Stop AAPI Hate
Dear Community,
We are still grieving with our Asian and Pacific Islander neighbors, reflecting on the March 16th act of domestic terrorism that killed 8 people in Georgia, 6 of whom Asian women, amidst a spike in anti-Asian racism and hate crimes in the US and around the world.
We at DNDA stand behind this statement from the Asian Pacific Institute on Gender Based Violence, and we seek to answer their call – to listen to AAPI voices, uplift their experiences, and hold their safety and well-being as a priority.
We have heard from some of our AAPI neighbors and partners that we can help by attending free Bystander Trainings. We encourage you to do so, many DNDA staff and board have registered for these trainings with ihollaback.org.
We extend our love and support to the families of those killed, and to all our Asian American and Pacific Islander neighbors. Here in Delridge, Asians make up the largest non-white population at 18% of our population, 3rd highest among all Seattle neighborhoods. While the killings in Georgia are the latest extreme example, we know that race-based and gender-based violence in our own communities are not new.
We also know more broadly that fear-based scapegoating is not new. Read this article from fivethirtyeight.com to learn more about the blame and scapegoating particularly prevalent during times of disease and crisis. We must combat the fear and othering behind these attacks with connection and compassion.
We will continue to uplift the diversity of voices within our community to raise awareness and connections. In this article from the South Seattle Emerald, you can read powerful statements and stories from local organizations and individuals, and find a list of local resources. More local organizations working in and on behalf of our local AAPI communities can also be found here.
At DNDA, we work to hold the space needed to express our collective grief and sorrow, while continuing to make connections and amplify creativity and joy. We hope you will take some time to learn more about how racism, race-based and gender-based violence are affecting us, and our friends and neighbors.
In community,
DNDA