Act To Change Rallying the Nation to Mark National Asian American and Pacific Islander Day Against Bullying and Hate

May 18, 2023, marks the fifth annual Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) National Day Against Bullying and Hate, led by AAPI anti-bullying nonprofit Act To Change. AAPI youth have long faced violence, hate, and bullying, and Act To Change is rallying the nation on this day to celebrate and uplift AAPI youth.

In recognition of the fifth annual National AAPI Day Against Bullying and Hate, actor, author, and Act To Change co-founder Maulik Pancholy issued the following statement:

It’s critical now more than ever that we protect and empower our Asian American and Pacific Islander communities. The AAPI community continues to face an epidemic of hate, bullying, gun violence and mental health challenges. Act To Change is marking the annual National AAPI Day Against Bullying and Hate to honor the legacy of Vincent Chin, to call on our leaders to provide adequate resources to combat the compounding issues faced by AAPIs, and to celebrate the resilience of AAPI youth.

National AAPI Day Against Bullying and Hate is observed during Asian American Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month and on May 18, the birthday of Vincent Chin, who was murdered in an anti-Asian hate crime in 1982. This year would have been his 68th birthday.

Major companies are joining Act To Change to mark this day, including Sephora, Netflix, The Asian American Foundation, Teach For America, and Warner Music Group.

The more than 20 participating cities and states in the National AAPI Day Against Bullying and Hate include:

Atlanta, GA
Boston, MA
Charlotte, NC
Cleveland, OH
Honolulu, HI
Montgomery, AL
Indianapolis, IN
Jacksonville, FL
New Orleans, LA
Philadelphia, PA
Riverside, CA
Washington, DC
State of Colorado
State of Louisiana
State of Michigan
State of Ohio

Participating celebrities and influencers at the May 18 Gala include:

Sheetal Sheth, award-winning actress, author, and producer

- Bing Chen, CEO of AU Holdings & Gold House
- Daniel Martin, celebrity makeup artist, and Global Director of Artistry and Education of Tatcha

Elizabeth Kleinrock, anti-bias and anti-racist educator, and Founder of Teach and Transform

Sarah Ha, Vice President, National Community Alliances at Teach For America

Gala honorees and awardees include:

Daniel Dae Kim, 2023 Impact Awardee

OPM Director Kiran Ahuja, 2023 Impact Awardee

Annie Leyao Dong, Changemaker of the Year

Ryan Alexander Holmes, Changemaker of the Year

Sephora, Partnership Organization of the Year

AAPI Youth Rising, Allied Organization of the Year

The National AAPI Day Against Bullying and Hate is a celebration of AAPI youth. AAPI youth are changemakers who organize within their schools and communities, and fight bullying with awareness, art, creativity, and compassion. Act To Change’s Youth Ambassadors and Homeroom Anti-Bullying Workshop participants lead exceptional programming and workshops among their peers. AAPI youth grow up to become exceptional leaders, and inspire the nation.

America has a longstanding history of anti-AAPI racism and violence, and AAPI youth grow up feeling the need to prove their Americanness. The COVID-19 pandemic led to a staggering rise in verbal and physical violence against AAPIs, with nearly 12,000 incidents reported to Stop AAPI Hate. AAPI youth continue to become targets of ridicule, social isolation, and physical violence in schools. Cyberbullying is another worrying issue, contributing to low self-esteem, social anxiety, depression, and suicidal thoughts. All communities of color, including AAPIs, are disproportionately impacted by gun violence. The mass shootings this year in Monterey Park, CA, Half Moon Bay, CA, and Allen, TX, along with near-daily school shootings force our communities to live in fear.

The fifth annual AAPI National Day Against Bullying and Hate will be a strong reminder to AAPI youth that we all belong here. If you are a company, organization, or individual interested in becoming a sponsor or partner for National AAPI Day Against Bullying and Hate, visit acttochange.org/2023dayagainstbullying or email info@acttochange.org

To join the conversation on social media, use #DayAgainstBullying and #ActToChange.

Originally launched under President Obama’s White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, Act To Change is a national nonprofit organization working to end bullying among AAPI youth. It envisions a world where all youth can grow up feeling proud of and supported in who they are.

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