Mutual aid is good

Method Given their long history in the community, Asian American communities have taken part in mutual aid activities more extensively during this epidemic. To support this claim, I searched the website “ProQuest” in the newspaper section, using the terms "Mutual aid", and "Asian Americans", language: English, and publication date: March 1, 2020 - December 1, 2021. The number of articles found by this search was 276, of which I could analyze 50, only 15 of which applied to mutual aid networks in Asian American communities during the pandemic. Findings In these articles, the Asian American community is described as a hardworking group that came together more after being discriminated against during the pandemic, and their sense of mutual aid was strengthened. "During times of crisis, it's easy for us to forget that our AAPI communities are based upon a long history of grassroots action, especially via varied artistic forms of expression.” says the program manager for Pao Arts Center. Indeed, Chinatowns and other Asian community enclaves have always been sites of creativity, aesthetic innovation, and imaginative production that are not well known or often highlighted. (Corrie, 2021). Despite the range, complexity, and sheer volume of Asian American art production, Chinatowns, in particular, remain stigmatized in the public consciousness as places of urban degradation, mysterious foreignness, and even sickness. (Corrie, 2021). Historically, Chinatown and other Asian communities have always countered such representations and beliefs with creativity. Asian American communities have also been reshaped by the pandemic. Meanwhile, an online course about identity and history sparked a connection between a group of Asian American women across the country. It soon led to a group chat and a monthly Zoom support group. “I feel so bonded to them, even though their experiences might not be the same as mine,” Amy Ding says of her new virtual cohort. “As Asian women, there was deep healing and a deep yearning for more of this type of community.” At a time in which staying 6 ft. apart has often hampered intimacy (Lang & Monn, 2021). Following the murder of George Floyd, Ding felt compelled to learn more about her Asian American identity to be a better BIPOC ally. Ding and the six other Asian American women—ranging in age from their mid-20s to their late 30s—wanted to continue to meet regularly after the course ended. Located across the U.S. in states from New York (where Ding lives) to Missouri to Texas, they started a WhatsApp group chat and have met virtually on Zoom every month since January. In these video calls, the group discusses topics ranging from books and podcasts that celebrate Asian American voices to navigating relationships, both personal and professional, as Asian American women. The conversations are lighthearted, and in others, the women share their stories about microaggressions and racism. “There’s been a lot of experiences of being gaslit,” Ding tells her story as an Asian woman in the United States. “When I think of how I’ve been supported by this group, a lot of it is feeling reaffirmed that there are other people who know what I’m talking about or who understand the hesitations of having [thoughts] like, ‘Oh, was that racist?’” (Lang & Monn, 2021). During uncertain times, communities of color have provided a different perspective and created connections that will endure. Throughout the pandemic, one of the many challenges that Asian American communities experienced was racism. A year after the coronavirus started spreading across the globe, Asian American activists ignited a movement against racism. Propelled by former President Trump's vitriolic comments about the "China virus," there has been an uptick in hate crimes. Members of the Asian American and Pacific Islander community were already rallying and ringing alarm bells before a white gunman allegedly shot and killed eight people in Atlanta spas, six of them Asian women, on March 16. The massacre has opened the public's eyes, and Asian American activists are hoping to harness the momentum and turn it into sustained action (Reyes-Velarde, 2021). For example, Ana Iwataki, 32, founded J-Town Action & Solidarity, which collaborates with "We the Unhoused" to give resources such as clothing, food, and hygiene products to homeless people in Little Tokyo. Following the Atlanta assaults, J-Town has increased its attempts to engage with Asian Americans in the Los Angeles region. Iwataki is mentored by a powerful teacher, her aunt Miya Iwataki, who began her activism in the 1960s under the auspices of the Brown Berets, a seminal Chicano rights organization. In an interview with the Times, Miya explains how for decades, most people didn't know that there was an Asian revolutionary movement in the '60s and '70s and that our programs were inspired by groups. According to Miya, "The Black Panthers" were the ones that established free breakfast programs, free housing, clothes, and health clinics, and