🥉 bronze at the 62nd hatch awards
stop aapi hate
during the pandemic, a rise in anti-aapi sentiment drastically impacted asian-americans. now, familiar and ordinary situations can turn sinister and deadly— and that’s unacceptable. let’s end the hate epidemic by spreading awareness and encouraging connection.
art direction: jaimie leung
copy, sound design: ahro choe
walls will be set up in cities with a lot of foot traffic. there will be questions pertaining to AAPI experience and hate written on the walls, and people walking by can write their answers directly on them with provided markers.
VO:
There’s a Korean granny who lives across the hall and brings me oxtail soup on cold, rainy days. She says I remind her of her granddaughter who goes to school on the other side of the country.
Last month, someone spat in her face and told her to go back to China.
There have been a few rainy days since then and I haven’t seen her around. So I Googled an oxtail soup recipe and tried my hand at it.
It’s too watery, but the smile she gave me almost looked like her again.
ANNCR:
Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, hate crimes against Asians in America increased 339%. But we’re more than scapegoats and statistics, and we won’t let hate define us. Help us end the hate epidemic by visiting stopaapihate.org.
VO:
The subway used to be an opportunity to nap before work.
Now I stay alert, eyes open, music on low, just in case someone tries to approach me. Just in case something happens.
Last week, an elderly Filipino man was beaten while taking this route. A Chinese-American woman was pushed onto the same tracks we just rolled over.
It feels like the metal walls of the car are closing in on me. I rip out my earbuds. No more music, no more distractions.
Just in case someone tries to approach me. Just in case something happens.
ANNCR:
Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, hate crimes against Asians in America increased 339%. But we’re more than scapegoats and statistics, and we won’t let hate define us. Help us end the hate epidemic by visiting stopaapihate.org.
VO:
My mom called me out of the blue a day after a Chinese woman was stalked and stabbed in New York City. Like always, it wasn’t a very long conversation.
She told me to eat less sugar and eat more vegetables.
She told me to be careful on my way home from work.
She told me to keep my jade necklace on at all times, for good luck.
She told me that she loved me.
And that’s when I knew she was scared.
ANNCR:
Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, hate crimes against Asians in America increased 339%. But we’re more than scapegoats and statistics, and we won’t let hate define us. Help us end the hate epidemic by visiting stopaapihate.org.