By Stephanie Chan, Member of the Cherry Blossom Giving Circle
Stephanie Chan
Growing up, I was surrounded by a large extended family, went to Dim Sum, and looked forward to receiving red envelopes during the Lunar New Year. As I’ve gotten older (and hopefully wiser), one of the things I’ve yearned for most has been a connection to my heritage and culture.
A few years ago, I joined the Cherry Blossom Giving Circle, a local group of volunteers who work to create positive change for Greater Washington’s underserved Asian American and Pacific Islanders. We’ve been a donor-advised fund at The Community Foundation for the past ten years, during which we’ve raised money and awareness for a wide range of AAPI-serving organizations doing direct service work, advocacy, historical and cultural preservation, and more. And, in response to COVID-19, supporting organizations doing anti-racism work.
Anti-racism work is more critical now than ever in our society—especially as Anti-Asian hate crimes have spiked during the coronavirus pandemic in our region. At the Cherry Blossom Giving Circle, we wanted to do something about it.
In partnership with the Metro-DC chapter of Asian Americans in Philanthropy, we launched a campaign to raise money for local AAPI organizations doing anti-racism work during the pandemic. With these COVID-19 relief funds, we chose to support the following organizations:
Asian American LEAD (AALEAD) supports low-income and underserved Asian Pacific American youth in DC; Montgomery County, MD, and Northern Virginia with educational empowerment, identity development, and leadership opportunities through after school, summer, and mentoring programs. In response to the heightened anti-Asian discrimination around COVID-19, which directly impacts the physical and mental wellness of our community, AALEAD has been conducting one-on-one and group check-ins for youth to share their experiences of discrimination and bullying and connect them to the support they need.
Asian/Pacific Islander Domestic Violence Resource Project (DVRP) provides services to survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault in DC, Maryland, and Virginia. Through the COVID-19 pandemic, DVRP continues serving its clients and community through continuous coverage of its hotline. DVRP is encouraging those who have experienced a hate incident related to COVID-19 but do not feel comfortable contacting local authorities to reach out to DVRP staff who can record and monitor these incidents and provide peer support and system navigation
National Korean American Service & Education Consortium – Virginia (NAKASEC-VA) organizes Korean and Asian Americans in Northern Virginia to achieve social, economic, and racial justice. In response to the coronavirus crisis, NAKASEC-VA’s efforts are focused on providing accessible and in-language COVID-19 resources, COVID-19 related advocacy, and developing new ways for members to stay connected, among many other priorities.
We must speak out when we see racism and prejudice against any individual or community—whether Asian, Black, Indigenous and People of Color. We can use this moment during COVID-19 as a “reset” button to imagine a more equitable approach for philanthropy and for the Greater Washington community.
Join us in standing up against anti-Asian racism by supporting the Cherry Blossom Giving Circle. Learn more at https://dcgivingcircle.wordpress.com/