A national civil rights activist and the journalist who helped bring Vincent Chin’s murder to the American conscience is coming to Atlanta in March for a conversation about anti-Asian hate, gender-based violence, and what communities can do about both.
The Asian Pacific Institute on Gender-Based Violence is hosting Helen Zia at Emory University School of Law on March 5 for “Meeting the Moment: A Dialogue with Helen Zia,” a panel discussion focused on the intersection of anti-AAPI hate and gender-based violence affecting Asian American, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander, Middle Eastern, and North African communities.
WSB-TV anchor to moderate
Zia will be joined by Emory University history professor Chris Suh, with WSB-TV anchor Sophia Choi moderating. The event is open to the Atlanta community, with tickets available online.
Anti-immigrant rhetoric has intensified nationally, and reported incidents targeting AAPI communities have increased alongside it. In Georgia, those trends hit a population that has grown significantly in recent decades and now holds real political weight. The state’s AAPI legislative caucus is the largest in the nation, a development that has only recently registered on the national radar but reflects years of organizing by local advocates.
API-GBV, a national nonprofit, has worked alongside many of those advocates. The organization focuses specifically on survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking in AANHPI and MENA communities, where cultural and language barriers can make accessing services especially difficult.
Federal cuts add urgency
Monica Khant, CEO of API-GBV, said the event is also a chance to spotlight the Atlanta organizations that have been doing that work for years.
“We pay tribute to the leadership of AANHPI women in Atlanta who have been paving the way for a safer and more equitable future,” Khant said. “We are so honored to have Helen, a fierce advocate and pioneer in the movement against gender-based violence, join us in Atlanta to witness the Atlanta community’s grassroots organizing and resilience firsthand.”
Local AANHPI businesses and community organizations will be featured at the event, and all proceeds will support API-GBV’s work connecting survivors to culturally specific resources. Organizers noted that federal funding cuts have put additional strain on the local groups that provide those services, making community fundraising more important than in previous years.
A sponsor reception with Zia is scheduled for March 4. The main event is March 5 at Emory Law. Tickets and sponsorship information are available.