Asian American and Pacific Islander Organizations in Athens, Ohio records

During the Coronavirus-19 pandemic from 2019 to 2022 (ongoing), Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in the United States reported an increase in hate crimes against their community.(1) Because of the virus' apparent origin in China and the racialization of the pandemic, all ethnically Asian individuals in the U.S. became potential victims of racial violence.(2) In response to the violence, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders across the United States launched the #StopAAPIHate movement in 2021 to call attention to the physical attacks against the community. Likewise, in Athens, Ohio, AAPI community members and students, faculty, and staff of Ohio University founded three organizations to support their community. In 2021 Fan Jiang, Noriko Kantake, and Yi-Ting Wang founded the Athens Asian American Alliance, a community-based organization. Students Gracyn Kent, Megan Rose, Katie Hall, and Jake Boyk founded the Asian American Pacific Islander Student Union to create a safe space of solidarity for students and a space to learn about the diverse cultures within the AAPI group. Finally, Ji-Yeung Jang, Yuqiu You, Sau Chun Lam, MaryKathyrine Tran, Takaaki Suzuki, Liang Tao, Lijing Yang, Yuchun Zhou, Mei Wei, Pittaya Paladroi-Shane, Jeffrey Shane, and Joshua Hill founded AAPI-LEAD, an employee affinity group to foster networking, professional development, awareness, and support for Asian, Asian American, and Pacific Islanders at Ohio University. These organizations were the first of their kind in Athens and at Ohio University to support the AAPI community.

1. Melissa Borja and Jacob Gibson. “Anti-Asian Racism in 2020.” University of Michigan Virulent Hate Project and Reports.

2. Yellow Horse, Aggie J., Russell Jeung, and Ronae Matriano. “Stop Asian Hate National Report.” Stop AAPI Hate, March 19, 2020, to September 20, 2021.