Over the last year, there has been a sharp increase in hate crimes and racist attacks against Asians and Pacific Islanders. Through December 2020, Stop AAPI Hate received more than 2,800 reports of racism and discrimination, and that figure fails to account for the attacks that have taken place since the beginning of the year.
Attacks like the murder of Vichar Ratanapakdee, an 84-year-old immigrant from Thailand who was violently killed in San Francisco, the slashing of Noel Quintana, a 61-year-old man who was disfigured on the NYC Subway, and thousands of other racially motivated incidents against Asians and Pacific Islanders.
Indiegogo condemns these attacks, which are targeted in particular at our senior citizens. We reject bigotry, hatred, and racism in all forms, and stand in solidarity with Stop AAPI Hate and the AAPI community.
“Indiegogo’s mission is to elevate a diverse global community of inventors, creators, and entrepreneurs, and all the backers that support them. We strive to be a birthplace for ideas and innovations that bring a positive change in the world, and we cannot do that effectively without ensuring that all people are safe and all voices are heard.” —Andy Yang, Indiegogo CEO
We acknowledge the existence of structural racism and the ways in which it has poisoned all aspects of our society. We work to educate our internal team and the rest of Indiegogo community on fighting white supremacy and discrimination toward Asians and Pacific Islanders, and increase Asian representation in the crowdfunding community. We commit to creating and sharing anti-racism resources and content, and strive to end the Model Minority Myth as it fails to take into the account the true history and struggles of the Asian and Pacific Islander community. To start, we will be donating 100% of the revenue raised from our March 15, 2021 newsletter to Stop AAPI Hate, an organization that works to bring justice and raise awareness of the many issues facing the Asian and Pacific Islander community.
There are a number of ways to get educated, get involved, and be an ally for justice. Below are some resources to get started.
Asian-American Creators and Entrepreneurs To Support
Organizations to Support and How to Donate
“In response to the alarming escalation in xenophobia and bigotry resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, the Asian Pacific Planning and Policy Council (A3PCON), Chinese for Affirmative Action (CAA), and the Asian American Studies Department of San Francisco State University launched the Stop AAPI Hate reporting center on March 19, 2020. The center tracks and responds to incidents of hate, violence, harassment, discrimination, shunning, and child bullying against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in the United States. Our approach recognizes that in order to effectively address anti-Asian racism we must work to end all forms of structural racism leveled at Black, Indigenous, and other communities of color.”
AAPI Community Fund (GoFundMe)
“Together, it is our responsibility to condemn these violent acts and create lasting social change. We must amplify AAPI voices and find ways to uplift, empower, and protect the AAPI community. The Support the AAPI Community Fund aims to do just that, addressing the urgent issues that face the AAPI community as well as broader, systemic problems. With the donations received through the Fund, GoFundMe.org will issue grants to trusted AAPI organizations working to rectify the racial inequalities in our society.”
Donate to the AAPI Community Fund
“Hate Is A Virus is a nonprofit community of mobilizers and amplifiers that exists to dismantle racism and hate. We started as a movement in April 2020 in response to the rise in hate crimes against AAPI due to the pandemic. Over that past year, we raised $30k+ to help a host of essential, BIPOC community organizations across the nation such as (Act to Change, Kollaboration, Laos in the House, Arts Administrators of Color) and ran two virtual educational events featuring guests like Sandra Oh, Baron Davis, Apolo Ohno, Mirai Nagasu, and more. This year, Hate Is A Virus continues to amplify, educate and activate AAPI to stand for justice and equality in solidarity with other communities.”
Donate to the #HATEISAVIRUS Movement
Stand Against Hatred Campaign: Asian Americans Advancing Justice
“Asian Americans Advancing Justice is a national affiliation of five leading organizations advocating for the civil and human rights of Asian Americans and other underserved communities to promote a fair and equitable society for all. The affiliation’s members are: Advancing Justice – AAJC (Washington, D.C.), Advancing Justice – Los Angeles, Advancing Justice – Atlanta, Advancing Justice – Asian Law Caucus (San Francisco), and Advancing Justice – Chicago.”
Report incidents to the Stand Against Hatred Campaign
Social Media Posts, Articles, and Literature We Found Educational
Treating Yellow Peril: Resources to Address Coronavirus Racism compiled by Dr. Oliver Chang
Eva Chen’s LIVE conversation with @cathyyan @amandangocnguyen and @heymichellelee
Hypebae: Nine initiatives standing up to anti-Asian violence
Harper’s Bazaar: What is the #StopAsianHate Campaign?
Asian American Feminist Collective Zine: Care in the Time of Coronavirus Issue
We will continue adding to this list of resources and links regularly. We are also putting out a call for submissions for stories and campaigns we can amplify and share on our social media channels and blog. If you have a story or valuable resource you’d like us to share, we hope you’ll leave us a comment on FB, Instagram, and Twitter, or send us a note. We’re in this fight to stop Asian hate together.
