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A Children’s Book on Fighting Anti-Asian

Racism During COVID-19

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Young, Proud, and Sung-Jee (English).pdf

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by Hyun-Joo Bae

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Mrs. Kim Reads New Clothes for New Year's Day (READ-ALOUD) || 설빔

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by Minh Le

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"Drawn Together" by Minh Le | PBS Books Storytime

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The Story of Momouku Ando

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AMY WU & THE PERFECT BAO Read by Kat Zhang

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AMY WU & THE PERFECT BAO Read by Kat Zhang

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AMY WU & THE PERFECT BAO Read by Kat Zhang

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Read Aloud Story - The Name Jar by Yangsook Choi [Diversity & Culture]

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Miss Katie Addresses Anti-Asian Sentiments (for kids)

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By Wayne Au and Moé Yonamine

Candles at the Massage Parlor Outreach Project Vigil for Atlanta Massage Workers.
March 22, 2021, Seattle. Photo courtesy of Melissa Ponder.

Although the recent increase in anti-Asian attacks has been hard for all of us, the murderous killing spree in Atlanta has our families, our youth, and our communities spiraling. From a Japanese teacher in Seattle's Chinatown-International District being assaulted by a man wielding a sock filled with rocks, to the robbery and killing of an Asian American elder in Oakland, to the elderly Asian American woman shoved and spit on in White Plains, New York, to the punching of an Asian man in North Portland, Oregon, these attacks both traumatize and activate us as Chinese American and Okinawan American educators personally. They connect us to our own experiences with hate in this country, and they highlight the deeply rooted history of white supremacy in violence against Asian people.

What is happening now is nothing new. The racism, the devaluing of life of Asian and Asian Americans, the dehumanizing of immigrant workers, the fetishism of - and violence toward - Asian women have been perpetuated throughout U.S. history. What's more, the monolith that "Asians" are somehow one, single identity and image, invisibilizes the diverse racial and ethnic groups that our communities represent, and dehumanizes us both as individuals and as a collective. The white supremacist "model minority myth" has perpetuated a fake hierarchy, pitting people of color against each other for an unattainable proximity to whiteness.

As much of the country attempts to reflect and raise awareness, Asian and Asian American students from various states are choosing not to return to school, disproportionately absent from hybrid classes. The rise in hate crimes has resulted in fear for their own physical safety, both in and out of the school community. Students ask:

Am I safe? Will I be next?

Why hasn't our community's safety been a priority?

Will anyone protect me from the violence?

Do I matter?

To our Asian/Asian American students:

Please know that you are powerful and important. Your safety is an urgent right and we believe you. The weight of white supremacy is not your burden, although the activism you choose to lead in this moment will no doubt be invaluable for future generations. Resting is revolutionary. Turning off to take care of you is strong. So is demanding justice and organizing together on your terms. We will rise and we will collectivize across the nations. Asian Americans, you are beautiful.

Massage Parlor Activist JM Wong speaks to the crowd at the Massage Parlor Outreach Project Vigil for Atlanta Massage Workers. March 22, 2021, Seattle. Photo courtesy of Melissa Ponder.

To our Asian/Asian American teachers and educators:

Please know that we see you. We know that the trauma of the moment impacts you triply: Not only are you having to process your own emotional health right now, you are also potentially holding up your Asian American students, and you are also likely negotiating the complex issues of being forced to return to face-to-face schooling during the pandemic.

To our Asian family, who have resisted other movements for racial justice:

We ask you to hold onto this moment, this feeling. We ask you to remember it when we're out in the streets yelling Black Lives Matter after the death of another Black person at the hands of the police; Remember it when you hear of the next ICE raid on undocumented workers or see immigrant children still kept in cages; Remember it when you hear about yet another missing or murdered Indigenous woman or see tribal nations fighting for sovereign control over their lands; Remember it when you hear about the targeting and profiling of the Muslim community, or the demands for climate justice from frontline Pasifika peoples. We ask you to remember this moment, this feeling, and understand that we are all linked through the oppression of white supremacy.

To our Black, Brown, Indigenous, and white educator family:

It is clear to us that in this moment, not only do many Asian Americans not know their own history, but a lot of folks in other communities do not know our history either. We don't blame anyone, since we know how our country's educational system works to support racism and Eurocentrism, and the sad fact is that we still have very little K-12 curriculum on Asian Americans. What we see and know is that this limited historical memory shapes - in bad ways - how folks make sense of, and respond to, the rise in anti-Asian violence.

As you learn or unlearn Asian American history, teach about the oppression from white supremacy, but also about the movements, activists, and solidarity across movements.

Teach about the long history of violence against Asian Americans, and how ignoring that history is itself a form of violence.

Teach about how pandemics have been used to justify anti-Asian violence.

Teach how "Anti-Asian racism never stopped being an outgrowth of U.S. imperialism."

Teach about Asian Americans and important moments in People's History.

Teach the PBS Series "Asian Americans" and use the accompanying curriculum developed by Asian Americans Advancing Justice.

Teach "A Different Asian American Timeline," which places Asian American history in the context of race and capitalism in the United States.

Teach about the incarceration of the Japanese Americans during WW II, from their imprisonment in local fairgrounds, to Japanese Latin Americans being rounded up internationally.

Teach about the true diversity of Asians and Asian Americans, from Indigenous Okinawans who have been colonized and resisted colonization by both Japan and the United States, to Filipinos who have struggled against the imperialistic regimes of Spain and the United States.

Teach that it is time to retire the term Asian Pacific American, because it marginalizes Indigenous Pasifika Island peoples.

Teach about the murdered women in Atlanta: Soon Chung Park, Hyun Jung Grant, Suncha Kim, Yong Ae Yue, Xiaojie Tan, and Daoyou Feng, and say their names correctly using the Asian American Journalists Association pronunciation guide.

Teach the "Hidden Stories that Give Rise to Violence Against Asian American Women."

Teach about the police killings of 20-year-old, Vietnamese American Tommy Le, 30-year-old Filipino American Angelo Quinto, and 19-year-old Chinese American Christian Hall, because it is important for both Asian and non-Asians to understand that, even though we do not face the same level of police violence as Black folks, even for Asian Americans, the police are not our friends.

Teach about the murder of Vincent Chin, beaten to death by white laid-off autoworkers in Detroit, who blamed him for the rise of the Japanese car industry.

Teach about the 1989 school shooting in Stockton, California, where a gunman opened fire on a schoolyard filled mainly with Asian American children, killing five and wounding more than 30.

Teach about the 2012 white supremacist attack on a Sikh temple in Oak Creek, Wisconsin, in which six people were killed.

Teach about the Asian American Movement, and the dynamic history of Asian American activism in the United States.

Teach about the history of tensions and solidarity between Asian American and Black communities.

Teach about the Third World Liberation Front, a multiracial coalition of Black, Native American, Latinx, and Asian American students in the San Francisco Bay Area who together, through protest, started the movement for Ethnic Studies.

Teach about the Myth of the Model Minority as a form of anti-Asian racism and as a racist myth used as a "wedge" against other communities of color.

Teach about Yuri Kochiyama, Grace Lee Boggs, and their solidarity work with the Black community.

Teach about the Movement for Black Lives and the Black Lives Matter at School respective statements in solidarity with Asian Americans facing violence.

Teach about early instances of interracial solidarity, like when Frederick Douglass spoke out against growing anti-Chinese violence in the United States and the movement for Chinese Exclusion.

Teach about the organizing for Asian-Black solidarity happening in Oakland.

Teach across K-12 using books by and about Asian Americans.

There is so much more to teach about Asian America, and we obviously don't have enough curriculum. But this is a start.

As author Jeff Chang reminds us in the foreword to Karen Ishizuka's Serve the People, "There was a time ... when the term 'Asian American' was not merely a demographic category, but a fight you were picking with the world...."

It is a fight that requires solidarity - not just solidarity among Asian Americans, but with all communities battling for racial justice.

The time has come again to fight for Asian Americans and for Asian Americans to fight. In doing so, we need to remember that the enemy is white supremacy, the enemy is the myth of the model minority, the enemy is anti-Blackness, the enemy is imperialism, the enemy is settler colonialism, the enemy is environmental racism. It is a fight that requires solidarity - not just solidarity among Asian Americans, but with all communities battling for racial justice. It is a fight that requires us to teach and learn about each other, together, in struggle.

