Magazine, The Immigrant Experience
In a landmark development, Asian-Americans Advancing Justice Southern California (AJSOCAL) and Asian-Americans Advancing Justice – AAJC, in collaboration with Microsoft, proudly unveiled the National Asian Resource Hub. This revolutionary digital platform, accessible at asianresourcehub.org, addresses the alarming surge of hatred against the Asian American community through interactive data narratives and offers a searchable national directory of culturally competent services in Asian languages.
A Digital Sanctuary Against Hate
The website, available in Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese, stands as a testament to the commitment to inclusivity and reaching diverse Asian communities. The surge in hate crimes, particularly between 2020 and 2021, saw reported incidents increase by an astonishing 339%, underscoring the urgent need for comprehensive support and resources for Asian-American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities navigating an increasingly challenging political landscape.
Unveiling a Unique Approach
The launch event, hosted by Ethnic Media Services (EMS), featured prominent speakers from AJSOCAL, Advancing Justice-AAJC, and Microsoft. Connie Chung Joe, CEO of AJSOCAL, shed light on the origins of the Asian Resource Hub and the organization’s dedication to protecting and strengthening the rights of AAPI communities. The hub employs scrollytelling, a unique storytelling format that seamlessly blends scrolling with engaging visuals, graphics, photographs, and pop-up text reports.
Empowering through Information
The hub serves a dual purpose: raising awareness about the surge in anti-Asian hatred and offering a searchable national directory of organizations providing culturally and linguistically appropriate support. This addresses the challenge faced by many AAPI community members who are often unsure where to turn for help. The Asian Resource Hub aims to empower AAPI communities, inform allies, and educate a broader audience about the richness and depth of AAPI cultures.
Voices Against Discrimination
John C. Yang, President and Executive Director of Asian-Americans Advancing Justice – AAJC, shared insights on the development and significance of the Asian Resource Hub. The hub’s two main components, data visualization, and a searchable multilingual resource directory, seamlessly integrate to offer a unique lens into the Asian-American experience. The directory features powerful storytelling, housing a continuously updated database of AAPI community-based organizations across the country.
Microsoft’s Commitment to Social Responsibility
Merisa Heu-Weller, General Manager of Technology for Fundamental Rights at Microsoft, shed light on Microsoft’s role in the creation of the Asian Resource Hub. As a third-generation Japanese American, Heu-Weller expressed her deep honor in participating in this crucial project. Microsoft’s commitment to leveraging data and technology to protect fundamental rights aligns seamlessly with the hub’s mission.
A Beacon of Solidarity and Resilience
Steven Zhang, Senior Research Analyst at AJSOCAL, provided a detailed walkthrough of the data narratives and resources available on the Asian Resource Hub. Zhang emphasized the collaborative effort involved in the project, thanking Microsoft and the teams at AJ Socal and Advancing Justice-AAJC for their crucial contributions. The live demonstration showcased the hub’s features, including scrolly-telling, data narratives, and a comprehensive service directory.
Details on Hub Features
Scrollytelling Narratives: The Asian Resource Hub employs scrollytelling, a unique storytelling format that blends scrolling with engaging visuals, graphics, photographs, and pop-up text reports. This innovative approach transforms complex data into an easily digestible format, immersing viewers in the Asian-American experience of discrimination and hatred.
Data Narratives: The hub features interactive data narratives that provide an in-depth exploration of the surge in anti-Asian hatred. Powered by Microsoft’s Power BI application, the Timeline and Trends module traces historical events and key policies, offering a contextual understanding of the AAPI community’s experience.
Directory of Culturally Competent Services: The hub offers a searchable national directory of organizations providing culturally and linguistically appropriate support. Accessible in Korean, Vietnamese, and Chinese (both simplified and traditional), the directory houses a continuously updated database of AAPI community-based organizations.
Multilingual Accessibility: The directory is designed to be easily navigable, offering resources in more than a dozen Asian languages. Currently available in Korean, Vietnamese, and Chinese (both simplified and traditional), the hub plans to expand language offerings in the near future.
Community Reporting: Highlighting innovative ways community-based organizations fill gaps in reporting, this section includes community trackers and personal narratives. The aim is to humanize the impact of anti-Asian hate and create empathy.
Live Demonstration: Steven Zhang provided a live demonstration of the hub’s features, showcasing the Timeline and Trends module, Reporting module, Community Reporting page, and Research Directory. The demonstration highlighted the hub’s user-friendly interface, encouraging users to explore and contribute to the directory.
A Pledge to Continual Improvement
In closing, Steven Zhang expressed gratitude for the opportunity to work on this innovative project and acknowledged the resilience and creativity of AAPI communities in the face of adversity. He thanked Microsoft, AJ Socal, and Advancing Justice-AAJC for their invaluable contributions, inviting viewers to explore the Asian Resource Hub at AsianResource.org.
The collaborative spirit and commitment to continual improvement showcased a united front in the fight against discrimination. As the hub evolves, it stands as a beacon of solidarity and resilience against hatred, providing crucial resources to those in need.
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