I am appreciative of the opportunity to interview Dr. Russell M. Jeung, who is a Professor of Asian American Studies at San Francisco State University and co-founder of Stop AAPI [Asian American Pacific Islander] Hate. His efforts in tracking anti-Asian incidents during the COVID-19 pandemic has received widespread attention in both academic and public spheres, and his work has been featured in prominent outlets such as NPR, NBC News, CNN, Washington Post, and New York Times.

The days and weeks following the Atlanta massacre that killed 8 people, including 6 Asian women, have been filled with much grieving, anger, and fear for the Asian and Asian American community. Non-Asian communities, including Christian churches, expressed solidarity for our community and denounced the evils of racism, xenophobia, and misogyny. This feels like a watershed moment in our country, when the previously dismissed or minimized experiences of Asians have been at the forefront of our conversations, including in church conversations. My Korean American church, and the several other Korean American churches that I know, have taken the time to lament and to engage in activism in response to the increase in anti-Asian racism during the COVID-19 pandemic.