Dozens rally at courthouse against racism, violence against AAPI community

Photos by Zach Zimmerman.

Dozens of students, professors and members of the community gathered outside the Athens County Courthouse Saturday afternoon to unite against violence and racism toward Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, as well as other racial minority groups.

The Stop Asian Hate Rally was organized by the Chinese Learners Association of Ohio University in the wake of the Atlanta spa shootings that occurred March 16, where six out of eight of the victims were women of Asian descent, according to The New York Times.

The rally began with a recognition of those who were killed in the shootings followed by a moment of silence. 

Chants of “stop AAPI hate,” “love is the answer” and “we belong here too” were echoed by those in attendance. Signs were held up that read “Stop Asian Hate,” “Not Your Model Minority” and “Hate Is a Virus,” while a large banner read “Stop Racism & Bullying.” 

Several Ohio University professors attended the rally as well as Athens Mayor Steve Patterson. 

During his speech to the crowd, Patterson said he felt heartbroken when he found out about the Atlanta shootings and destroyed that the victims were mostly Asian women.  

Patterson stressed the need to overcome systemic racism in America while criticizing the response to the mass shootings from the police captain who said the shooter was having “a bad day.” 

“We as a nation have got to get it together, and figure out how we are going to overcome 400 years of systemic racism,” Patterson said. “When I heard the words, ‘Hey, he may have just had a bad day,’ you know what, I can’t think of anything more that is enabling and continuing systemic racism than having something like that said.” 

Patterson also said he and Athens City Council want to meet quarterly with members of the AAPI community in Athens and at Ohio U to hear what they have to say regarding racism. 

Psychology Professor Lindsay Dhanani was one of the other main speakers at the rally. She criticized those who have ignored the motive of hate crimes against Asians. 

“People are tempted to reinterpret the motive and view the fact that all the people targeted in the horrific attack as some sort of coincidence,” Dhanani said. 

Dhanani emphasized the need to recognize and stop other instances of racism toward the AAPI community.

“Racist slurs about the virus is violence. Leaving people economically insecure and subjected to joblessness is violence. Sexualizing Asian women is violence,” Dhanani said. “And it also requires that we recognize who in our community is most vulnerable.” 

Following Dhanani’s speech, several attendees were given the microphone to voice their thoughts and feelings. Each shared their own personal experiences with racism, with one woman reading the poem “What Kind of Asian Are You?” by Alex Dang. 

Jake Boyk shared his perspective as an immigrant from Seoul, South Korea, who grew up in rural Ohio. He talked about growing up in a neighborhood where many houses flew confederate flags, being taunted in playgrounds by white children and his own soccer teammates calling him racial slurs. 

“How is a little boy supposed to feel accepted when his peers and his friends judge him based on the color of his skin?” Boyk asked. 

Following the speeches, the rally goers marched from the courthouse down to Baker Center, across to the top of Morton Hill and back around College Green before returning down Court Street, finishing where the rally started. The entire time they chanted, “stop Asian hate” and “hate is a virus.” 

In an interview after the rally ended, Boyk shared how important he thinks it is to speak out against violence against the AAPI community.  

“It’s a matter of life or death,” Boyk said. “I’m here for the people that were murdered in Atlanta. I’m here for all the people that are being slashed on the street just because of the way they look.” 

He said he hoped his words resonated and that they could be a small part of a bigger change. 

“Hopefully someday we can see some real change and how to be socially equal in this country,” Boyk said.