hate wins only when it divides us
Protecting and Strengthening the Rights and Dignity of Asian
American and Pacific Islander Communities
Racism and discrimination against Asian Americans was old news by the time the COVID-19 pandemic happened but it definitely spiked additional physical and mental health harms and caused the increase in anti-Asian hate crimes and hate incidents. In these very challenging times Asian Americans Advancing Justice Southern California (AJSOCAL) became the civil rights voice for the community.
AJSOCAL has been working to raise awareness about increased racism and discrimination against Asian Americans who are being wrongly blamed for the coronavirus. This discrimination is taking many forms from hostility and suspicion that Asian Americans are carriers of the coronavirus to verbal abuse, harassment, and even physical violence.
bystander intervention
Narrated by Ken Jeong
This video featuring the voice of actor Ken Jeong and illustrations by award-winning artist James Yang, is a simple yet really helpful instruction on what to do if you see an act of racial harassment.
6.6M views on YouTube
4,557 cases
were opened in 2022
by Advancing Justice Southern California (AJSOCAL) offering free legal advice nd representation to low-income, limited-English speaking individuals on matters of domestic violence, immigration relief, and anti-Asian violence and discrimination
85% increase
in new anti-Asian hate legal cases as a result of
an aggressive public call-to-action campaign to document anti-Asian discrimination and counter racist narratives, launched in 2020
over10,500
individuals
were educated and empowered through 177 sessions nationwide since 2020 in Bystander Intervention trainings, strengthening a multiracial, community-led movement to stand up against anti-Asian hate
14 billion
media impressions related to anti-Asian hate, achieving a 1165% growth in AJSOCAL social media engagement and a 98% increase in news items relating to AJSOCAL’s work relating to anti-Asian hate
*as of June 2023
Connie Chung Joe,
CEO AJSOCAL
“I joined AJSOCAL in August 2020 in large part because I was seeing the rise in anti-Asian hate, but felt frustrated that it wasn’t yet getting the attention and response in the US it needed. This project was incredibly important because it allowed our organization to take immediate action and to raise awareness on this emerging problem in the early days of the pandemic.
I’ve been inspired by the tens of thousands of individuals who have taken bystander intervention training for anti-Asian hate and xenophobic harassment. Despite the dark cloud that has been the hatred targeted towards our community, the light still comes through in seeing so many people stand up against that hatred and take concrete measures like bystander training to create safe communities for
us all.”
[ anti-asian hate project resources platform ]
Bystander intervention
trainings
Anti-Asian Hate
reporting website
Anti-Asian Hate
social media (YT channel, IG)
Free legal advice line
meet the team
Connie Chung Joe
Serving as the public face of AJSOCAL to bring attention to ant-Asian hate as a broad societal concern in America. Also increasing general public awareness of AJSOCAL, so that community members experiencing anti-Asian hate know that they have a trusted place to turn for free, confidential support. Leading the entire AJSOCAL staff in working together as a cohesive team in support of the community.
John Kim
Oversees and supports legal services staff and advocates who are the first line of contact with community members who contact us seeking help with anti-Asian hate. Works extensively with monolingual and limited English proficient clients
Alice Lee
In charge of increasing awareness and visibility of the AJSOCAL name and resources available to the community, engaging them both regarding anti-Asian hate and other programs. Facilitates outreach in multiple languages
Christina Yang
Lead for AJSOCAL’s bystander intervention training program, including coordinating certified training facilitators from AJSOCAL’s staff and CBO partners’ staff. Under Christina’s leadership, the team provides free trainings for the public in both English and Asian languages. Christina is also in charge of securing pro bono legal support for community members who have experienced anti-Asian hate.
[ stories from pro bono attorneys ]
Charlene Sun
Associate
Crowell & Moring LLP
Through my work with Asian Americans Advancing Justice Southern California, I spoke directly with the clients who were seeking recourse from being victims of acts of hate. In my calls with the clients, after listening to their recounts of the incidents involving the acts of hate, I walked them through the various resources and remedies available to them, as well as explained the legal processes around the civil and criminal mechanisms.
Hearing about the rise in anti-Asian hate, especially the brazen crimes committed against Asian elders, was and has been extremely difficult hitting close to home, so I was eager to search for meaningful ways to help. Being able to talk directly to the clients and make them feel heard, as well as provide them with ways to address and help them move forward from the incident felt important and rewarding.
As a first generation immigrant, I am happy to be able to contribute my time to AJSOCAL’s anti-Asian hate project. Many immigrants come to the United States in search of a better life for themselves and their families, and it is heartbreaking to hear the hurt and disappointment in their voices when they recount the anti-Asian incident they encountered. I hope that by providing them with an understanding of the resources that are available, I play a small part in helping them feel that they belong to part of a community in their adopted country.
Jackson Pai, Counsel Crowell & Moring LLP
stories from helpline
A snapshot of the multilingual helplines, the welcoming gateway to the services at Asian Americans Advancing Justice Southern California.
hannah
Counsel, AJSOCAL
“As a Chinese legal advocate my role is to guide my Chinese community to get access to their legal resources”.
sylvia
Counsel, AJSOCAL
“I picked up the phone and used the language they are familiar with. I could feel the difference between the first time I picked up the phone and after me speaking with them in Cantonese, they felt more comfortable. They kept saying thank you very much, which made me think that at least I was able to give them some direction. That’s why I feel pleased that I gave them a peace of mind”.
quynh
Counsel, AJSOCAL
“Many Vietnamese people have problems with English because of the language barrier. It’s very hard for them to get the right assistance. They are also very reluctant to reach out and ask for help because of the language barrier. That’s why they call our helpline and we can assist them with that”.
sophaleena
Counsel, AJSOCAL
“I come from Cambodia myself as a refugee. I moved from that environment and I try to help others. My purpose here is helping others”.
alice lee
Managing Director of Community Engagement
What do you feel most passionate about working on this Project?
It’s about AJSOCAL addressing community needs holistically, and addressing language and cultural barriers head-on – not only in helping folks seek justice in relation to anti-Asian hate, but also supporting housing, employment, and active participation in society and civic engagement. My Community Engagement Navigator staff love their work because they are passionate about educating and connecting with people in our community and creating safe spaces for people to share their stories and learn how to handle hate incidents and crimes, knowing that they are part of an ongoing movement that ignites change and advances justice.
What was the biggest challenge you had to find a way to tackle?
Because the AAPI community is so incredibly diverse, there are many linguistic and cultural nuances my team and I must be sensitive to when we interact with community members. There is a lot of energy, resources, and care that we put in to ensure that we can serve the community in the best possible way, and this remains a high priority for me in continuing to do this work.
Would you like to know more about the Project?
other programs you might be interested in
Solving a Giant Art Puzzle
How the Team of Displaced Chinese Art Digitalization Project is healing history
The Spirit of Giving Back
Cyrus Tang Caring Heart Scholarship for university students aspires to create a more caring society
Supporting Quality Education
CTF on a mission to bring quality education to the areas in China which needed it most