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On March 16, 2021, six Asian women working at a spa in Atlanta, Georgia were shot and killed. Delaina Ashley Yaun, Paul Andre Michels, Xiaojie Tan and Daoyou Feng all lost their lives for being of Asian descent and on March 19 Robert Aaron Long was found guilty of the murders. Following this mass shooting, many Asians began to speak up about their own experiences with racial discrimination and are concerned for their safety and the safety of their loved ones. Verbal assaults, harassment, physical violence, scapegoating and discrimination against Asians have taken place for years, however these incidents have increased 150% since 2019.
On April 22, 2021, a bill of rights known as the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act was passed in Congress to help combat hate crimes against Asians. The bill provides guidance for local law enforcement agencies regarding the reporting of hate crimes, the expansion of public education campaigns and how to prevent discriminatory language toward Asians. This bill lets the Asian Community know that finally their voices are being heard and their concerns addressed. Sherry Ho, Carrollton Mandarin teacher wrote, “I heard a bill of rights has been passed to address hate crimes against Asians on April 22. It is a start having Americans face this problem now and possibly to stop it in the future.”
Ms. Ho added, “Hate crime is illegal and unacceptable. There is no reason for hate crime. We all are humans. Human life matters.”
