May 18 is the birthday of Vincent Chin, who was murdered in a hate crime in 1982. His death sparked a campaign for justice involving Asian American communities across the country.
To honor his legacy and to commemorate Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, Act to Change will host a conversation with author Paula Yoo and writer Philip Chung about Yoo’s latest book, “Rising from the Ashes: Los Angeles 1992,” and her 2021 book, “From a Whisper to a Rallying Cry: The Killing of Vincent Chin and the Trial That Galvanized the Asian American Movement.”
This event will be hosted on the sixth annual National Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Day Against Bullying and Hate, Saturday, May 18, from 4 to 5:30 p.m. at the Japanese American National Museum, 100 N. Central Ave. (at First Street) in Little Tokyo. RSVP at janm.org/events.
Act to Change said in a statement: “Act to Change is rallying the nation – including cities, elected officials, influencers, and community organizations – around the sixth annual National AAPI Day Against Bullying and Hate.
“May 18, 2024 would have been Vincent Chin’s 69th birthday. Chin’s life was cut short four decades ago in a hate crime where two men brutally attacked him just because he looked Asian.
“Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, nearly 11,500 cases of anti-AAPI violence and hate have been reported. AAPI youth face unprecedented amounts of bullying online and offline. Anti-Asian hate crimes decreased for the first time since the beginning of the pandemic – a 33% drop from 2021 to 2022.
“Our work of raising awareness and bullying prevention helps to increase tolerance, safety and belonging among AAPI youth. We are gathering on May 18 to honor Vincent Chin and to remind AAPI youth that you are the future of our nation, and that you all belong here.”