On March 16, eight people, including six Asian women, were shot and killed at massage parlors in the Atlanta, Georgia, area, the New York Times reported. It's the latest in a string of racist attacks against the Asian-American and AAPI community during the coronavirus pandemic.
The victims who died in the attack were Soon Chung Park, 74; Hyun Jung Grant, 51; Suncha Kim, 69; Yong Ae Yue, 63; Delaina Ashley Yaun, 33; Xiaojie Tan, 49; Daoyou Feng, 44; and Paul Andre Michels, 54, per the NYT. Elcias R. Hernandez-Ortiz, 30, was injured. Members of the community and allies are responding, grieving, and pressing for answers on social media.
"The reported shootings of multiple Asian American women today in Atlanta is an unspeakable tragedy—for the families of the victims first and foremost, but also for the Asian American community, which has been reeling from high levels of racist attacks over the course of the past year," Stop AAPI Hate, a coalition documenting anti-Asian discrimination, shared in a statement.
Details about the shooting are still coming to light; a 21-year-old Georgia man, who is now in custody, has been charged with assault and murder.
The act of terror is an undeniable blow to Asian-Americans who are still reeling from an uptick of anti-Asian discrimination over the past year, undoubtedly spurred on by a former president who referred to COVID-19 as the "Chinese virus" and "kung flu." The massage parlor setting of the attacks also sheds light on the plight of Asian women migrant workers and sex workers, who are notoriously underprotected.
"This latest attack will only exacerbate the fear and pain that the Asian American community continues to endure," the Stop AAPI Hate statement reads. According to recent data gathered by the organization, there were 3,795 incidents of anti-Asian discrimination reported from across the country since March 2020.
"Not enough has been done to protect Asian Americans from heightened levels of hate, discrimination and violence," the coalition adds. "Concrete action must be taken now. Anything else is unacceptable."
Here, we've rounded up some organizations to support or donate to, if you're able, to show support for the AAPI community, especially women who may be affected by these attacks.
Support Georgia's Asian American Community: a fund created by Asian Americans Advancing Justice - Atlanta to directly benefit the shooting victims and their families. Donate
Red Canary Song: a grassroots collective supporting labor rights for Asian migrant workers and sex workers. Donate
Butterfly: a Toronto-based network supporting Asian migrant workers and sex workers. Donate
SWAN Vancouver: supports immigrant and migrant women engaged in indoor sex work by providing support services and systemic advocacy. Donate
Monsoon Asians & Pacific Islanders in Solidarity: serves victims and survivors of sexual violence, domestic violence, and trafficking in the Asian and Pacific Islander community in Iowa. DONATE
National Organization of Asians and Pacific Islanders Ending Sexual Violence: a program under Monsoon (above) that helps "local and international community-based programs and governmental organizations" in serving victims of sexual violence from API communities in the U.S., U.S. Territories in the Pacific, and Asia. Donate
Womankind: supports women who are victims or survivors of gender-based violence on their journey to healing. Donate
AAPI Women Lead: supports AAPI women and girls with workshops and and research, and promotes movements such as #ImReady, which addresses issues like gender-based and racial discrimination and sexual harassment in the community. DONATE
National Asian Pacific American Women's Forum: empowers AAPI and women and girls through reproductive health, economic justice, immigrant rights, and more. Donate (You can also support the Atlanta chapter to uplift local efforts in the wake of the shooting.)
Asian Americans Advancing Justice - Atlanta: a nonprofit legal advocacy group protecting the rights of Asian-Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders in Georgia and the Southeast. Donate
Asian Law Caucus: promotes and protects civil and legal rights of Asian and Pacific Island communities. Donate
Chinese Progressive Association: empowers the low-income and working-class Chinese immigrant community in San Francisco. Donate
Asian American Feminist Collective: an intersectional feminist group that focuses on exploring identity, building community, political education, and advocacy. Donate
Asian Pacific Environmental Network: supports environmental justice for working-class Asian immigrant and refugee communities. Donate
Asian Prisoner Support Committee: raises awareness about arrests and deportations of AAPI people in California. Donate
APIENC: an organization supporting the AAPI queer and trans community in the Bay Area. Donate
CAAAV: a pan-Asian community organization supporting low-income Asian immigrants in New York City. Donate
Stop AAPI Hate: a national coalition documenting and sharing resources about anti-Asian discrimination. Donate
AAPI Community Fund: grants will benefit a number of AAPI grassroots organizations (including these) that are committed to fighting racial injustice and inequality. Donate
Desis Rising Up and Moving: supports South Asian and Indo-Caribbean low-wage immigrant workers and families in New York City. Donate
Asian American Advocacy Fund: a grassroots organization "dedicated to building a politically-conscious, engaged, and progressive Asian American base in Georgia." Take Action
Jahajee Sisters: an organization led by Indo-Caribbean women focused on supporting women and girls. Donate
Asian Immigrant Women Advocates: a nonprofit focusing on immigrant youth and workers in low-wage industries in the Bay Area. Donate
Asian Mental Health Collective: a community for Asian mental health support. Donate
South Asian Workers' Center: a nonprofit serving mainly South Asian immigrants and workers in the Greater Boston area. Donate
Sakhi for South Asian Women: represents South Asian women in the diaspora in the movement to support survivors of violence. Donate
Chinatown Community for Equitable Development: a community-based organization in Los Angeles dedicated to grassroots organizing, educating, and mutual help. Donate
Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund: a national organization, founded in 1974, working to protect and promote civil rights for Asian-Americans. Donate
#HATEISAVIRUS: an initiative and community raising awareness on anti-Asian racism and supporting Asian-owned businesses. Donate
Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund: a national organization focused on Sikh American media, policy, and education. Donate
Korean American Community Foundation: financially and organizationally supports nonprofits serving the Korean-American community and beyond. Donate
SEARAC: a civil rights organization empowering Cambodian, Laotian, and Vietnamese American communities. Donate
South Asian Americans Leading Together: a national movement and advocacy group focused on "transforming institutions while leveraging incremental change as a means to shift conditions and power." Donate
Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance: an organization of AAPI workers, many of whom are union members, advancing labor, immigrant, and civil rights. Donate
This story has been updated.
Erica Gonzales is the Senior Culture Editor at ELLE.com, where she oversees coverage on TV, movies, music, books, and more. She was previously an editor at HarpersBAZAAR.com. There is a 75 percent chance she's listening to Lorde right now.
