Hundreds of people volunteer to guide elderly Asian Americans to keep them safe

Hundreds of people volunteer to guide elderly Asian Americans to keep them safe

by

It was the second video of an unresolved attack on an elderly Asian American that Azevedo, an Oakland resident, saw on social media from the Bay within an hour, he told CNN.

Since the world learned of the new coronavirus outbreak in Wuhan, China, harassment and violence targeting the Asian American and Pacific Islander communities have increased rapidly in the United States.

More than 2,808 first-hand reports of anti-Asian hatred from 47 states and the District of Columbia were reported between March 19 and December 31, 2020, with 7.3% of incidents involving Asian Americans over 60, according to a report of Stop AAPI Hate, a coalition documenting anti-Asian hatred and discrimination amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Exhausted by the violence, Azevedo offered to walk with anyone in the Chinatown area of ​​Oakland on social media to help them feel safe.

“I was not going to be kind of vigilant,” Azevedo, 26, told CNN. “I just wanted to offer people some kind of comfort.”

His idea quickly resonated throughout the community and within days he had nearly 300 volunteers coming out to him to protect the community in a project now called Compassion in Oakland.

Azevedo, who is of Spanish descent, believes it is a moment for all minority groups to show solidarity with the Asian American community. He said people of all racial backgrounds and ages reached out to him who had the same desire to help support the community.

“This is important because this community only needs healing,” Azevedo said. “There is a lot of racial tension going on because of the rhetoric of the previous president, but in general, our communities need healing. This is an issue that has been going on for a while.”

Stop APPI Hate co-founder Cynthia Choi told CNN that crime and violence are nothing new to the Asian community.

“This is a problem and issue that is not getting much attention, especially in low-income communities,” Choi said. “And of course I think the pandemic has exacerbated the circumstances and exposed racial differences.”

Choi said in times of crisis when vulnerable people are being targeted, it is heartwarming to see community members step forward and take action.

“In Oakland, they’re planning this action, and it’s really less about control and more about supporting and showing up to the community,” she said. “It shows us older men who are scared, scared to leave their house that we are here. We want to support you, we are holding you now.”

Azevedo hopes the organization can work with law enforcement in the future to protect the community.

“All of us need to come together if we hope to make it a safer community for years to come,” Azevedo said.

The group planned a soft launch of the project on Saturday with some volunteer groups on the street. They hope to continue to build awareness of the issue in the community.

.Source