Artist Drue Kataoka Helps Crowdfund to Protect Asian Elders, Change Hate Crime Laws

February 25, 2021

Japanese American visual artist and activist Drue Kataoka has organized a fundraiser to support the Asian American Federation, a non-profit organization that aims to end discrimination and violence toward the Asian community.

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Through the crowdfunding platform GoFundMe, Kataoka set a goal of $10,000 for Asian American Federation Inc., an organization established in 1989 to “raise the well-being of the pan-Asian American community.”

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With the help of other Asian activists, Kataoka surpassed this initial goal shortly after engaging in a Clubhouse discussion on steps needed to fight anti-Asian hate.

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“The surge in anti-Asian violence in 2021, building on that in 2020 sparked by Covid, is alarming, particularly targeting the vulnerable elderly,” Kataoka wrote on her GoFundMe page.

She cited numerous cases that have sparked a national outcry to end violence and racism toward the Asian community: “An 84-year-old Thai-American Vicha Ratanapakdee was murdered. A 64 year-old Vietnamese grandmother was assaulted in San Jose. On the same day a Filipino American slashed across the face on the subway. Last week, elementary teacher Matthew Leung was beaten until he got a concussion and lost a finger. Racism is maiming and killing us. Asian Americans are Americans too.”

According to Kataoka, AAF is doing its part to fight anti-Asian hate through the following:

1) Advocacy & Amplifying – these hate crimes’ coverage in mainstream media where they are purposefully buried

2) Ambassador Programs – To help elderly people have accompaniment to the grocery store, etc, because they are unsafe

3) Community Organizing – pressuring local government to change hate crime policies to recognize hate crimes as such

4) Support for low-income – Asian communities who are afraid to report to the police. Assisting with distributing materials in 7 Asian languages

As of this writing, the initiative has raised over $13,000 of its current $15,000 goal.

Do you have a hate incident to report? Help us document the recent rise in hate crimes against Asian Americans by going to STOP AAPI HATE to report an incident. Please stay safe out there.

Feature Image via Drue Kataoka

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