How to Support the AAPI Community in Dallas Right Now

Since last Tuesday, the world has been reeling from the mass shootings in Georgia that left eight women dead. Many of those killed were of Asian descent, making this the most high profile in a string of hate crimes against the Asian American & Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities in America since the outbreak of Covid-19 within our borders. Together, we can do our own small part to show support by reaching out to your AAPI friends to let them know you’re on their side, patronizing AAPI-owned restaurants and other businesses, and donating your time and money to organizations that contribute to the advancement of AAPI people in Dallas and throughout the United States. Start by checking out Movement Hub and Stop AAPI Hate for national ways to support your AAPI neighbors, then read on for several ways you can easily help locally to affect change and make North Texas a welcoming place for all people. 

Former candidate for City Council Jonas Park launched a petition with change.org. In the petition he writes, “To make society safe, welcoming, and equitable, these acts of Anti-Asian violence must stop. As a member and leader of our celebrated American culture, I pledge to disavow anti-Asian sentiment and violence against those individuals of Asian descent.” Park himself received numerous messages of hate during his candidacy. A goal of 500 signatures is all it takes to get to the mayor.

Former candidate for City Council Jonas Park has also created a Facebook group—Stop Asian Hate Now—with the most up-to-date ways to support AAPI people. Park also has plans for an event on March 27 with details to come soon.

A national GoFundMe campaign, Support the AAPI Community Fund, inches closer to its $4 million goal after quickly surpassing an initial $500,000 target. Any amount will make a difference and funds raised will be distributed to organizations that empower and uplift the AAPI community.

Even if you don’t have a bag of extra cash lying around the house, you can help with an equally important asset—your time. The Asian Chamber of Texas currently needs help with a variety of projects, as does the Japan America Society Dallas-Fort Worth chapter, the Dallas Chinese Community Center, and the India Association of North Texas. These nonprofits also welcome donations to support their missions. 

If you see a person (AAPI or otherwise) being harrassed, harmed, or otherwise targeted by another individual and you can’t intervene, recording the incident on video can be of great help to the authorities in prosecuting individuals who break the law in the process of spreading their hate.

Everyone loves Asian food and right now, grabbing a meal with family and friends or ordering up a bunch of takeout can have a huge impact. From Chinese and Japanese to Indian and Filipino (plus everything in between), you won’t find a more comprehensive list of food and beverage venues than this map created by a Facebook user group of Asian-owned restaurants. To date, they currently have more than 700 establishments listed alphabetically by North Texas city. Or simply click around on the map to find the places closest to you. It’s entirely possible you’ll discover something fantastic in your own backyard.

Supporting AAPI-owned businesses impacts the community in positive ways for everyone: You get a great product or service and their businesses thrive. One resource that features a sampling of businesses in North Texas can be found courtesy of the Asia in Dallas website. 

Steven Lindsey is a Thrillist Contributor.