Wayne Au (Wayne.wk.au@gmail.com) is a Professor in the School of Educational Studies at University of Washington Bothell and is a long time Rethinking Schools editor.

Moé Yonamine (moe@rethinkingschools.org) teaches high school Ethnic Studies in Portland, Oregon. She is a Rethinking Schools editor.

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Dear Educators, It Is Time to Fight for Asian America - Rethinking Schools

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Although the recent increase in anti-Asian attacks has been hard for all of us, the murderous killing spree in Atlanta has our families, our youth, and our communities spiraling.

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We are not a stereotype | Learning Together

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The term Bamboo Ceiling was coined by Jane Hyun, an Executive Coach and Global Leadership Strategist. Her book "Breaking the Bamboo Ceiling" provides career strategies for Asian Americans. To learn more about Hyun's work click here .

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Since I awoke to the headline "SIX ASIANS SHOT AND KILLED IN GEORGIA," I haven't been able to eloquently express my sadness, frustration and rage. As an Asian American educator, how could I face my students in class when my body and voice are noticeably shaking?

When I'm angry, I tend to channel my emotion into my work. In Korean culture, there's a term called "Han," which also happens to be my Korean surname. "Han" represents a shared connection amongst Koreans. It's sorrow, anger, but most importantly, resilience.

I can't change the past. No one can. But what I can do in this moment is direct these emotions into action to take one step towards ensuring that no Asian child is called "Kung-flu" by a classmate and that my students will not grow up to harass and attack people of Asian descent on the street.

The first step in anti-bias work is to identify the bias. If we truly intend to center our students, we have to ask ourselves, "Am I engaging my students in the inquiry process by allowing their questions to guide their own learning?" and even taking a step back to consider, "What questions am I asking my students?" We can't fix what we don't know is broken.

When my sixth-grade students began class today, they were met with a survey including just five questions:

I know the difference between the terms "Asian" and "Asian American." (yes/no/maybe)
If you answered "yes," please explain.

I am knowledgeable about Asian American history. (1-5 strongly disagree-strongly agree)

I know of and can name at least three Asian Americans, either from history or the present day. (yes/no/maybe)

What do you think you know about Asian American history, identities or experiences?

What questions do you have about Asian American history, identities or experiences?

To give some context, I teach at a racially, ethnically and socioeconomically diverse school in a diverse, liberal city with an international and political focus.

Out of 52 sixth-grade students, 37-or 70%-disagreed or strongly disagreed with the statement, "I am knowledgeable about Asian American history." Only four students said they could name at least three Asian Americans from history or the present day. To the question, "What do you think you know about Asian American history, identities or experiences?" 60% of my students replied, "I don't know" or "nothing."

Despite this data, which reflects an urgent need to teach about Asian American history, my students' responses to "What questions do you have about Asian American history, identities or experiences?" filled my heart.

One student wrote, "Almost everything because I have not been educated on this topic yet, but I hope one day I could be." Another said, "Well, I know nothing, so I guess it would be helpful to know more about everything." And another: "I just want to learn more because we don't learn about it in school."

I encourage educators to remember that racial justice and anti-bias work exist beyond a Black and white binary. The Asian, Indigenous and Latinx communities must be a part of any work labeled "diverse," "culturally responsive" and "anti-racist."

As an adult who has gone through the American school system, you might feel stuck because you also realize how little you know about Asian American history and people. It is a huge challenge to teach about what we don't know. If this is the case, I hope you'll consider turning your research into a joint learning opportunity that you can share with your students.

Here are some great places to start:

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After Atlanta: Teaching About Asian American Identity and History

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Since I awoke to the headline "SIX ASIANS SHOT AND KILLED IN GEORGIA," I haven't been able to eloquently express my sadness, frustration and rage. As an Asian American educator, how could I face my students in class when my body and voice are noticeably shaking?

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Our communities stand united against racism. Hate against Asian American Pacific Islander communities has risen during the COVID-19 pandemic. Together, we can stop it.

Report a hate incident in:

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Our communities stand united against racism. Hate against Asian American Pacific Islander communities has risen during the COVID-19 pandemic. Together, we can stop it. Report a hate incident in:

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In the ashes of violence and death, Asians and Americans of Asian descent are ready to put up a fight.

Contributing writer at The Atlantic and co-host of The Circus

Courtesy of Alex Wagner

My mother's name is Tin Swe Thant. She was born just outside the former capital of Burma (now known as Myanmar), in a humid city on the delta of the Irrawaddy River called Rangoon (now known as Yangon). Names are always changing for the Burmese, and that includes our own names: My mother grew up during the sunset of British colonialism and attended English schools, where she was not allowed to be called Tin Swe Thant, but was instead required to have a Western "school name."

The story about this name came to be a family chestnut, one that was trotted out for amusement at dinner parties. My grandfather, U Thant Gyi, had not realized that his daughter could not be educated under her given Burmese name. At enrollment, he was asked by the school headmaster, "And what is her English name?" Flummoxed, the only English name he could think of was Maureen O'Hara, a Hollywood star of the period whose celebrity had made its way across the Pacific Ocean. And so Maureen it was-Maureen Thant Gyi, because, of course, a proper English girl would have the same last name as her father.

To this day, I can tell my mother's childhood friends apart from her adult friends, the people she met in America, by the fact that she is still known to these old school friends as "Maureen." After long periods apart, they embrace her as "Maureen!" They call her house asking to speak with "Maureen."

Recommended Reading

Read: The 'whitening' of Asian Americans

Growing up, I didn't think much about this duality, or the irony that the Burmese called my mother Maureen, while the Americans called her Swe. Back then, ensconced as I was in the worlds of Garfield and Saved by the Bell, the story about her name change mostly seemed curious and absurd.

But as I've grown older, as I have become a more eager student in the lessons of racism and oppression-and as the world, in turn, has grown more volatile and less accepting of the costs of that oppression-the story of this name change has left me feeling both outraged and unbelievably sad. How could we, our family, our people, have let them change her name? Her Asian identity was willfully erased, and we let them do it to us. We accepted it, and didn't ask any questions.

The present hour feels like an awakening for the people of Asia and of Asian descent. For years-most of my life, at least-many of us have been answering to the wrong names, allowing our screen roles to be filched, accepting designations steeped in bigotry. But the current of history carves a wide swath, and it is impossible to ignore the cries for justice sweeping the globe, just as it is impossible to forgo the tools that have been presented in order to achieve that justice.

In Myanmar today, a ruthless and bloody military coup is unfolding. The Burmese people, to some extent, are used to this. Today's events recall a similar coup and resulting uprising in 1988, when the military junta did very nearly the same thing it is doing today: cracking down on protesters, attempting to stifle the flow of information, and otherwise grinding the gears of democracy to a halt.
Read: Why did it take a coup?
But so much has happened between then and now, and the Burmese-like everybody else on the planet-have seen it. The protests in Hong Kong, in particular, have provided a new playbook for Myanmar's movement: decentralize the uprising across cities and towns, arrive prepared for combat, target the moneyed interests, don't let superpowers off the hook.

These strategies are in evidence today. The Burmese protesters of the late 20th century wore flip-flops; the ones today arrive in hard hats. The uprisings of 1988 were in large part organized by students and mostly centered around Yangon; the ones today are scattered throughout the country, in rice paddies and on assembly lines, in dusty towns and bustling cities. Leading the movement are Burmese laborers, keys to Myanmar's economic engine- including garment workers, who represent a third of the country's export economy. Striking alongside them are nurses and doctors, railway workers, civil servants, teachers, miners. Protesters have targeted important Chinese-backed projects in the country, endangering Myanmar's powerful economic relationship with China. The Burmese today are angry, and they are defiant.

In Mandalay, The New York Times reported, Daw Htay Shwe, a restaurant owner, said she had written her will before joining a rally at the train station. "I will protect our country's democracy with my life," she said.

Growing up, my grandmother would always tell my father, a white Irish Luxembourgian third-generation American from northeastern Iowa, that there was a special kinship between their people. "Don't you know, Carl? The Burmese are known as the Irish of the East," she would say, "because we are always smiling and laughing!" This notion-that we were a jolly Asian people, unperturbed by the difficulties of life-always stuck with me as a sort of perverted badge of honor, the lucky little Southeast Asian leprechauns living at the end of a colonial rainbow.

