Community Against Hate, a diverse coalition of community organizations and leaders have teamed up with the national civil rights organization NAACP in a clear stance to address hate directed toward Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. In a direct response to the increased verbal and physical attacks against Asians living and born in America, the #UnityAgainstHate rally will be held on Saturday, May 15, at 11 a.m., in multiple cities across the nation. The rally will echo the voices of many who have experienced hate crimes against them based on their race, nationality and identity.
“To garner the support of the NAACP was imperative in our quest to unify a nation torn by racism and discrimination,” says Yen Marshall, Asian Pacific Islander Public Affairs (APAPA) Nationwide Rally Coordinator. “It’s a fight that they’ve been at the forefront of for many years, one that many Asian communities have supported. While some may point out past strained relationships among Black and Asian communities, we want to display the unity we can achieve when rallying against hate.”
The rally is planned across 16 cities, including Los Angeles, Sacramento, San Diego, Washington D.C, New York, Columbus (Ohio), Houston and many others. From the physical and verbal attacks, to the heightened strain from the pandemic, many Asian Americans have experienced an increase in hate incidents. According to AAPI Data, it’s reported that some 2 million Asian Americans have been victims of hate incidents.
Dozens of organizations have committed their support to the Unity Against Hate Rally including, California Asian Pacific Islander Legislative Caucus (APILC), Asian Pacific Islander Americans Public Affairs Association (APAPA), NAACP, League of Women Voters, National Chapter of Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), LGBTQ+ Equality Sacramento, Black American Political Association of California (BAPAC) and many more. For more information on the planned rally, visit www.communityagainsthate.org.
