AAP(I belong): How...

PAGE 14 inspired by the powerful words that were shared with them on the GoFundMe account is now a platform where people continue to share anonymous stories of encounters with antiAsian fear, hate, and ignorance.

“We hope that one day AAP(I belong) exhibitions will be held throughout the nation. As we plan and improve for future exhibitions, we also work to find new ways to connect with our community and encourage the story submission process,” she added. “The more stories we continue to collect, the more exhibitions we can build out for the future.”

The organization staged its first fundraising event in midtown Manhattan last week. Since it is a relatively new nonprofit organization, Liz and her team hoped that this event would help them collect the funds to support plans for future pop-up exhibitions and grow the team’s infrastructure.

The event was also an opportunity to create greater awareness for the organization, although, for something that is very new, it has achieved a couple of feats that larger and older organizations haven’t.

Last year, the White House invited Vilma to be a part of the White House United We Stand Summit which took place on September 15th, 2022.

As President Biden and his administration are calling for an end to hate-fueled violence in our country, they invited Vilma to join a panel to share her story as a survivor and her thoughts on how we can overcome hate. That was the first time where Vilma publicly talked about the vicious and brutal attack on her that morning of March 29, 2021.

Vilma and Liz rang the bell at the NASDAQ on Wall Street on Thursday morning, Jan. 19, raising the organization’s visibility higher.

Liz says she feels humbled that she, her mom, and their team were able to transform something repulsive into a project that is full of hope and promise.

“I pray that our work is the rainbow following the storm of hatred. Each hateful attack and experience, while incredibly difficult to bear, can be a step forward to change,” she said. “My mom and I hope that by continuing to expose our story, we can encourage others to not let their story end with hate.”

Liz is also proud to have been able to create AAP(I belong) as a tribute to her mom and the brutal attack that she endured -- forging a path to ensure that she will be known for more than just a “victim.”

“There tends to be a stigma that comes along with being the target of a hateful word or action. Our platform encourages the exposure of these stories so that viewers can realize that they are joined to a larger community and feel more comfortable to share their experience,” Liz explained.

“The anonymity of the platform is intentional and allows for a safe place for someone to take a first step to share part of themselves that they wouldn’t have shared openly. During our exhibitions I would often hear, “That happened to me too,” or, “Wow, I totally forgot about that,” --- recalling suppressed memories,” she added.

In the end, what Vilma and Liz Kari envision is a platform where everyone belongs as they slowly transform the hurtful words yelled by Vilma’s attacker into a platform where people from all walks of life learn from each other.

“Hate is hate -- many stories are adaptable to other cultures by simply changing a derogatory term or cultural cuisine,” Liz said. “We are hoping to create a community based on a sense of belonging through humanity, empathy, and compassion for our fellow man, no matter what they look like.” g