Myanmar today is riddled with racism, and the Burmese have not only accepted but supported the genocide of their country's Muslim Rohingya minority. It is a moral stain that underscores the magnitude of the work ahead. But this moment suggests that a new generation of leaders and advocates is willing to peer into the darkness, unflinching, to find the light. Today, reading the stories of my long-distance compatriots, ready to lay down their lives in the pursuit of democracy, I find it clear that this generation of Burmese has created an identity for itself that rejects the preposterous, embarrassing stereotypes of the past. The kinship they feel is not with those who seek to please, but with those who are willing to fight.
Morgan Ome: Why this wave of anti-Asian racism feels different
When my mother finally arrived in America in the late 1960s, she attended Swarthmore College and majored in political science. She was enrolled under her real name, Tin Swe Thant; the name "Maureen" is nowhere in her school transcripts. In the heady days of 1970s American counterculture, she began to wear bell-bottoms, and she fashioned herself a Marxist.

But by the time the '80s came around, she had turned to power suits and recreational jogging. She was still Burmese, still Asian, but that part of her identity-aside from cooking-seemed to have atrophied. Perhaps this was because of immigration, and what the vague but powerful forces of American assimilation seemed to require. Or perhaps it was because Asian culture-and Burmese culture-dictated modesty, accommodation, calm, obeisance. Pushing too aggressively against the grain, whatever it was, is not what she had been taught.

I didn't really think too hard about this until a moment last summer when my mother, now a septuagenarian retiree living in a small town on Long Island, texted me about a local Black Lives Matter protest happening that weekend. She was going. Was I?

I marveled, in that moment, at the intersectionality of the whole thing-a Burmese exile in New York seeking racial justice in the aftermath of the murder of George Floyd in Minnesota. But her text was equally indicative of something else: My Asian mother was paying attention, and she was going to put up a fight.

Asians across the United States heard the noxious, racist language of the previous president and may have wondered whether there would be an increase in explicitly racist violence, the same murderous impulse that has targeted Black and brown-skinned Americans for generations. Across the country-in California and New York and now, this week, in Georgia -there has been. The slurs have always been there, and the violence too-but the impunity and lawlessness feel new. And so does the response, both here in the United States and abroad: Just as the Burmese in Yangon have forged a new cultural identity for themselves, so too have Asians in America.

For the first time in my life, Asian politicians, celebrities, and activists are in conversation, publicly and privately, about latent and explicit racism directed toward Asian Americans. They are speaking out about vulnerable communities and what needs to be done to support them. A generation has witnessed the fight for racial justice from the front lines: Asian Americans have been paying attention, and they are ready to put up a fight. Some of them are much younger than I am-but some of them are not.

When I had my first son, in 2017, we decided to give him a Burmese middle name. I picked Mindon, after the penultimate king of Burma. It sounded strong and regal, and it wasn't too difficult for a Western speaker. Before I had my second son, two years later, we wanted to do the same: give him a name to help him remember his roots, his inextricable connection to a place far away, and a culture growing more distant from the one in which he was being raised.

A few weeks before he was born, my mother informed me that she had the name-there was no set of options to choose from, no alternative. "He will be called Thiha," she told me over the phone. "It means lion."

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burmese protesters of the late 20th century

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racist language of the previous president

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In the ashes of violence and death, Asians and Americans of Asian descent are ready to put up a fight. Contributing writer at The Atlantic and co-host of The Circus My mother's name is Tin Swe Thant.

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Hollaback! Together We Have the Power to End Harassment

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Bystander Intervention Training

Hollaback! provides trainings on how to do your part to protect your neighbors and co-workers when bias and harassment collide in front of you.

RESPONDING AS A BYSTANDER

What's worse than being targeted with harassment because of your race, sex, religion, color, gender, size, orientation, disability, age, or origin? Being targeted while surrounded by bystanders who see what is happening, but then do nothing.

It doesn't have to be that way.

At this moment in history, we are witnessing a spike in disrespect, harassment, and hate violence. As bystanders, we need to be especially vigilant and aware of what disrespect, harassment, and hate violence look like in order to be able to stand up and intervene at a time when people need it most.

You can make a choice to actively and visibly take a stand against harassment. The Five D's are different methods you can use to support someone who's being harassed, emphasize that harassment is not okay, and demonstrate to people in your life that they too have the power to make our communities and workplaces safer.

What are Hollaback!'s 5D's?

Hollaback!'s 5D's are: Distract, Delegate, Document, Delay, and Direct.

History: In 2012, we partnered with the bystander program Green Dot (who pioneered the Three D's of bystander intervention) to develop tools to help you intervene when you see harassment happen. In 2015, we expanded those to include "delay," and in 2017 we expanded them to include "document."

How do I train others using Hollaback!'s 5D's?

We partner with organizations around the world to adapt our proven training to local cultures, contexts, and identities. There are two ways to work with us. First, we can provide the training, either by paying us as consultants or through a grant that we collaboratively apply for. Second, we also license our training methodology to organizations globally. Organizations will need to go through a three day train-the-trainer and sign an MOU prior to providing the training locally, to ensure quality. Please email [email protected] if you're interested.

DISTRACT

Distraction is a subtle and creative way to intervene. The aim here is simply to derail the incident by interrupting it. The idea is to ignore the harasser and engage directly with the person who is being targeted. Don't talk about or refer to the harassment. Instead, talk about something completely unrelated. You can try the following:

Pretend to be lost. Ask for the time. Pretend you know the person being harassed. Talk to them about something random and take attention off of the harasser.

Get in the way. Continue what you were doing, but get between the harasser and the target.

Accidentally-on-purpose spill your coffee, the change in your wallet, or make a commotion.

Of course, read the situation and choose your Distract method accordingly. The person who is being targeted will likely catch on, and hopefully your act or statement will de-escalate the situation.

DELEGATE

Delegation is when you ask for assistance, for a resource, or for help from a third party. Here are examples of what you can do:

Find the store supervisor, bus driver, or a transit employee and ask them to intervene.

If you're near a school, contact a teacher or someone at the front desk. On a college campus, contact campus security or someone at the front desk of a university building.

Get your friend on board and have them use one of the methods of Distraction (eg. asking for the time, directions, or striking up a conversation unrelated to the harassment) to communicate with the person being harassed while you find someone to delegate to.

Speak to someone near you who notices what's happening and might be in a better position to intervene. Work together.

Call 311 or 911 (if it is safe) to request help. Before contacting 911, use Distract to check in with the person being targeted to make sure they want you to do this. Some people may not be comfortable or safe with the intervention of law enforcement. For many people and communities, a history of being mistreated by law enforcement has led to fear and mistrust of police interventions, and under the current climate, there are many communities, such as undocumented individuals, who may feel less safe in the hands of police. In certain situations, you may not be able to get to the person in which case, depending on the situation, you will need to use your best judgement.

( Join the movement and and sign up for one of our interactive bystander intervention training to stop harassment).

Document

It can be really helpful to record an incident as it happens to someone, but there are a number of things to keep in mind to safely and responsibly document harassment. Check out this tip sheet from WITNESS for more details.

First, assess the situation. Is anyone helping the person being harassed? If not, use one of the other four D's. If someone else is already helping out, assess your own safety. If you are safe, go ahead and start recording. ALWAYS ask the person who was harassed what they want to do with the recording. NEVER post it online or use it without their permission. There are several reasons for this. Being harassed or violated is already a disempowering experience. Using an image or footage of a person being victimized without that person's consent can make the person feel even more powerless. If the documentation goes viral, it can lead to further victimization and a level of visibility that the person may not want. Also, posting footage without a victim's consent makes their experience public - something that can lead to a whole host of legal issues, especially if the act of harassment or violence was in some way criminal. They may be forced to engage with the legal system in a way that they are not comfortable with. Lastly, the experience could have been traumatic. Publicizing another person's traumatic experience without their consent is no way to be an effective and helpful bystander.

Delay

Even if you can't act in the moment, you can make a difference for the person who has been harassed by checking in on them after the fact. Many types of harassment happen in passing or very quickly, in which case you can wait until the situation is over and speak to the person who was targeted then. Here are some ways to actively use the tactic of Delay:

Ask them if they're okay and tell them you're sorry that happened to them.

