011 - Helpers in the Time of Coronavirus

Asian Americana

Photo credit: Bryan Sih / CCED

We explore the stories of Asian Americans working to defend our communities from attacks, the volunteers organizing direct aid to vulnerable populations, the people translating information into terms and languages so more can understand, and the local businesses helping each other and their communities survive during Covid-19.

We can’t stress enough, though: Asian Americans are doing all these things because we care about our communities — not because we need to prove to anyone our right to belong. This is a continuation of the work that’s long been happening in our communities.

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We mentioned a lot of projects, campaigns, and organizations in today’s show. You can find information about all of them below.

And we know there are SO many more happening across the country. If you’d like to share about some efforts, organizations, and communities you know about, I’d love to hear them.

Just send me a voice recording at quincy [at] asianamericana.com with your name, where you’re at, and the efforts you’d like to share; maybe I’ll use it on the show!

#HateisaVirus

HateisaVirus is one of many campaigns spreading awareness and information about how to respond to hate incidents. Learn more about #Hateisavirus on their website. Other awareness campaigns out there include #WashtheHate and #Racismisavirus.

A3PCON and Stop AAPI Hate - Hate Incident Reporting

A3PCON is collecting data about hate incidents targeting Asian Americans. They have created a multilingual incident reporting form and provided other resources about how to respond to such incidents. All these can be found on their website at Stop AAPI Hate.

Photo credit: Bryan Sih / CCED

SEACA and CCED - Mutual Aid and Chinatown

SEACA and CCED are organizations providing mutual aid in Los Angeles’ Chinatown and nearby neighborhoods. Their work includes food and cleaning supply deliveries, in-language check-ins with residents, businesses, families, and seniors, along with community organizing efforts. You can support SEACA and CCED’s mutual aid efforts by donating on SEACA’s website — be sure to note the donation as “LA Chinatown Mutual Aid Fund.”

Day by Day Comic by APIAHF and artist Minnie Phan, from their April 30 Community Care Package.

APIA Health Forum - Community Language Library

APIA Health Forum has collected various Covid-19 resources on their website. This includes their community library for in-language resources. If you have more in-language resources to share with them, you can submit them on their Google Form.

You can also sign up for their Community Care Package here. They can also be found on Medium; the first issue is available here. And you can support them by donating.

The SEAD Project - Southeast Asian language resources

The SEAD Project has resources available on their website, including materials in English, Burmese, Hmong, Karen, Khmer, Lao, and Việt. You can support their work through their shop or donations.

Malaka Gharib - Comic/Zine about Coronavirus

Malaka Gharib’s comic zine helping to explain the Coronavirus to children can be found on NPR’s website. A version that can be printed out and folded into a zine is also available here. It is also available in Chinese here.

Little Tokyo

Organizations like Little Tokyo Service Center, Little Tokyo Community Council, and others have been providing aid and assistance in Los Angeles’ Little Tokyo neighborhood. Little Tokyo Service Center’s Covid-19 resources can be found on their site. They also have a site detailing their small business assistance.

You can also donate to the Little Tokyo Community Feeding Community project here.

James Choi’s post on Cafe Dulce’s Instagram about Kouraku. (Click to see the original post)

James Choi, owner of Cafe Dulce in Little Tokyo, made an Instagram post that helped inspire Kouraku, a restaurant in Little Tokyo, to reach their customers by joining Facebook.

Kouraku’s first Facebook post. (Click to see the original post)

Feed the Frontliners delivers food to medical workers. Photo from The Park’s Finest.

The Park’s Finest - Feed the Frontliners

After their restaurants The Park’s Finest BBQ and Thunderbolt LA were impacted by Covid-19 public policies, shelter-in-place, and social distancing, they turned their efforts to feeding medical staff, firehouses, and other frontliners during the pandemic. Information about their Feed the Frontliners project can be found on their website. You can donate to Feed the Frontliners on their GoFundMe page.

Music from the episode

Home, by Jason Chu; available on his upcoming album, Living Room, available for pre-order now.

Windmill, by Connie Lim; her current music can be heard as MILCK.

Chinatown, as performed by Nobuko Miyamoto, Nancy Sekizawa, and Benny Yee at the Tuesday Night Cafe. The song is written by Benny Yee and copyrighted to EmploYee Music.

Almost Time, by Surrija; available on her new self-titled album.

Croptender, by the Fighting Cocks as recorded at the Tuesday Night Cafe.