On a rainy Wednesday in San Gabriel, Asian seniors are openly sharing their stories about dealing with harassment and discrimination. The dialogue — which took place two years after deadly shootings at spas in Atlanta that targeted Asian communities — is open and non-judgmental.
“Someone yelled at me on the street to ‘Go back to China!’,” shared Koreatown resident Esther Cheng, 76. “I didn’t engage — we are taught to be humble, to stand down, even when it’s not your fault. We have to be safe — especially if the police don’t come right away.”
About one-third of Asian Americans fear physical and verbal violence against them, research shows.
Amid the rise in nationwide anti-Asian hate crimes, racially-motivated threats and discrimination, organizations are training Asian communities — especially seniors — in the Los Angeles area what to do if they witness or become a victim of harassment.
With a screen behind her showing why people don’t act, Florence Lin, community relations manager for the Asian Youth Center, teaches a bystander intervention training in Mandarin for the AAPI community on Wednesday, March 15, 2023 at the Blossom Market Hall in San Gabriel. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Jean Chu, of the Chinatown Service Center, helps teach a bystander intervention training for the AAPI community hosted by Asian Americans Advancing Justice on Wednesday, March 15, 2023 at the Blossom Market Hall in San Gabriel. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Tiffany Su, Jody Chung and Maggie Chen attend a bystander intervention training for the AAPI community hosted by Asian Americans Advancing Justice on Wednesday, March 15, 2023 at the Blossom Market Hall in San Gabriel. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Esther Cheng, of Koreatown, attends a bystander intervention training for the AAPI community hosted by Asian Americans Advancing Justice on Wednesday, March 15, 2023 at…