Ask them if there's any way you can support them.

Offer to accompany them to their destination or sit with them for awhile.

Share resources with them and offer to help them make a report if they want to.

If you've documented the incident, ask them if they want you to send it to them.

( Learn more about the 5D'S and our bystander intervention training here).

Direct

You may want to directly respond to harassment by naming what is happening or confronting the harasser. This tactic can be risky: the harasser may redirect their abuse towards you and may escalate the situation. Before you decide to respond directly, assess the situation: Are you physically safe? Is the person being harassed physically safe? Does it seem unlikely that the situation will escalate? Can you tell if the person being harassed wants someone to speak up? If you can answer yes to all of these questions, you might choose a direct response.

If you choose to directly intervene, some things you can say to the harasser are:

"That's inappropriate, disrespectful, not okay, etc."

"Leave them alone."

"That's homophobic, racist, (insert type of harassment), etc."

The most important thing here is to keep it short and succinct. Try not engage in dialogue, debate, or an argument, since this is how situations can escalate. If the harasser responds, try your best to assist the person who was targeted instead of engaging with the harasser.

Direct intervention can be risky, so use this one with caution.

* A note about safety: We don't ever want you to get hurt trying to help someone out. Always think about safety and consider possibilities that are unlikely to put you or anyone else in harm's way.

You Are Powerful

Remember, everyone can do something. At this time in our history, it is even more important that we show up for one another as active bystanders. Research shows that even a knowing glance can significantly reduce trauma for the person who is targeted. One of the most important things we can do is to let the person who is targeted know, in some way, however big or small, that they are not alone.

Share Your Story

Once you've acted, share your story on Hollaback! You'll inspire others to take action, and give hope to people who experience harassment on the regular that there are folks out there ready to have their backs.

Take the Training

Resources

Check out our resources page to find more information on how to address harassment on the street, online, or in the workplace.

More Ways to Get Involved

In addition to responding in the moment, there are other steps you can take to change culture and prevent harassment.

Support people experiencing harassment!. Read some of the stories submitted to our site and let folks know you've got their back.

Become a HeartMobber and practice bystander intervention online. Sign up at HeartMob to become a HeartMobber and learn how to support people facing online harassment.

Share the love on social media. The more people out there that know we exist, the more impact we have. Invite your Facebook friends to our Facebook page, give @ihollaback a shout-out on Twitter, and follow and re-post us on Instagram.

Find a Hollaback! in your community and volunteer.

Organize an action using our Holla! How-To guides.

Any time you see someone practicing bystander intervention, tell them they're awesome! A little positive reinforcement goes a long way.

Donate. If you believe that everyone should be trained in bystander intervention - and that no one should have to face harassment - donate. With your support, we'll provide free bystander intervention trainings to those most at risk of harassment: women, LGBTQ+ folks, youth, and people of color.

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Bystander Intervention Resources | Hollaback! End Harassment

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Hollaback! provides trainings on how to do your part to protect your neighbors and co-workers when bias and harassment collide in front of you. What's worse than being targeted with harassment because of your race, sex, religion, color, gender, size, orientation, disability, age, or origin?

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We're currently open for counseling for a limited period through April 16th to help our community process the murders of 8 massage workers and clients, 6 of whom were Asian women, who were killed in Atlanta in an act of anti-sex worker violence rooted in imperialism, colonialism, and White Supremacy. Counseling slots will be released weekly on Saturdays.

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We're currently open for counseling for a limited period through April 16th to help our community process the murders of 8 massage workers and clients, 6 of whom were Asian women, who were killed in Atlanta in an act of anti-sex worker violence rooted in imperialism, colonialism, and White Supremacy.

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We celebrate all identities and abilities in all bodies.

All people deserve equal access to quality mental healthcare.

Find care quickly from our curated professional community.

Save time from scrolling through crowded directories. Bigger is not better.

You belong here and you deserve options.

Choose from our diverse span of inclusive therapists according to specialities, focus, insurance panels and more. Yes, including low-cost services and sliding scale options.

Discrimination and stigma hurt. Your wellbeing is our priority.

Marginalized communities face higher risk of injury in therapy. We celebrate your identity, not neglect or minimize.

Our therapists commit to practicing from anti-discrimination, anti-oppression, anti-stigma, anti-racist & anti-ablest orientations.

We check our privileges, and commit to be wholly inclusive & culturally responsive.

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We honor your identity parts - our therapists also openly share theirs (e.g. language, gender, cultural knowledge) to make it easier to form a connection.

Need low-cost services? We take the guesswork out.

See our core values

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Find Inclusive Therapists, Counselors, Mental Health Care Near You | Culturally Responsive, LGBTQ Affirming Support

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Find care quickly from our curated professional community. Save time from scrolling through crowded directories. Bigger is not better. You belong here and you deserve options. Choose from our diverse span of inclusive therapists according to specialities, focus, insurance panels and more. Yes, including low-cost services and sliding scale options.

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Shortly after the quarantine in 2020, a stranger approached my sister on the streets of Portland. She was out for a run when a man stepped out of his doorway and told her not to go to an auto shop because it was owned by Chinese people. My half-Vietnamese sister then peered out from under her baseball cap, and he paused and said, "Wait? Are you from here? Are you American?" It was clear that anything to do with Asian was triggering for him, and she worried for her safety. It was, in a word, terrifying.

Yesterday's spa shootings in Atlanta were a tragic and painful reminder that anti-Asian sentiment in this country has become both more pervasive and violent. As teachers, we have a responsibility to specifically address anti-AAPI racism with our students as part of our overall anti-bias work. To help you navigate these challenging conversations, we've put together a list of tips and resources for addressing anti-Asian discrimination.

Respond to anti-Asian bullying in the classroom

My sister isn't alone. In the past year, Asian students have had classmates say they don't want to sit next to them, so they don't get the coronavirus. Or they've been cornered on the playground and blamed for everyone having to wear masks. As teachers, we must interrupt this type of behavior and language every time it occurs. Ignoring it gives it your tacit approval.

Teach students to be upstanders

We also need to empower our students to speak up when they witness hate and bias at school. We love this Speak Up at School guide from Learning for Justice, for example:

Dig into the history of anti-Asian racism

Anti-AAPI racism isn't anything new in this country. From "yellow peril" to the "model minority," we need to educate ourselves about the history of anti-AAPI racism in this country. Do your homework:

Understand the coronavirus connection

While it's not new, we need to recognize that anti-Asian sentiment has certainly grown with the COVID-19 pandemic. But how was the neutral disease racialized? A well-written lesson plan is a good place to start exploring this question:

Feature AAPI voices and stories

While we absolutely want to avoid content that perpetuates stereotypes, we must also be careful that our narratives about AAPI people don't all center around oppression and injustice. We must also highlight Asian American individuals for their historic and cultural contributions:

Harness the healing power of kindness

It's important, especially with students, that we also embrace messages of hope. The Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center created a beautiful activity around the theme "Kindness Heals." It includes decorating a face mask, writing a letter about the future, and identifying a support network.

Cultivate a welcoming environment

Prevention is key here. First, do the work to make your classroom a place where differences are respected and celebrated. Encourage your admin to adopt an enumerated anti-bullying policy and/or issue a statement in support of AAPI students and families. And make sure your school leaders see this:

For further resources addressing anti-Asian discrimination and other anti-racism lesson plans, be sure to subscribe to our newsletter.

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Classroom Resources and Tips To Address Anti-Asian Discrimination

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Shortly after the quarantine in 2020, a stranger approached my sister on the streets of Portland. She was out for a run when a man stepped out of his doorway and told her not to go to an auto shop because it was owned by Chinese people.

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Stories of Asians Doing Therapy

Jen is first generation Filipina-American, a mother, a trauma ICU nurse, a traveler, a partner to her wife Ginny, and a former Army reserve...

Sharon is a 2.5 generation Chinese American from the Bay Area. She works in tech and is a boss!⁣...
⁣

Daniel identifies as a queer Asian man. He is a teacher, an artist, a Korean adoptee, and a community organizer...
⁣

Amanda is a second generation Chinese American. She is a mother, a wife, and works as a product manager at a Fortune 500. Amanda is also a pilot. She flies single-engine aircrafts called Cessnas.⁣⁣

Jooyoung is a design researcher, a facilitator, a teacher, and a tea lover.⁣

Emily is a 21 year old, second generation, Chinese American poet and spoken word artist who is learning how to adult! ⁣⁣⁣⁣
⁣⁣⁣⁣

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Jen is first generation Filipina-American, a mother, a trauma ICU nurse, a traveler, a partner to her wife Ginny, and a former Army reserve... Sharon is a 2.5 generation Chinese American from the Bay Area. She works in tech and is a boss!⁣... ⁣ Daniel identifies as a queer Asian man.

