Two years after the Atlanta shootings, Asian Americans are uniting in major cities to pay tribute to the lives lost and to demand action against ongoing hate and violence
NEW YORK — Two years after the massacre of Asian American women in Atlanta, a year after the horrific murders continued in New York City, and mere months after mass shootings in Los Angeles and Half Moon Bay, Asian Americans across the country will gather to mourn their loved ones, show solidarity and demand action against the ongoing issues facing the Asian American community. On March 16, 2023, “Always With Us: Asian Americans Rise Against Hate” events will be taking place in Atlanta, Denver, Detroit, New York and San Francisco. The events will feature Asian American leaders, activists and community members highlighting the strength and resilience of the Asian American community.
Speakers and performers at the events include:
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[in Atlanta] Gwinnett District Attorney Patsy Austin-Gaston; Georgia State Rep., Minority Whip Sam Park; film producer, director and author Curtis Chin; and documentary producer Gina Kim;
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[in New York] U.S. Congressmember Grace Meng; Rise founder and Nobel Prize nominee Amanda Nguyen; and musician Wolftyla;
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[in San Francisco] Brandon Tsay, who stopped the gunman in Monterey Park; Justin Go, the father of victim Michelle Go; filmmaker Jon Osaki; activist Sasanna Yee; author Mimi Lok; concert cellist Eileen Moon; and singer/songwriter Melissa Polinar;
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and others to be announced.
Robert Peterson, son of Yong Ae Yue, a victim of the March 16, 2021 Atlanta Spa shootings, said, “As the proud son of a Korean woman and a Black man, I believe all of us have a shared responsibility against hate. My mother was an Asian woman who was targeted for being who she was, and for occupying a particular space, by someone she didn’t know. She would want us to continue fighting for visibility, for our collective values, and for the safety of our community and our families. This sentiment is one that all people should be able to support.”
Wendy Nguyen, a co-founder of Stand with Asian Americans, said, “Anti-Asian hate and rhetoric has directly fueled violence against the community. Despite playing an integral role in the building of our country, Asian Americans have continued to be assaulted — verbally, physically, and emotionally. With recent events, we are mourning the tragic loss of more members in our community. The upcoming year will be powerful for everyone, including non-AAPI friends and supporters, to remember the lives lost and stand together.”
Charles Jung, executive director of APAs vs. Hate, said, “Too many Asian Americans no longer feel safe, even in their own homes, due to anti-Asian hate. The damage caused to the community is visible and invisible, physical and psychological, fueled by rhetoric, discrimination, and lies, leading to violence against innocent people. This is unacceptable. March 16th is becoming a day where we confront the grief of our community, but declare that we are calling for better treatment, better services, and a better country for Asian American communities.”
Nationally, in May 2022, over a third of Asian Americans said they made changes in their daily schedule or routine over the previous 12 months due to worry about being threatened or attacked, according to a survey by the Pew Research Center. The same survey found that only 19% of them believed their local elected officials were doing a very or somewhat good job dealing with violence against Asian Americans. Previous to that, on the one-year anniversary of the Atlanta shootings, a survey conducted by AAPI Data found that 16% of Asian American and 14% of Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islander adults had experienced a hate incident since the beginning of 2021 — proportions suggesting that nearly 3 million AAPI adults had experienced a hate incident within about a year.
With events being held in major cities, this is a powerful moment for everyone, including non-AAPI allies, to remember the lives lost and stand together. Stand with Asian Americans is a co-organizer of the national events, along with partners: APAs vs Hate, Asian Leaders Alliance, Chinatown Volunteer Coalition, Chinese Historical Society of America, Korean American Community Foundation – SF, Korean Community Center of East Bay and Southeast Asian Community Center.
Date, time and location details on all rallies are available here: https://www.alwayswithus.org/ 