it was these programs that inspired the Asian American movement (Reyes-Velarde, 2021). As coronavirus-fueled anti-Asian hate crimes surged across the country, a virtual workshop sought to address a herculean task: how do we define Asian American and Pacific Islander (API), an umbrella term for over 50 ethnicities, and how can the API community come together to combat anti-Asian racism? (Ross, 2021). Every two weeks, The Non-Standard Project hosts a virtual affinity space for youth of color to discuss social issues without the eyes of authority. Topics that have been discussed include racial sexualization, Yellow Fever, patterns of white supremacy, mental health, Asian American invisibility, and the Model Minority Myth. According to their website, which contains a resource toolkit, the two core values of the organization are community care and accessibility (Ross, 2021). “One thing many grassroots organizations lack is empathy beyond attachment to group identity,” Kim said. “Many Asians that are heavily involved in Asian American organizations do not stand in solidarity with other communities. We should not see ourselves as just boxes.” The goal of these workshops, such as the one mentioned above, was to bring Asian Americans and other communities of color together so that they may combat racism and oppression more effectively. During the pandemic, mutual aid networks not only brought Asian American groups together but also created a sense of belonging and cultural appreciation among this community. "For so long, people knew nothing about Asian Americans. Showing who we are and being proud of who we are, it's really important during this time." Jennifer "Nuky'' Phqm, 37, helps run the Celebrate Argyle campaign and books, musicians, and artists, at pop-up events for Haibayo, whose cross-cultural creative collaborations aim to energize Asian culture in the Argyle district. Phqm is a Chicago-born Vietnamese American who co-owns her family's company. She expresses her desire for more people to learn about and respect her people. Jennifer describes how Asians are stereotyped as being all the same. However, Asian-Americans as a group are extremely varied. She describes how, as an Asian, she was taught to keep her head down and not make any disturbance. Not to cause any quote-unquote trouble. For a long time, no one knew anything about Asian Americans. She emphasizes the importance of being proud of who she is during this time, and she encourages others to do the same. Phgm also encourages individuals to give to groups working for justice, particularly AAPI businesses. Over six companies shuttered on Argyle between 2020 and 2021. It's nine—some owing to retirement or a lack of succession, and the majority because of COVID (Montoro, 2021). Ellen Duang, another Argyle member, expressed several of her worries regarding Asian hatred. She describes how a few weeks ago, a Vietnamese man was walking around at night and was assaulted. Ellen claims that there has been a lot of racism in the words and videos she has seen throughout the world. Ellen is concerned about how Asians are being associated with the virus. She then explains why they made the Stop AAPI Hate video with other members of the Asian American community. "We felt it would be a nice idea to showcase our distinct culture with this outdoor event," Ellen says. We want to create a venue where Asian American literature is available, and we want to include the community by allowing them to sell their wares outdoors. We would want to see cultural performances. If it makes people feel better, we encourage them to wear traditional garb. I'd be dressed in an “Áo dài”, which is a traditional Vietnamese garment. We want to establish a safe environment where we can be proud of who we are. Instead of putting our heads down and being afraid, we're choosing love over hatred right now." (Montoro, 2021). Conclusion The present findings show that mutual aid networks in Asian Americans have expanded and strengthened during the pandemic. Asian Americans have grown closer together as a community to protect its members from bigotry and racism since COVID first started. According to the literature review, mutual aid networks are not as prevalent in the Asian American community as they are in the findings section. While mutual aid networks positively affected Asian American communities, it is also important to acknowledge the prejudice and other challenges that these communities experienced. As part of this study, I will continue to examine newspapers to support my research, and will soon undertake in-person interviews with Asian Americans to get additional data for this project. Future studies can expand on the significance of mutual aid networks in other minorities. It would also be interesting to study mutual aid networks in Asian American communities post-COVID considering the growth that has been seen during the pandemic. Mutual aid networks may expand in response to future concerns about supporting Asian American communities.