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" All Events

This multi-episode podcast series about the 1871 LA Chinatown massacre commemorates the worst mass race lynching on the West Coast, when at least 20 Chinese immigrants were killed in one night by a crowd of about 500 Angelenos, which accounted for nearly one fifth the male population of the city. This podcast series tells the story through the eyes of Yut-Ho, a young woman who arrives in LA as a refugee, only to become embroiled in a love intrigue, a gang war, and ultimately, the LA Chinatown Massacre. This little-known chapter of history finds eerie parallels to the vicious anti-Asian American attacks that are taking place today in the USA, spurred by racism and COVID-19 fears. Join us in the telling and the listening on the initial podcast release on Wednesday, March 24th, 2021, with following episodes in the series released every other Wednesday.

Trailer: https://blood-on-gold-mountain.captivate.fm/
Co-sponsored by the Holmes Performing Arts Fund of the Claremont Colleges, Pacific Basin Institute at Pomona College, and the Harper Lecture Fund at Scripps College.

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The LA Chinatown massacre podcast series - "Blood On Gold Mountain"

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This multi-episode podcast series about the 1871 LA Chinatown massacre commemorates the worst mass race lynching on the West Coast, when at least 20 Chinese immigrants were killed in one night by a crowd of about 500 Angelenos, which accounted for nearly one fifth the male population of the city.

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Independent Lens
Season 16 Episode 14 | 55m 31s |

Kumu Hina tells the inspiring story of Hina Wong-Kalu, a transgender hula teacher who brings to life Hawaii's traditional embrace of m?h? - those who embody both male and female spirit. Over the course of a year, Hina inspires a young student to claim her place as leader of an all-male hula troupe, while Hina herself pursues a fulfilling romantic relationship with a headstrong Tongan man.

Aired: 05/05/15

Expired: 09/13/17

Rating: TV-PG

Problems Playing Video? Report a Problem |

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Independent Lens | Kumu Hina | Season 16 | Episode 14

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Independent Lens Season 16 Episode 14 | 55m 31s | Kumu Hina tells the inspiring story of Hina Wong-Kalu, a transgender hula teacher who brings to life Hawaii's traditional embrace of m?h? - those who embody both male and female spirit.

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The Cross Cultural Solidarity History Project:

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This resource page has three sections, starting with contemporary solidarities. For historical solidarities, scroll down to the middle of the page. For books on Black American international solidarities with Asia, scroll to the bottom of the page. For books on Black/Asian solidarities in the U.S, see the separate resources page Books on Black/Brown Solidarity .

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A PLACE IN THE MIDDLE is the true story of a young girl in Hawaiʻi who dreams of leading the boys-only hula group at her school, and a teacher who empowers her through traditional culture. This kid-friendly educational film is a great way to get students thinking and talking about the values of diversity and inclusion, the power of knowing your heritage, and how to prevent bullying by creating a school climate of aloha - from their own point of view!

The film and guides are free, but PLEASE REGISTER so we know who the project is reaching and how to improve it. Mahalo!

Watch an "Insights on PBS Hawaii" conversation about the film that followed its Nov. 12, 2015 PBS broadcast:
GET THE FREE GUIDE HERE

The Classroom Discussion Guide includes background information about Hawaiʻi, discussion questions, lesson ideas, and the national Common Core State Educational Standards.

Hawaiʻi educators - please visit the HAWAIʻI PAGE for the Hawaiʻi Classroom Discussion Guide including Hawaiʻi DOE curriculum standards.
HOW TO
Now available in Spanish and Chinese.

Take the Pledge of Aloha and join the movement for love, honor and respect for all!

Order Education Toolkit including DVDs of A PLACE IN THE MIDDLE and KUMU HINA, printed Discussion Guide and Pledge of Aloha Poster.

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Eleven year old Ho'onani dreams of leading the hula troupe at her inner-city Honolulu school. The only trouble is that the group is just for boys. She's fortunate that her teacher understands first-hand what it's like to be 'in the middle' - the Hawaiian tradition of embracing both male and female spirit.

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Amplify AAPI Voices | Readings + Resources

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Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, there's been a significant uptick in violence against Asians and Asian Americans. The organization Stop AAPI Hate collected more than 2,800 reports of verbal abuse, harassment, and physical assaults against Asians in the United States from March to December 2020. These reports depict a disturbing reality, especially for Asian women, who experienced violence nearly 2.5 times more than their male counterparts. However, the numbers do not tell the full story: They don't include many of the unreported and increasingly normalized incidents of violence that started as soon as the Trump administration began to unapologetically characterize the global pandemic as the "Chinese virus." Since then, Asians and Asian Americans have shared countless accounts with one another, privately describing the challenges of everyday life in the U.S.

As an example, early last March, my aunt came home from the grocery store visibly upset. She explained that she had been chased out of a local Bay Area supermarket by another shopper because he insisted that she was carrying the virus. My uncle then suggested that perhaps dying his hair blonde could save him from the anti-Asian harassment.

These stories are painful, but they are also part of a larger, and often dismissed, history of violence. In addition to the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, the assaults against Filipino farmworkers in the 1930s by white mobs, and the Japanese internment camps of the 1940s, there's a longstanding history of racialized colonial wars that shaped our communities' histories before we even arrived to the United States.

As a Vietnamese woman born in Oakland, California, I was never taught about the effects of the Viet Nam War or how, in the aftermath, refugees and immigrants spent indefinite amounts of time in various camps across the globe. I didn't know about the estimated two million civilians and more than one million Vietnamese soldiers who were killed. I did not understand the enduring impacts of the chemical Agent Orange, which U.S. troops used during the war, until I visited my mother's homeland in the early 2000s. And it wasn't until later that I learned about the massacres or the racist characterizations of Vietnamese people used to legitimize millions of deaths. It was then that I also learned about the anti-war protests across the globe, including those led by Black civil rights leaders, like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Dr. Angela Davis, and Muhammad Ali. These leaders also fought hard for our rights as new immigrants and children of immigrants in the United States.

Fortunately, I've been able to seek out knowledge and learn directly from Asian American leaders, including Yuri Kochiyama, a Japanese internment camp survivor who was friends with civil rights leader Malcolm X. She spent much of her life highlighting the issues impacting Asians and Asian Americans and in racial solidarity to end police violence and systemic racism against Black, Indigenous, and other communities of color.

The myth that we have not been impacted by white supremacy also ignores our diverse communities' experiences with Islamophobia and anti-South Asian violence, especially post-9/11. It dismisses the lived realities of and and Asian Americans, as well as our . And it often fails to account for the experiences of our Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander counterparts, whose stories are often conflated with that of Asians in the category of API, Asian Pacific Islanders. Yet, with all of these ongoing needs, less than one percent of philanthropicfunding goes to our communities.

But instead of this support, Asian communities are being scapegoated for the virus.

I've asked community ambassadors and organizers in Oakland, who know our neighborhoods intimately, what they think about the recent incidents of assault and harassment. They shared that the violence is much more systemic than what's on the news: It's about poverty, the impacts of gentrification, including displacement and houselessness, racial profiling, mental health needs, limited health care, and other social services. But instead of this support, Asian communities are being scapegoated for the virus.

We've been hurting for a long time, and we've been working to create solutions for just as long. Now, finally, our stories are getting some attention. Hopefully, resources will come next.

Regardless, this moment is a reminder to build together, to continue to share our stories, to provide resources, to help one another address immediate needs and create long-lasting change. Our lives depend on it-and each other.

This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io

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Ignoring the History of Anti-Asian Racism Is Another Form of Violence

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Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, there's been a significant uptick in violence against Asians and Asian Americans. The organization Stop AAPI Hate collected more than 2,800 reports of verbal abuse, harassment, and physical assaults against Asians in the United States from March to December 2020.

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Today I am writing to you with a broken heart.

