4
Los Angeles Collegian - Wednesday, March 24, 2021
PHOTO FOCUS
PROTESTORS MARCH TO END ANTI-ASIAN CRIME
O
BY SERINA HAYNES ver 300 people rallied against anti-Asian violence in Little Tokyo on March 13 at a place of special historical significance: It is where the government rounded up Japanese Americans during World War II before they were sent to internment camps.
Organizers originally billed the event as “Stop
Asian Hate,” but rebranded it to “Love Our Communities: Build Collective Power,” to address a myriad of topics that cause frustrations within the community. Chinatown Community for Equitable Development (CCED) organized the march that included support from Ktown4BlackLives, Nikkei Progressives, Asian Pacific Islanders Equality LA, Progressive Asian Network for Action and others who made their presence known with placards and signs. A prayer site featured carefully arranged photos, flowers and other mementos to commemorate victims of racist violence across different ethnic groups. Former L.A. County Chief Executive Officer Bill Fujioka spoke to the crowd and urged city officials to do more to stop the violence. “Ignoring it, denying its existence, or refusing to speak up is almost as bad as participating in this disgusting behavior,” Fujioka said during a live stream of the event. Organizers say the goal was to make space to “meet, collaborate, and build with grassroots organizations doing direct work in Los Angeles Asian American communities.” The event broadened the conversation beyond anti-Asian hate crimes into a myriad of collective issues regarding housing, political failure, over-policing, lack of support and health services. Speakers at the march expressed frustration over the failure of the city of Los Angeles to follow through with promises of support, hot meals for seniors and COVID-19 resources. Some accused politicians such as Mayor Eric Garcetti of using Chinatown residents as props in photo-ops. Tiffany “TiDo” Do represents CCED. She made an impassioned speech of solidarity with all Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC), addressing the mainstream media’s emphasis on Black-on-Asian hate crimes as being divisive, while starkly contrasting against the lack of mention of racism in violence perpetrated by white people. “The harm against our elders will not be used to advocate for more harm against our black and brown communities,” she said at the rally according to LAist. “We are here to tell the world: don’t you fu**ing dare use our community tragedies to fund the police.”
3 PHOTOS 1, 2, 3 BY FRANK MARTINEZ 1. A Woman stands next to the “Wall of Solidarity,” a board where attendees can leave notes of support and well-wishes for the Asian community. The “Love Our Communities, Stop Asian Hate” march happened in Little Tokyo, Los Angeles, March 13, 2021. 2. Attendees wave signs displaying the message “End Racism and White Supremacy and Hate.” The “Love Our Communities, Stop Asian Hate” protest took place in Little Tokyo, Los Angeles, on March 13, 2021. 3. A young woman smiles behind her colorful mask and holds a placard that reads “We are our ancestor’s wildest dreams.” She attended the “Love Our Communities, Stop Asian Hate” protest in Little Tokyo, Los Angeles, March 13, 2021.
