History: Stop AAPI Hate and AA CARES

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the world witnessed a significant increase in anti-Asian violence. Three major organizations (Chinese for Affirmative Action, AAPI Equity Alliance, and SFSU’s Asian American Studies Department) banded together to form Stop AAPI Hate, a coalition to provide a space for the Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) community to document the widespread harassment, discrimination, and attacks happening within and to our community. Between 2020 - 2022, the coalition documented 11,500+ incidents. These stories were being reported by folks of all ages, genders, and ethnicities. Our community now had significant data on what was happening to our children, our elders, our parents, and ourselves. It was clear that AAPI communities were being targeted across the country and suffering. Where there was once a need for data, the information we now have reflects an emerging communal need for healing. 

SFSU Asian American Studies Department was awarded funding from the California legislation for Stop AAPI Hate. Subsequently, the Asian American Collective Action for Racial Equity & Solidarity (AA CARES) was founded in 2023 and housed within SFSU’s College of Ethnic Studies. We work with our co-founding partners to fulfill our mission to heal and unify each other by pioneering community-forward initiatives through our three pillars: Research, Educational Equity, and Narrative Change. Our story started with Stop AAPI Hate and is unfolding towards a future that includes equity and solidarity for all people.