SACRAMENTO, Calif — Hundreds of people joined rallies across the city of Sacramento to raise awareness about recent harassing and sometimes violent, racially targeted attacks on Asians and Asian Americans.
Fenny Ting, 55, has lived in Sacramento for 20 years. She is an immigrant from Taiwan who says she has experienced racism in Sacramento. She described an incident when she was leaving a department store. The person claimed she was Chinese and told her because of it, she was bad.
“Don’t do this to people,” Ting said. “We’re all human. Please don’t do that.”
She says she feels comforted that so many people are showing support. Ting and other protesters are urging change.
Hundreds joined a caravan event hosted along Florin Road in South Sacramento, and dozens joined a caravan and rally at Southside park.
The organizers called for many actionable items to advocate for the Asian, Asian American and Pacific Islander community.
They want more avenues for legal work and higher pay for people within the Asian and Pacific Islander community. The organizers also called for a stop child abuse, more gun control legislation, support for advocacy organizations, and the greater Sacramento community's commitment to helping the API community.
Julie Li, 26, is a woman of Chinese descent living in Sacramento. She said the rhetoric of former President Donald Trump, who often referred to the coronavirus as the “China Virus,” has led to a hostile and frightening environment for people of Asian descent.
Organizers of the Southside Park rally with the Sacramento AAPI Coalition are planning more rallies in the future, including a march to the capitol.