Several times over the past two months I started to write this message. After the fatal assault of Vichar Ratanapakdee. After the murder of Angelo Quinto (at the knee of the police) came to light. After the string of violent attacks in our own backyard in Oakland and San Francisco. But each time, I stopped halfway because the pain got too personal.

But today, in the aftermath of Tuesday's shooting in Atlanta that took the lives of eight people, including six Asian women, I can no longer be silent.

While the motive is still being investigated, the mass shooting is the latest incident in an upsurge of violence and hate crimes against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) since the pandemic started. Stop AAPI Hate has received 3,800 self-reports of anti-Asian racist incidents (with more than two-thirds reported by AAPI women) since March 2020.

All this has stirred up intense personal anguish, which has made this message almost too painful to write. It took me back to my first experience of racism at age 11, a few months after my family immigrated to the Bay Area (Concord) from Taiwan. One day, I was riding my bike in the neighborhood and was stopped by a little white girl shouting something at me. She couldn't have been more than 6 years old. Even though I could barely understand English at the time, I could tell she was shouting racial slurs at me, making a slanted eyes gesture and telling me to go back to where I came from.

Years later, I'd often wonder what could have filled her heart with so much prejudice and hate at such a young age. And what made her feel so privileged on the basis of race that entitled her to put down a stranger twice her age and size.

But at the time, I didn't know what to say or do. So, I just left. I didn't even tell my parents because I didn't want to worry them. Frankly, all I wanted was to fit in. To belong. I thought if I just kept my head down and worked hard, one day I would prove my worth and earn my rightful place in this country. Like many of my AAPI friends, that's how I've dealt with racism most of my life.

But I was wrong. By not speaking out more, I've contributed to the invisibility of anti-Asian racism. It's not taught in most textbooks. It's not talked about much in the media. Even after recent killings, there have been few mass protests. No national reckoning.

But it's there. It has always been there. Anti-Asian racism has been a stain on our nation's history, even if we don't always see it.

It was there in 1882 with the enactment of the Chinese Exclusion Act, the first and only major federal legislation to explicitly suspend immigration for a specific nationality. Chinese Americans were demonized as the Yellow Peril, even after 20,000 Chinese immigrants had risked their lives to build the transcontinental railroad a decade earlier.

It was there in 1942-46, when 100,000 Japanese Americans were sent to internment camps, all while brave Japanese American men and women in uniform fought against Germany and Japan to defend our freedom.

It was there in 1982 when Vincent Chin was brutally murdered by two white auto workers who mistook him as Japanese and blamed him for the loss of their jobs. The two assailants never served time in prison.

In times of crisis, anti-Asian scapegoating has become an American tradition. We saw it after 9/11, with the surge of hate crimes against many of our South Asian American communities of Muslim, Hindu or Sikh faith.

And it has been on the rise ever since the beginning of this pandemic, inflamed by President Trump's racist and xenophobic rhetoric about the "China virus" or "kung flu" and spread by his followers, which added fuel to the surge in anti-Asian racism, even as many AAPI front-line workers put their lives at risk to protect the public's health.

Anti-Asian racism comes in many forms. The fetishization and misogyny against Asian women. The desexualization of Asian men. We are made fun of for the way we look. The way we drive. What we eat. What we wear. How we speak. How we parent. We are treated like perpetual foreigners, no matter how many years or generations we have been in this country. A guest in our own home.

By the way, calling us the model minority is no accolade. It is nothing but a ploy to downplay the role of racism in the persistent struggles of other BIPOC communities, a convenient rationalization for white supremacy. But it has pitted Asian Americans against other BIPOC communities and fueled anti-Black racism among Asian Americans, and anti-Asian racism among African Americans, that erupted in the (1992) LA riot and persists today in many marginalized communities.

The model minority myth of universal success among AAPIs also obscures the fact that many in our communities are struggling. By lumping all AAPIs together, it masks a poverty rate of 29% among Burmese Americans and 22% among Hmong Americans, compared to 11.8% among all Asian Americans. While infant mortality was 3.6 deaths per 1,000 live births for Asian Americans in 2018, it was 9.4 among Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders. Without disaggregation of health and other data for AAPI groups, health inequities and social injustices in many of our diverse communities will remain invisible.

Anti-Asian racism isn't always in your face. It can manifest in subtle biases and stereotypes that reduce us to unidimensional, overachieving, almost robot-like caricatures that play into the whole myth of the model minority; capable of working hard and following directions and getting the job done, but incapable of full expression of our humanity, including vision and judgment and creativity and emotional intelligence and other qualities required for organizational leadership. These stereotypes cause many AAPIs to get passed over for promotion or even training for leadership roles, which may explain why Asian Americans make up 27% of professional staff at the top five companies in Silicon Valley, but only 14% of executives and 2% of Fortune 500 CEOs; 11% of law firm associates, but only 3% of partners; 7% of tenured faculty, but only 3% of deans and 1.5% of college presidents; 9.8% of federal workforce, but only 4.4% of senior executive service. Some in our communities refer to this as "the bamboo ceiling."

I can go on and on, but I am only one voice. One of many, many voices out there that need to be heard. So, I have three asks of our community today:

First, to our faculty, academics, staff and students who identify as AAPI, please speak up. Make your voice heard. Tell your story. Share your experiences of racism. This is our moment to name it, confront it, shine a light on it. Our collective pain will remain invisible until we call it out.

I know how hard this has been for many of you. Our hearts go out to the victims of recent racist attacks and their families, as well as so many in our community who have been in anguish. For those who may be in need, here a few helpful resources:

Second, to our non-AAPI faculty, academics, staff and students, please say something. Many of your AAPI friends, colleagues and neighbors are hurting silently right now; tell them that you see them. You feel their pain. You stand in solidarity with them. For those of you who want to learn more about anti-Asian racism, here are a few good recent articles to get you started.

Please share other articles or resources you've found useful. You don't have to be an expert to speak up; you just have to care.

Third, let's recommit ourselves to becoming more anti-racist as individuals and as a community. In these dark days, I have to say I'm so thankful to be in a community where I can send out a message like this, knowing that many AAPIs out there going to work (or appearing on Zoom) this morning will have to hide their pain because no one at work will understand what they are going through. It's comforting to know that I am among friends and colleagues who believe we are better than this and are willing to roll up their sleeves to make this country and the world a better place.

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Michael Lu: We must lift the veil on anti-Asian racism in America

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Today I am writing to you with a broken heart. Several times over the past two months I started to write this message. After the fatal assault of Vichar Ratanapakdee. After the murder of Angelo Quinto (at the knee of the police) came to light.

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#StopAsianHateDay of Action Toolkit- CTA

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#StopAsianHateDay of Action Toolkit- CTA

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#StopAsianHate Day of Action Toolkit - PUBLIC

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🌸 EYES THAT KISS IN THE CORNERS | Kids Book Read Aloud

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Spring Break Send-Off & Read Aloud: It Began with a Page

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THE STARKEEPER | BY FAITH PRAY | READ ALOUD

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Favorite Filipino American CHILDREN’S BOOKS | Asian American Women & Activist Books for Kids!

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With the rise in anti-Asian sentiment and hate crimes in the U.S. -rooted in historical antecedents of anti-Asian violence and exclusion-educators have an important role to play in centering Asian American communities in the classroom. Regardless of our student populations, the stories we highlight in our curriculum can result in a recognition of a shared humanity across differences.

Asian Americans have been in what we call the United States since before its inception, with Filipino sailors coming to what is now Louisiana in the 1750s. Yet xenophobia has followed Asian communities from the beginning-through discourse, such as phrases like " yellow peril" or " dusky peril" referring to Asian immigrants, and through racist policies such as the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 and later the Immigration Act of 1917, which created the " Asiatic Zone of Barred Citizenship," entirely excluding immigrants from numerous countries from the Middle East to the Pacific Islands.

Despite their long history in the United States, Asian Americans have faced and continue to face hate crimes and racism rooted in a larger historical trope that no matter how long communities have been here, they are "perpetual foreigners." The research on identity-based bullying demonstrates that Asian Americans continually face incidents rooted in this notion of foreign-ness. For example, Asian Americans are often belittled for their names, the languages they speak, the food they eat, or their appearances. One in four Asian American young people report having been bullied, with most of these instances occurring at school.

Educators have an important role to play in interrupting such forms of hate.

