Celebs were championing #StopAsianHate well before Atlanta shootings

Well before the shootings at three Atlanta-area spas which left eight people dead, some in Hollywood were sounding the alarm about violence in the US targeting Asians and Asian Americans.

Using #StopAAPIHate and #StopAsianHate, several celebs have been using social media to raise awareness about a rise in reports of racially motivated attacks since the Covid-19 pandemic began. Six Asian women were among those killed in the spa attacks.

AAPI stands for “Asian American and Pacific Islander.”

Last month “Crazy Rich Asians” star Awkwafina celebrated the Lunar New Year by supporting organizations working on the issue.

“I am saddened, disturbed and devastated at the recent string of attacks against the Asian American community, and against our elders,” the actress wrote in the caption of a photo on her verified Instagram account. “So for the YEAR OF THE OX, I’m giving the proverbial red envelope (only numbers with 8s) to some organizations that have done amazing work for social and racial justice.”

Actress Olivia Munn appeared on CNN in February to talk about helping to track down a man who allegedly assaulted her friend’s mother, who is Chinese, outside a bakery in Queens, New York. Munn, who is Asian American, has also been using social media to bring attention to what’s been happening.

“The racist, verbal and physical assaults have left my community fearful to step outside,” Munn wrote in a statement on her verified Instagram account. “These hate crimes have spiked since Covid and continue to increase even though we ask for help, even though we ask our fellow Americans to be outraged for us, even though we ask for more mainstream media coverage.”

Other stars including George Takei, Bowen Yang (who offered to match donations to the Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance up to $10,000), Olivia Cheng and director Jon M. Chu have also been vocal about the issue.

“Hawaii Five-0” star Daniel Dae Kim told CNN last month that he has been fearful to go out.

“I know plenty of Asian Americans who feel very unsafe today including my parents who live in California,” he said. “There’s something in the psyche of people that somehow thinks it’s ok to attack Asian people.”