TX NAHJ Statement against anti-Asian and Pacific Islander hate and violence
The National Association of Hispanic Journalists at UT Austin (TX NAHJ) unequivocally condemns all forms of hatred toward racial and ethnic groups but finds the recent rise in anti-Asian American and Pacific Islander hate crimes particularly disturbing. The shooting of six Asian women in Atlanta, Georgia last month was a heartbreaking example of the extent of Asian American hate in our country, but this is far from the only example. 16 of the United States’ largest cities have seen a 145% increase in anti-Asian American hate crimes, according to the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism analysis. Unfortunately, there is evidence that this is an underestimate, as most hate crimes and incidents go unreported. We recognize that the Hispanic and Latinx community specifically harbors anti-Asian sentiments. We hope our organization can work within our community to dispel this hatred through representational media portrayals of the Asian community.
We must stand with AAPI journalists and community members to help bring to light and put a stop to this hate. Our TX NAHJ members must be aware of how our coverage shapes the perception of AAPI communities. We must all aim to promote the fair, accurate and informed coverage of AAPI experiences in our newsrooms. We must listen, support and uplift the unique perspective of AAPI journalists in our newsrooms and inform ourselves on how we can help support their coverage. Please reference some of the resources below to inform your reporting.
Reporting Guide – Asian American Journalist Association
The Asian American Journalist Association has a guide on covering the Asian American community and avoid perpetuating any stereotypes, assumptions or generalization.
Anti-AAPI Hate Crime Reports and Statistics — Stop AAPI Hate reporting center
We must keep track and report on these crimes to fulfill our responsibility as journalists. The Asian American Studies Department of San Francisco State University, Chinese for Affirmative Action (CAA) and The COVID-19 pandemic, the Asian Pacific Planning and Policy Council (A3PCON) launched the Stop AAPI Hate reporting center to track incidents of hate, violence, harassment, and discrimination against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in the United States.
Mental Health Resources — Asian Mental Health Collective
We must also consider how being exposed and surrounded by this hate impacts the mental health of our journalists. Please share this resource with your colleagues and friends to ensure they can stay well during this time. The Asian Mental Health Collective aims to make mental health service more accessible worldwide.