A rally organized by Stop Asian Hate on the Palouse on Saturday brought awareness to recent increases in hate crimes against people of Asian descent.
The event, originally scheduled for March 28 but cancelled due to weather, garnered around 250 attendees for the two-hour event in Pullman.
Following the rally, participants marched through downtown Pullman repeating chants and displaying signs that said “hate is a virus,” “stop the violence against Asians” and “silence is violence.”
Associate Professor of Sport Management at Washington State University Yong Chae Rhee helped coordinate the events, advertising it on Facebook and with fliers posted around the community. Mask-wearing and social distancing were advised.
“I feel safer,” Rhee said. “I was afraid for my family, and now, I feel safer.”
Of the 15 speakers scheduled to present, some represented WSU’s Korean Student Association, Nimiipuu Protecting the Environment, Franklin Elementary School and WSU Athletics. Visit Stop Asian Hate on the Palouse’s Facebook page for a full list of speakers.
“The former President Trump deliberately, persistently, defiantly called the coronavirus the ‘Chinese virus,’ or the ‘kung-flu,’” Raymond Sun, associate professor of History at WSU, said. “This had the effect of inciting and encouraging white supremacists and xenophobes to begin this year of assaults against Asian Americans.”
Many spoke about AAPI history and the importance of sharing personal experiences with anti-Asian sentiments or prejudices as well as giving advice, calls to action and a cease to violence and racism against AAPI individuals.
Jiemei Lin, senior designer at the College of Education at WSU, also helped organize the event.
Lin requested a moment of silence for victims of the Atlanta spa shootings March 16. In the attacks, eight people were killed, six of whom were women of Asian descent.
Appearances from Pullman Mayor Glenn Johnson, Chief of Police Gary Jenkins and city council members were expected, but some were not fulfilled due to the Whitman County Department of Public Health’s emergency health order in effect April 2. City council members Brandon Chapman, Dan Records and Nathan Weller attended the rally, but didn’t speak.
Rhee said he communicated with the police department prior to the event to get approval. When the crowd gathered in Reaney Park, Rhee read a statement from Jenkins expressing support for the cause.
“The real goal was to bring awareness to the community that (AAPI) heartaches exist, and that the Asian community is worried, concerned and afraid,” Rhee said at the beginning of the rally. “We are really asking for help from the community.”
After the opening remarks from Rhee, Fr. Steve Dublinksi of the Sacred Heart Catholic Church led a blessing for the event. A performance of “Arirang,” a traditional Korean folk song sung by Chanu Hwang, followed.
Pullman children led the group in a Pledge of Allegiance to demonstrate unity among all U.S. citizens. Chen Xu, an international Ph.D. student from WSU, followed the pledge with a reading of “For My Next Life,” a Chinese poem written by Echo Chen Ping.
Nancy Nelson, a second grade teacher at Franklin Elementary School, led a call to action.
“We can protect everyone,” Nelson said. “We must speak up and we must demand change.”
To finish the opening program, Pullman High School student Emrik Gollnick provided a cello performance of “Unaccompanied Cello Suite No. 1: Prelude” by Johann Sebastian Bach, the most well-known piece of solo cello music.
While Rhee and Lin don’t have plans for any future events, they know change doesn’t stop here.
“We’ll see how things turn out,” Rhee said. “I think this is going to be a movement, not a moment.”
For more information on Stop Asian Hate on the Palouse and other Asian American advocacy groups, visit their Facebook page.
This story has been updated to clarify that three city councilors, Brandon Chapman, Dan Records and Nathan Weller, were in attendance.
Katarina Hockema can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @katarina___h
C. Brandon Chapman
I was pleased to be there, along with my fellow councilmembers Dan Records and Nathan Weller. It was a chance to support our friends, colleagues, and neighbors who are Asian-American and Pacific-Islander. Thanks to Yong Chae Rhee and Mei Lin for organizing this event and for all participants wearing masks and distancing. Together we can keep this movement going.
Nathan
3 Pullman council members were in attendance. Chapman, Records and Weller.