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By: Nathaniel J. Greene, BBN

In the midst of rising anti-Asian hate crimes across the United States, the National Asian Resource Hub has emerged as a beacon of hope and support for the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities. Developed collaboratively by the largest AAPI research and policy advocacy organizations, Asian Americans Advancing Justice Southern California (AJSOCAL) and Asian Americans Advancing Justice – AAJC, with the substantial backing of Microsoft, this digital platform aims to tackle the surge in discrimination and harassment faced by AAPI individuals.

On Feb. 29, Ethnic Media Services held a briefing where panelists explained how the hub works. Panelists included Connie Chung Joe, Chief Executive Officer of AJSOCAL; Steven Zhang, a senior research analyst at AJSOCAL; John C. Yang, Asian Americans Advancing Justice – AAJC; and Merisa Heu-Weller, Chief of Staff in Microsoft’s Technology and Corporate Responsibility (TCR) group.

After the event, June Lim, the Director of Data and Research at AJSOCAL and Marita Etcubanez, Vice President of Strategic Initiatives at AAJC, further shared insights into the genesis of this critical initiative during a follow-up interview with a Houston television station.

“At AJSOCAL, our commitment is towards safeguarding the rights and dignities of AAPI communities, especially those who are most disadvantaged,” Lim explained.

Connie Chung Joe, Asian Americans Advancing Justice Southern California (AJSOCAL), discusses the tools and information available on the Asian Resource Hub and explains how the hub serves the AANHPI community.

Despite offering services to over 15,000 clients annually and having helplines in eight Asian languages, Lim highlighted a significant gap in community awareness about available support services. This realization came about following a community survey conducted in the San Gabriel Valley area of Los Angeles during the peak of the pandemic, revealing a lack of support perceived by the AAPI community for victims of racial discrimination and harassment.

Addressing this need, AJSOCAL, together with Advancing Justice – AAJC, embarked on creating the National Asian Resource Hub.

“Our first goal was to immerse viewers in the experience of Asian Americans facing a surge of hatred, using vibrant, interactive data,” Lim stated.

Merisa Heu-Weller, Chief of Staff, Microsoft’s Technology and Corporate Responsibility (TCR) Group, shares how Microsoft has lent its support and expertise to the Asian Resource Hub.

The hub also aims to provide a searchable national directory of organizations offering culturally and linguistically appropriate support. The website utilizes “scrolly-telling” to present data, a method that combines storytelling with scrolling, featuring visualizations, graphics, charts, photographs, and pop-up text reports on anti-Asian hate.

The development of the hub was fueled by a commitment from Microsoft and the collaboration between AJSOCAL and Advancing Justice AAJC. The hub not only serves as an informative platform about anti-Asian hate but also as a resource directory to assist community members in finding necessary help.

Etcubanez emphasized the importance of listing local organizations within the hub to ensure individuals can find help within their communities. The hub’s resource directory includes a wide range of social services, including mental health, legal services, and education, searchable by address, zip code, language, and type of services needed.

“It was incredibly important to list local organizations so folks can find help in their communities,” Etcubanez mentioned.

John C. Yang, Asian Americans Advancing Justice – AAJC (Advancing Justice-AAJC), discusses the impact of hate on the AANHPI community and how the Asian Resource Hub can respond to and strengthen the community as it faces increasing discrimination and violence.

To keep the information comprehensive and current, the hub relies on direct inputs from the listed organizations, allowing for updates and the addition of new resources. Furthermore, the hub offers translation features for multiple Asian languages, with plans to expand these translations to include Hindi, Kamai, Tagalog, and Thai.

The creators of this initiative hope to bridge the information gap and empower individuals facing anti-Asian hate, ensuring they have the necessary resources to seek help and support.