Fresno 'Unity Against Hate' Rally to be held Saturday to confront anti-Asian hate

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Hate incidents and violence against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have continued at alarming rates.

The latest data from the group Stop AAPI Hate shows more than 6,000 hate incidents against Asians and Pacific Islanders were reported to the organization between mid-March of 2020 to March 2021.

But many go unreported because of a language barrier or general distrust in law enforcement and government, according to advocates.

"A very good friend of mine who is Asian American, she was jogging in broad daylight, and there was a man and his two children riding their bike. What the men did was very surprising. He jumped off and he coughed in her face," said Chong Yang, chair of the Asian Pacific Islander American Public Affairs Fresno Chapter.

Activists say now is the time to speak up and make their voices heard.

"My parents have always said, 'stay quiet, and stay out of trouble,' and I think that when we do that, then we are forgotten, and we make ourselves invisible in times like this," said Yang.

This Saturday, 16 cities across the country are holding rallies to address anti-Asian Hate.

In Fresno, the "Unity Against Hate" rally will be held at the Save Mart Center at 11 am.

In addition to attacks against the AAPI community, the rally will echo the voices of many who have experienced hate crimes based on their race, nationality, and identity.

"This is where we want to start a conversation and provide a place for people to hear the pain and the struggle that our Asian American and Pacific Islander community has endured since COVID-19."

Yang says hate crimes are hard to prove and is pushing for policy reform to hold people accountable for their actions.