AUSTIN, Texas — Asian American activists and allies continue to raise their voices and draw attention to the rise of anti-Asian discrimination and the violence many have experienced since the start of the pandemic.
Hundreds of people came to the Huston Tillotson campus on Saturday for a "Stop Asian Hate" rally.
Jinny Suh, who is running to represent District 25 in the Texas Senate, volunteered at the rally.
She says that as an Asian American woman and survivor of sexual assault and domestic violence, it was so important for her to use her voice in support of "Stop Asian Hate."
“I knew very early on that I was different," said Suh.
Her experiences facing racist stereotypes and anti-Asian discrimination go all the way back to her childhood.
“I have vivid memories of doing things like going to school with a very Korean lunch, and having kids make fun of the things I was drinking and the things I was eating, and coming home in tears over that," said Suh. "It wasn't unusual to be called names while I was walking around, like 'China doll,' or things like that."
On Saturday Suh volunteered at the rally to condemn the anti-Asian racism and violence that has sharply increased during the pandemic.
“I have a lot of concern for my mother. She's in California. She's elderly. Those are the people that are being targeted," said Suh.
She says the mass shooting in Atlanta, where a man killed eight people, including six women of Asian descent, was especially upsetting and painful.
“All women face violence, but Asian American women have that added layer of being treated like they should be submissive," said Suh. "The awareness of discrimination and the misogyny against Asian American women is not as prominent in people's consciousness here. So, this rally is a really big step forward in that way.”
Suh is a board member of Asian Family Support Services of Austin, a nonprofit that provides resources and services for Asians and other immigrant victims of domestic violence, sexual assault and trafficking.
It’s an issue that’s especially personal to her, as a survivor herself.
“I have seen with my own eyes how our system is not really built to take into account the unique differences that culture can bring to the table when you're dealing with a survivor. Everything from language barriers to immigration issues, to just cultural things," said Suh.
She hopes the Stop Asian Hate movement will have an impact even beyond taking a stand against anti-Asian hate crimes and discrimination.
“This is just the starting point of the conversation. I want it to continue…I hope that more people in Austin feel comfortable talking to Asian people and learning about Asian issues, and I hope that Asian people feel like they're part of the community in a way that they haven't felt before. I hope that people leave the rally, not only recognizing that Asians and Asian Americans deserve a seat at the table, but also that they are allies in every way, to all the other marginalized communities."