The following books can offer an entry point to humanizing Asian American communities and centering their stories as part of the larger American story. Each subsection counteracts the myth of the "perpetual foreigner" and could help interrupt forms of bullying that have been documented towards Asian Americans.

Elementary School Resources

Books About Names

A typical form of bullying that occurs relates to Asian Americans being teased about their names or the languages they speak.

Always Anjali tells the story of a young girl, Anjali, who changes her name to Julie after she's bullied for having a different name by other kids at school. The story follows Anjali in finding pride in her name and standing up to those who seek to belittle her.

The Name Jar tells the story of a recent immigrant from Korea, Unhei, and her fear about what the other children will call her. A classmate learns the meaning of her name and helps the class pronounce it correctly.

Books About Foods

Another form of bullying relates to the foods children bring to school and the resultant shame children may feel about their cultural heritage. Stereotypes about what Asian Americans eat abound. Recently, a friend who is a middle school educator shared an incident from his classroom in which one student asked an Asian American boy in the Zoom chat if he eats dogs.

No Kimchi for Me and The Pho Team normalize Asian American foods and introduce them to readers of any age. The book My Family is from Different Places highlights families with mixed racial heritage and also includes a poignant incident of a girl feeling bad that her friends are not trying a dish her mom has brought to school.

Such resources can help educators broach these subjects and lead discussions with young ones about the power of respect and empathy.

Books About Appearance

Many Asian Americans report being bullied for the shape of their eyes, and internalized dislike for eye shape can exist in Asian communities, as well. A new book, Eyes that Kiss in the Corners, shares a young girl's pride in the shape of her eyes.

Ridicule and internally felt shame can also occur with regard to facial hair. The book Laxmi's Mooch offers a nice counterpoint to this.

Books Centering Asian Americans in U.S. History

The struggles to combat exclusion and the fight for equal rights can be introduced even in the early grades through stories that approach issues of injustice gently.

A Fish for Jimmy, inspired by the author's family story, takes place in an internment camp for Japanese Americans during the 1940s. Taro sneaks out of the camp every night to catch a fish for his brother Jimmy to help make him stronger. The note to readers contextualizes Japanese incarceration for educators or parents to help children understand this painful chapter in U.S. history.

The book Good Fortune: My Journey to Gold Mountain tells Li Keng Wong's story of being detained at Angel Island Immigration Station as a young child arriving from China to the U.S. in the 1930s.

And Journey for Justice: The Story of Larry Itliong introduces young readers to the story of Filipino-American Larry Itliong, who co-founded the United Farm Workers with leaders such as Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta to fight for the labor rights of the essential farmworkers who feed the nation.

Books for Middle Grades

Several books for the middle grades humanize the stories of Asian American communities and draw from diverse cultural heritages to better situate the lived realities of the protagonists.

A four-part series by Sayantani DasGupta, Kiranmala and the Kingdom Beyond, introduces a South Asian American protagonist who faces bullying in her school for her heritage and for her mom passing out Indian sweets for Halloween but goes on to heroic feats in this intergalactic adventure.

In Kelly Yang's books, such as the Front Desk, Three Keys and Room to Dream, an Asian American teen balances life in the U.S. and helping her immigrant parents run their family-owned motel. The stories weave together immigrant solidarity (the family helps house new immigrants in empty rooms) and teen coming-of-age angst of finding a path different from her parents.

Many other middle-grade novels that center Asian American realities have also emerged in recent years for educators and parents to add to their collections or library lists.

For many young people, the classroom is the first site of encounter for realities outside their own. By introducing stories that humanize groups that have been targeted historically and today-whether during designated months like Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month or beyond-educators can contribute to creating greater respect for diversity and equal treatment.

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Humanizing Asian Americans in the Classroom Through Children's Literature

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With the rise in anti-Asian sentiment and hate crimes in the U.S. -rooted in historical antecedents of anti-Asian violence and exclusion-educators have an important role to play in centering Asian American communities in the classroom. Regardless of our student populations, the stories we highlight in our curriculum can result in a recognition of a shared humanity across differences.

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Amazingly Simple Graphic Design Software - Canva

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Amazingly Simple Graphic Design Software - Canva

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TeachingBooks | Author & Book Resources to Support Reading Education

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Act to Change has partnered with designer, TV personality,

and author Tan France to host a series of anti-bullying

workshops for youth in middle and high schools across the

United States. Outlined below is a structure that can be used with students

to facilitate discussion around bullying in schools and how

they envision change to create sustainable anti-bullying and

inclusive environments on their campuses.

The script was created to be delivered within a 1-hour block

of time, but can be broken up into separate sections

delivered independently for more in-depth conversation, such

as a series of discussions over an extended time period.

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Act to Change | Educational Resources & Toolkit

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Act to Change has partnered with designer, TV personality, and author Tan France to host a series of anti-bullying workshops for youth in middle and high schools across the United States. Outlined below is a structure that can be used with students to facilitate discussion around bullying in schools and how they envision change to create sustainable anti-bullying and inclusive environments on their campuses.

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Teaching About Anti-Asian Racism and Xenophobia - Educators 4 Social Change

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Introduction As the first wave of covid-19 spread across the globe, xenophobia and anti-Asian racism followed. The United States has a long history of racism against Asian Americans, including passing the notorious Chinese Exclusion Act and ordering Japanese Americans into internment camps during Wo…

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We are heartbroken by the acts of violence against Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities. With the rise of hate and discrimination against AAPI individuals since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, more attention has been given to the harmful rhetoric and stereotypes that have long excluded and "othered" Americans of AAPI descent.

To our Asian colleagues, friends, educators, and students - we see you, we value you, and we stand with you.

As educators, we know none of us can thrive while some of us live in fear. We urge all members of our community to stand up and speak out against acts of racism inside and outside of our classrooms, and to teach our students to celebrate diversity and address injustice. We reaffirm our pledge to fight discrimination, racism, and hate, and commit to donating $50,000 to organizations working to build safer and more inclusive communities.

Below, we've collected some resources to help educators navigate current events with their students, build inclusive school culture, and take direct action to support AAPI communities.

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#StopAsianHate: Teaching Resources & Our Commitment to Anti-Racism - Pear Deck

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We are heartbroken by the acts of violence against Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities. With the rise of hate and discrimination against AAPI individuals since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, more attention has been given to the harmful rhetoric and stereotypes that have long excluded and "othered" Americans of AAPI descent.

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Talking to Teens about Anti-Asian Discrimination in the Era of COVID-19: Guidance from Research and Practice

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Talking to Young Children About Race and Racism

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Here are tips, books, and resources to help you have meaningful conversations with young children about race, racism, and anti-racist behavior.

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Key Takeaways

Covid-19 has exacerbated anti-Asian racism that's persisted for centuries. With the onus for the spread being placed on China, anyone who appears to be Chinese has felt a heightened sense of fear as violence has escalated in the US.

This violence now accompanies the passive remarks, stereotyping and fear that has persisted for years. Just last week, six Asian women were killed in a shooting at Atlanta area massage parlors.

A 2017 study found that 32% of Asian Americans had been on the receiving end of racial slurs and 35% were stereotyped. In 2020, there was a 149% increase in Asian hate crimes alone-not taking into account these stereotypes and slurs.

Needless to say, it's more important than ever to work towards becoming allies for the Asian American community. Experts weigh in on how to stand up for our friends.

Have Age Appropriate Conversations with Non-Asian Children

New Jersey-based psychologist Xiaolu Jiang, PhD says that before sitting their children down, parents should be mindful of their child's age and existing understanding.

She explains, "Non-Asian parents of younger children can focus on similarities and differences between their children and Asian children and families. If they have friends or family members who are Asian, it might be helpful to think of ways they are alike or different from them."

For example, this could mean taking note of how Asian classmates may celebrate different holidays or eat different foods at home. Simultaneously, these classmates could enjoy the same movies and sports as them. Jiang believes this could help to bypass stereotyping.

When talking to older children she recommends focusing on stereotyping, including the ones around intelligence and work ethic. She adds, "Provide accurate historical information is also important for older children so that they realize racism did not start with Covid-19, though Covid-19 certainly reignited the fear of those of Asian descent." Periods in history, such as Japanese internment during World War 2 can be a reminder for children of how Asians have been seen as outsiders.

