The Hills AAPI community has spoken up regarding recent anti-Asian hate crimes. Claudia Kim, a senior at Hills and co-founder of the Asian Culture Club, gave her input. 

“Racism against Asians is often pushed aside in comparison to other types of bigotry, but this xenophobia does exist, no matter how unsensationalized it might be… we need to combat racism against Asian people through education and the elimination of pointless fear-mongering related to the coronavirus.”

Yemie Woo, another Hills senior and co-president of the Asian Culture Club, added, “the violence against Asian Americans during the rise of Covid-19 is the reason why Claudia and I were prompted to start the Asian Culture Club, and it is evident from the increasing violence toward the Asian American community that as a society, we need to become more aware and compassionate of other culture… Hate is a virus, and this time around, let’s take the proper measures to stop it.” 

Jane Yeam, the advisor for the club, discussed how students have worked to bring awareness to Asian hate crimes.

“The Asian Culture Club’s student leadership is very proactive about trying to bring light to issues impacting the Asian American community and to promote awareness about things like #StopAsianHate. Last year the club created a video and held open forums for students to be able to gather and safely talk about these issues, but recently, [they] wrote an email with a powerful message to the Pascack Hills student body about the rise in Asian hate crimes and violence,” she said. 

In addition to the email, Kim noted that the club has decorated the lobby and sent in morning announcements to bring awareness to the AAPI community.  

Yeam has hope for future peace among the AAPI community. She explained, “With recent light being shed on how acts of violence and hate have increased against Asians and the Asian American community during the coronavirus pandemic, many Asian Americans can’t help but be gripped with fear, especially with the shooting of six Asian women that occurred in Atlanta.

“With an Asian American female vice president at the helm of our nation alongside the president, like the rest of the Asian American Pacific Islander community, I am looking to see the kind of uniting role that our nation’s leaders will play in bringing comfort and peace to the AAPI community.”