Janie Ye –Wayzata High School
Hate is not something that can easily be stopped. It takes effort from an entire country to fix such a profound problem in society. By starting within our own communities, we can address the problem and eventually stop hate and violence. It is also important to create public awareness and provide information and resources for the community, because anyone can potentially be a victim of a hate crime. Learning about the causes and effects of hate crimes can be an effective prevention method.
One of the largest organizations dedicated to stopping anti-Asian hate is Stop AAPI Hate. On their website (https://stopaapihate.org/), they have resources such as safety tips, mental health services, and news articles for people curious about the Asian American community. The organization also has an effective reporting center and collects data about hate crimes to reveal the effect of racism on America. Some useful tools that they provide are documents on understanding rights and federal/state discrimination laws. In these documents, information on reporting is given for all 50 states, serving as a useful resource for anyone wishing to submit a report on a hate crime. Also, by providing a 50-state summary of anti-discrimination laws, anyone can find the various laws and acts passed by each state relating to stopping discrimination. Stop AAPI Hate also has a page dedicated specifically to providing resources for individuals experiencing hate. They have safety tips for victims and witnesses of hate in more than 10 languages, including Spanish, Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, Thai, and Hindi. Overall, Stop AAPI Hate is a useful website to report hate and find different resources for victims of hate.
OCA-Asian Pacific American Advocates is another helpful website which provides effective resources to reduce anti-Asian hate. Founded after the murder of Vincent Chin, the organization is based in Washington DC and is dedicated to combating anti-Asian hate incidents. On their website (https://www.aapihatecrimes.org/), there are resources such as a reporting center, webinars, and links to websites to file complaints with federal departments (such as the US Department of Justice and FBI). There are also phone numbers and links to other organizations dealing with mental health and victim assistance.
For more local resources, the University of Minnesota has a President’s Emerging Scholars Program which provides resources to support Asian Pacific American communities. It lists University statements, campus resources, community resources, and educational resources. It also has links to report hate (including a link to Stop AAPI Hate) and articles on ways to support Asian communities and take action against racism. It can be accessed here: https://prezscholars.umn.edu/AAPI-support.
There is no shortage of resources to learn about discrimination and report hate crimes against Asian Americans, but there is a lack of knowledge among society about these resources and events. It is important to educate yourself and to always treat others with respect and kindness.