Psychotherapist Leisha Borja MA, LMFT, CCTP

California-based Psychotherapist Leisha Borja, MA, LMFT, CCTP adds that white families may be concerned about teaching children about how tough life can be, a luxury that parents of children of color do not have. Here are her tips for teaching non-Asian children tolerance.

Have those hard discussions about racism, starting with what's been happening now. Asians are being treated differently because they are being blamed for the virus. Explain the reasons that this is not okay.

Roleplay with children ways to respond when they see racism happening.

Be curious about their thoughts, answer the questions they have, and know it's okay to not have all the answers.

Tips For Asian Families

Los Angeles County internist Jen Tang, MD explains that she has made sure that her three sons are aware of what's happening around them. She says, "This is just part of an ongoing conversation I have been having with my kids in recent years about the growing division in our country, with hateful words and acts against many different racial and religious minority groups."

Tang continues, "Regardless of whether racism is directed at us or others, our message as parents is the same: It is always wrong to judge or mistreat others simply because they do not conform to the majority in power."

Tang did tell her boys about the recent shooting in Atlanta, where six out of eight victims were Asian women. The children's response? "Just like when they hear of Black people being unjustly killed or Muslims or Jews being targeted, they ask me why. Sure, I've read the books and studied the history, but I'm left asking myself the same question."

Dr. Xiaolu Jiang, Psychologist

- Dr. Xiaolu Jiang, Psychologist

She is able to take solace knowing that there are still good people and that the BIPOC community has come out to support Asians.

Tang explains, "I'm teaching my kids to be a part of the solution. Speak up when you see someone being treated unfairly. Protect those who have less power than you do. And then one day if you happen to be the victim, hopefully, they will do the same for you."

How Adults Can Be Supportive

Borja explains what it means to be an ally. She says, "Being an ally is to amplify our voices. Contact your local district attorneys and department of justices to make sure crimes are not written off as 'He had a bad day,' but that this is a hate crime and needs to be charged as so. I've heard that some are choosing to not stand with us because of the model minority myth. Help us dismantle this myth by pointing out how this continues to perpetuate racism, shifts responsibility from white America, and ask who really benefits from this."

What This Means for You

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Here's How You Can Teach Your Kids to Be Allies for Asian Americans

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Covid-19 has exacerbated anti-Asian racism that's persisted for centuries. With the onus for the spread being placed on China, anyone who appears to be Chinese has felt a heightened sense of fear as violence has escalated in the US. This violence now accompanies the passive remarks, stereotyping and fear that has persisted for years.

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Against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic-the first known cases of which were located in Wuhan, China-the frequency and severity of racist harrasment and physical attacks against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) in the U.S. have steadily risen in the past year, and even more sharply in recent months. Accounts of anti-AAPI violence have been surfacing all across the country, prompting calls for awareness and justice from anti-racist organizations and advocates for the AAPI community.

While racism against Asians is nothing new, former president Trump's usage of terms like "the China virus" and "Kung Flu" set the stage for widespread xenophobia and racism aimed at Asians. Many of his followers adopted this rhetoric and took the former president's example as permission to behave in biased ways. Now that many schools are starting to return to in-person learning as the vaccine becomes more widely available, many Asian American parents are concerned that their children may face bullying and harassment in the classroom.

There are several steps that families can take to combat anti-AAPI racism in their own schools and communities, and educating kids (and ourselves) is the first step. No matter your family's race or ethnicity, these suggestions will help you create welcoming spaces for all kids, and help your children recognize the value of empathy and critical thinking in their daily lives.

Give them context

Start by explaining xenophobia to your child. It's the hatred or fear of people we perceive to be foreign. Historically, in times of unrest or war, xenophobia tends to rise within groups that feel threatened.

In this case, the fear of the coronavirus, combined with two centuries of racist and harmful attitudes about the AAPI community (including atrocities such as the Chinese Exclusion Act in the 1800s, internment of Japanese Americans in the 1940s, and the brutal race-based killing of Vincent Chin in 1982) have fueled the latest wave of hate crimes against Asian Americans.

The more you and your child research and understand the historical roots of anti-Asian racism in the United States, the more confidence they will have to speak out against racism when they see it in real life.

Use critical thinking

Disinformation has run rampant on social media in recent years. Being able to determine the validity of the content in your feed is vital to making informed decisions and value judgments about what you're seeing.

Disinformation has been extremely harmful for the AAPI community since the beginning of the pandemic. Social media has been a source of quick-spreading false rumors about the origins of the virus in China and how it spread, which has led to even more xenophobia among people who read and share that material.

If your child uses any social media, they should learn how to spot disinfo in their feed. When they read an article or social media post, have them ask the following questions:

Who shared this? Profiles that have seemingly randomized usernames, stock images as profile photos, or that post at all hours of the day and night could be bots specifically created to spread disinformation on social media.

Does anyone agree? Take a few extra seconds to do a quick Google search when you see a new story in your feed. Are other, reputable sites reporting this? Are there any published studies to back up their claims?

Does the oversimplification of a problem seem too good to be true? It probably is. Bold claims and quick fixes for complicated problems are often rooted in disinformation. Try a reverse image search of any images in the post-disinformation often uses old photos to push a misleading narrative.

Words matter

Never use terms like "Chinese flu" or "Wuhan virus" when referring to the coronavirus pandemic, and correct your child if you hear them use these terms. The World Health Organization has urged against naming infectious diseases after groups of people or geographic regions because of the harm this can cause to those communities.

Using these offensive terms can unfairly place the blame of the coronavirus outbreak on Chinese people, and creates unnecessary divisions between communities. Parents should avoid using terminology and expressions that convey a sentiment of "us versus them," which is a huge contributor to the attitudes that perpetuate racist behavior.

Check yourself

As much as parents try to model the behavior they want to see in their children, it's not always easy to see if you're making a mistake that they could pick up. Racist stereotypes of Asian characters still work their way into film & television, representation continues to suffer in the media, and the history of AAPI oppression in the U.S. has been largely erased or whitewashed in schools. Anti-Asian racism is a part of our history and culture, and needs to be acknowledged in order to be managed and extinguished.

Parents can push back against these problems by actively calling out racism, stereotypes, or xenophobia when they see it and modelling that anti-racist behavior for their families. For example, if you see an offensively portrayed Asian character in a movie you're watching with your kid, call it out! Tell them exactly why it's problematic and think together about how they could have chosen to portray that character more respectfully.

You may also be surprised to discover that you haven't learned much about Asian and Asian Americans yourself-which is not uncommon given that AAPI history often earns barely a mention in most textbooks and classrooms. Understanding the struggles and complex history these communities have experienced gives context for others to witness and learn about current examples of anti-Asian violence. Consider this an opportunity to learn alongside your own kids, and add what you learn to the fabric of peoples histories in the United States.

This self-awareness will not only rub off on your kids, but it will become a great habit for you to practice in your own personal anti-racism work. The more you look out for these harmful cultural messages about the AAPI community, the more easily you will be able to avoid making these same mistakes in your own life.

Supporting AAPI kids and families

The most important thing you can do to support AAPI kids and families in your community right now is to acknowledge they are hurting. Living with the constant stress of escalating animosity towards one's cultural group is nothing short of traumatic, and kids who are experiencing this right now should be given the time and space to cope and grieve, without being singled out.

When kids feel seen and heard, they can gain the confidence to stand up for themselves and others. Building opportunities to share personal experiences and emotions into your interactions with AAPI kids can help them express and process their feelings.

Kids understand and absorb so much more than we often realize, so it's important to be conscientious about treating them and others respectfully at all times. Provide lots of opportunities for kids to ask hard, maybe even uncomfortable questions. Share your own feelings with them about what's going on. Keeping communication open and honest is so important for fostering empathy and understanding for others.

Mckenna Saady is a freelance writer and digital engagement consultant from Richmond, VA. Before working for nonprofits such as the Human Rights Campaign and United Way, Mckenna spent nearly a decade as a child care provider and Pre-K teacher. She now lives in Philadelphia and volunteers as a foster parent for orphaned kittens with the PSPCA.

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How to Talk to Kids About Anti-Asian Racism - ParentsTogether

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Against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic-the first known cases of which were located in Wuhan, China-the frequency and severity of racist harrasment and physical attacks against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) in the U.S. have steadily risen in the past year, and even more sharply in recent months.