A year after the spa shootings in Atlanta, AAPI communities in  the U.S. are “still healing” and building “stronger ties.”

A year after the spa shootings in Atlanta, AAPI communities in  the U.S. are “still healing” and building “stronger ties.” We told you that racism is the top social cause that young people are passionate about right now. According to the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism, anti-Asian hate crimes increased 339% nationwide last year, while Stop AAPI Hate reports that there were nearly 11,000 attacks against Asian Americans reported in the U.S. from March 2020 to last December. Last week marked the one year anniversary of the spa shootings in Atlanta that killed six women of Asian descent. While AAPI around the country are still mourning the loss, many of them are honoring their lives by building “stronger ties” within their respective communities. In cities around the U.S., more efforts have been made to forge “more visibility, representation, and opportunities to come together.” In Nashville, a group of young Asians and Asian Americans formed API Middle Tennessee, a nonprofit aimed at uplifting Asian voices and working toward racial justice. In the last year, the group has hosted monthly happy hours, promoted local Asian-owned businesses, and helped community members register to vote. (NBC News, NPR)