LOUISVILLE, Ky. — “Stop Asian hate.”
It was the rallying cry heard at a Waterfront Park vigil honoring the lives of the eight people killed in the Atlanta spa shootings.
State Representative Nima Kulkarni, the only Asian American lawmaker serving in the General Assembly held the event to raise awareness of the rise in violence against the Asian American and Pacific Islander community.
“[We are] Making sure that we understand what they’re going through – that they know that and that we are raising awareness of our own Asian communities here in Louisville, she said. I think that’s really important,” Rep. Kulkarni said.
Six of the victims killed on Tuesday were Asian American women.
Research shows crimes against Asian Americans jumped by almost 150% from 2019 to 2020.
It is also the reason why the Asian Institute Crane House, based in Old Louisville, hopes to create a new resources for this community.
"We'd like be the convener and build that coalition cause honestly right now I don't think if a hate crime happened right here in Louisville people would know where to go," Joel Buno, Asian Institute Crane House, said.
Over a dozen Louisville organizations joined together to stand in solidarity with the grieving Atlanta families, and Asian Americans across the country.
"I think its very important that our voice can be heard in particular this kind of time," Li Yang, vice president of the Assoc. of Chinese Americans in Kentuckiana, said.
Many who participated in Sunday's event said they want to raise their voice, because they feel many in the Asian community often stay silent. Tuesday's attacks also brought to the forefront the conversation surrounding Asian hate crimes, and the fact that many go un-reported.
"It's important to have some Asian representation. I mean unless you have exposure a lot of people are unfamiliar with what's going on with our community," Buno said.
Representation from the Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese and other communities Sunday night all had the message to stop Asian hate, also calling out the attacks on Asian Americans over the past year.
State and local lawmakers, LMPD officers, including Chief Erika Shields, attended in support.
"We have to love each other, we have to work together. Don't hate each other," Hanna Yun, president of the Korean American Assoc. of Kentuckiana said.
"Our community is one that's a strong community. We love each other and we will heal," Buno said.
Rep. Kulkarni, who organized the event, plans to file a resolution in Frankfort denouncing the violence in Georgia.
"There's been a 150% spike in acts of aggression. It may not be mass murder but there's physical assault, verbal assault, online harassment, vandalism that folks throughout this country have been experiencing so we want to make sure we point out we stand with the grieving families," she said.
The Asian American leaders say it made a difference to see how much support the community has in Louisville, with those who came out to stand by their side.
"I'm feeling very optimistic and very excited. I'm feeling very supported," Yang said.
Yang also said there is work to be done to further change, but Sunday's event was a "good starting point."
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