For months there has been a notable uptick in acts of violence against the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community in the US. The recent mass shooting targeting women of Asian descent in Atlanta was horrific in and of itself, but it also came on the heals of a year rife with verbal and physical assaults against Asian Americans across the country. On this episode of All Things I invite two friends in my community and church to share their stories as Asian American women. We talk about the long history of anti-Asian sentiments, crimes, and laws in the US, the things my friends experienced growing up Asian in predominantly white spaces, the increase in micro-aggressions and anxiety that they and other AAPIs have been experiencing since the start of the pandemic, the otherization/fetishization of women of Asian descent, and so much more. This topic is huge and varied, as is the AAPI community. While we only just barely scratched the surface in this episode, my hope is that listeners will be able to pause, hear these stories, believe them, and respond with empathy. I am deeply indebted to Miryam and Esther for taking a risk and sharing their voices with the All Things community. They are dear to me and taught me much during our 40-minute conversation. Thank you, friends.

The following resources were helpful in creating this episode:

My White Adoptive Parents Struggled to See Me as Korean. Would They Have Understood My Anger at the Rise in Anti-Asian Violence? - Nicole Chung, Time

The long, ugly history of anti-Asian racism and violence in the U.S. - Gillian Brockel, The Washington Post

Asian Americans Are Still Caught in the Trap of the ‘Model Minority’ Stereotype. And It Creates Inequality for All - Viet Thanh Nguyen, Time

The History Of Anti-Asian Sentiment In The U.S - NPR

Anti-Asian violence has surged in the US since COVID-19. But it didn't start there - Maura Hohman, Today

Stories Shed Light On Recent Attacks On Asian Americans - NPR

Many Black and Asian Americans Say They Have Experienced Discrimination Amid the COVID-19 Outbreak - Pew Research Center

The Rise and Fall of Denver’s Chinatown - History Colorado