When will it stop..

Scrolling through social media this past week and seeing all the post about the shootings in Atlanta and the continuing attacks on the Asian/Asian American population really got to me.

I always thought if I kept my head down, work hard and mind my own business, nothing bad will happen to me. After seeing the Atlanta shootings, I realized that could not be farther from the truth. Every single incident that has occurred before and during the pandemic towards AAPI community begs the question. Why them? What did they do to deserve this? Were they just in the wrong place at the wrong time.

It's extremely scary to be a person of color in America right now. Sometimes I wonder if I'll be a victim of a hate crime and just another number in the endless amount of cases towards the AAPI community. And it's not just my own safety I'm worried about, but also the safety of my friends, families and relatives. Are they okay? How are they doing mentally and emotionally through all of this.

Back in 2020, when COVID-19 hit, I decided to run errands and buy groceries for my mom each week because I didn't want her to possibly contract the virus. One year later, I'm running errands for my mom because I don't want her to possibly be attacked for the color of her skin while being out in public.

I'm not someone who is shaken or rattled easily, but as more and more incidents and attacks occur, it's now something that's in the back of my mind whenever I live my house. But I won't let that stop me. A life lived in fear, is not a life worth living at all.

I want America to be better, I want this to be a safe place for not only the AAPI community but for everyone regardless of their skin color, sexual or religious orientation. Hate is truly a virus, but I am the type of like to believe in the goodness of others. The amount of support people have shown is encouraging. I've had friends checked in on me to see how I'm doing. Even a small gesture like that goes a long way. I can only hope that people continue to show each other kindness, love and generosity, especially through tough times like this.

The reality is racism will never go away. That's an unfortunate truth, but I do believe and hope that as more and more people become accepting of others, and that society can evolve and become more mindful and accepting of others.