reported nearly 3,800 hate incidents in the past year toward AAPI. Sadly, Washington State hasn’t been immune to these terrible trends. Is this just a problem that is limited to the AAPI victims that we’ve been hearing a lot about this past year? No. Hateful and harmful behaviors don’t just inflict pain directly upon the targeted victim(s). They spread a dreadful sickness throughout our society and we, as a whole, will never thrive as long as this sickness exists.

It’s overwhelming to think about where to go from here. It is easy to stay angry, fearful, blaming, and suspicious of others, but that will not help us change the situation we are in. We must stand up, take action, and not give in to those who wish to harm us. There is a Korean saying: “Even if, you are in a mouth of a tiger, find the way to survive.” This is the time to take action. It’s hard to do, but try to find a silver lining in this dark cloud and start from there.

I find my silver lining in my friends and colleagues of all races that have shared their concerns, well wishes, and offerings of support. As an Asian woman and immigrant, many friends and colleagues contacted me expressing their concerns and offering their support. Our Business Resource Groups colleagues have posted encouraging messages of solidarity, letting us know that we are not alone. Let’s start from there. Together we are stronger and together we can combat these hateful and harmful behaviors that are causing so much pain and sickness in our society. We immigrants have made this country our home - regardless of when we settled here. We contribute to making this country a place where people from around the world want to immigrate and live. We must stand strong and continue our effort to combat our racism and sexism.

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Olympia Area Chinese Association Rally

On March 20th, about 15 members participated in the Stop Asian Hate rally held in Bellevue. Several hundred people joined the event to honor the victims of shooting in Atlanta and decry violence against Asian Americans.  The Mayor of Bellevue, the Police Chief, and representatives of various ethnic groups all spoke.  Former Governor Gary Locke also gave a history of the struggle of Asian Americans and pledged that "Asian is not a virus, but hate is".  He won loud applause from everyone on site.

The group walked around the park and held a candlelight vigil for the victims of the Atlanta shooting.  It was a rainy day.  Many parents brought their kids.  They showed solidarity despite the cold and wet conditions.  We thank all of them for speaking out for minorities and raising the awareness of hate crime in this land of American.

A video of the rally can be found here.  According to CNN, this was one of the many rallies held across the country.

Offering Support to AAPI Communities

Please join us in solidarity to support our AAPI communities and help stop the hate crimes and violence against our people. Here are some ways to help:

• Reach out to those of your AAPI peers and neighbors by checking in and show your concerns, their wellbeing and offer help.

• Educate yourself on how to intervene if you experience or witness hate incidents. Stop AAPI Hate offers safety tips.

• Commit to being anti-racist by learning about AAPI history.  You may want to start by checking out this five-part PBS special. 

• Report and encourage reporting of violence and harassment. The Washington State Commission on Asian Pacific American Affairs urge to report all hate incidents/crime.  Submitting hate incidents through this form (AAPI Hate Incident Form ) will help the Asian Pacific American Advocates monitor hate towards AAPIs across the country.

• Consider donating to AAPI causes, businesses and even to victims and victim’s families.

• Get to know your local AAPI communities and check out the organizations such as the Asian Pacific Islander Coalition-South Puget Sound (APIC-SPS). You can join the dialogue with community members, seek volunteer opportunities and get informed on local updates.  APIC-SPS also offers self-defense training as well.