In partnership with the , the Dallas Asian American Bar Association (DAABA) hosted the Dallas dinner and discussion. It was one of several #BreakTheSilence events and rallies that took place in major cities across the U.S. like Atlanta, New York, San Francisco and Houston.
Janet Smith, who鈥檚 of Korean descent, coordinated the event as DAABA鈥檚 president-elect.
鈥淪o today鈥檚 rallies, performances, vigils and dialogues are meant to serve as a means of moving out from the violence and into a moment of empathy and solidarity,鈥� Smith said. 鈥淎nd to remind Asian women that they are seen, heard, acknowledged in their pain and supported in their healing process.鈥�
While Atlanta hosted a large rally, the Dallas event was a more intimate gathering of about 20 people that was meant to offer a space for deeper conversation about the rise in anti-Asian hate, particularly violence against women.
Last year there was a from 2020, which already had record numbers, and most of the victims were women. Recent attacks have included the murder of , who was pushed onto subway tracks in New York City, and who was stabbed to death in her New York apartment. On March 11, a 67-year-old Asian woman was , in addition to being spit on and stomped.
鈥淲e hope this setting would foster real dialogue, honest participation and reflection on these issues,鈥� Smith said. 鈥淏ut also to do something that鈥檚 too often avoided in our cultures, which is being reluctant to speak out about some of our situations.鈥�
Tough conversations were made easier with a seemingly endless stream of piping hot entrees like galbi, grilled short ribs, and pajeon, savory pancakes.
A curated list of discussion prompts were placed along the tables to get people started with questions like: What should be considered a hate crime? How can we galvanize support from non-AAPI people? But attendees were encouraged to go beyond the script.
At Nhut Tan Tran's table, the conversation touched on everything from the consequences of tolerating microaggressions and the burden of educating others to the importance of lifting up younger generations of Asian Americans.
鈥淚 think that鈥檒l help a lot, like exposing the younger generation to that you don鈥檛 have to feel included, you don鈥檛 have to feel different,鈥� he said to the table. 鈥淟iterally 2 billion people live on a fourth of the world: Asia. So we鈥檙e the majority.鈥�
It was also a space where people shared uncomfortable or difficult experiences. Tran鈥檚 tablemates shook their heads as he recounted a recent experience in which a white woman threw him her car keys at an Uptown restaurant, mistaking him for the valet.
Grace Lee spoke about the mental health toll of the rise in violence against Asian American women.
鈥淭here鈥檚 a real sense of fear that started in the last two years, in 2020,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 still don鈥檛 know how to process it.鈥�
Lee is not alone in her struggle. The rise in anti-Asian discrimination has led to increases in anxiety, depressive symptoms and sleep problems in the Asian American community, according to the .
As the night came to a close, Smith said it鈥檚 important for Asian Americans to share their experiences to be heard and seen. She said she faced racism throughout her life, while growing up in Abilene and attending college.
鈥淭hey think that that doesn鈥檛 happen to us, that that鈥檚 not the Asian American experience and it is,鈥� she said. 鈥淪o it is important to me because that is my story, and I need to be more bold about sharing that so that other people are believed.鈥�
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