Stop Asian Hate Rally & March

1,000 Marchers Rally Against Asian Hate in AsiaTown Cleveland 

In the past year, there has been a significant rise in anti-Asian hate and violence.  Despite decades of progress towards acceptance and equality, in recent years, racism in America has escalated at an alarming rate.  Over a year ago, when COVID-19 was just starting, the Asian and Pacific Islander community suffered not just the pandemic but targeted discrimination and hatred.  Inexplicably, customers stopped eating and shopping at favorite Asian businesses due to illogical wrong association with the virus.  Further, in the last year since the pandemic started, 3,800 anti-Asian incidents have been logged, a significant increase, the majority against women according to the national Asian hate reporting tool StopAAPIHate.org which includes data from OCA’s aapihatecrimes.org. 

Several weeks ago, the incidents finally grabbed national media attention when eight people, including six Asian women, were murdered at several locations in Atlanta.  This latest racist hate-fueled violence spurred rallies of solidarity nationwide.  In Cleveland, outraged by how Asian Pacific Americans are treated in their own country, several Asian women activists and leaders organized a peaceful #StopAsianHate rally and march through the AsiaTown neighborhood on March 28.  They wanted to provide an opportunity for the community to grieve for the lives lost, draw attention to the escalation of anti-Asian hate everywhere including our own city, and show solidarity with our allies and support to the residents and businesses in AsiaTown.

The rally and march attracted about 1,000 supporters.  The event started with a rally featuring 12 speakers, mostly women, providing moving and powerful speeches about how they, their families, and their friends have had to suffer racial discrimination and hate.  The event was multilingual in English, Mandarin (with a splash of Cantonese), and ASL sign language.  Regardless of whether the listener understood the language or not — the passion of the speakers was clear as they communicated their outrage.  An outrage and sadness that transcends language barriers.  The speakers also talked about how they too often endured discrimination in the past in silence.  But the group vowed to be silent “No More.”  This is America, this is our home.    

After the speeches, the group marched in solidarity throughout the AsiaTown neighborhood.  On the route, the marchers were greeted with applause and smiles from thankful Asian business owners and the residents including some of the most vulnerable, the Asian elderly in the community.  After the march, attendees were encouraged to support the Asian businesses.

The event was organized by AsiaTown Cleveland, OCA Greater Cleveland – Asian Pacific American Advocates, OPAWL, Asian Services In Action, APAPA Ohio, and MotivAsians and was supported by dozens of other organizations, partners, and allies.  While the event drew attention to the growing anti-Asian hate, the organizers and other community leaders are working on next steps.