Seattle Asian American Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander Women Artists United have formed a visual campaign to fight the tide of anti-Asian violence and xenophobia. In 2021, anti-Asian hate crimes across 16 major US cities spiked by 342%, according to a report from the Center for the Study of Hate & Extremism at CSU, San Bernardino. This alarming statistic, coupled with waning media coverage of hate crimes against Asian Americans, created the urgency to boost awareness and spur empowerment.
The seven posters designed by the AA+NHPI women artists contain positive messaging like “We Belong Here,” “Respect Beloved Community” and “Protect Each Other,” combined with their original artwork (Diem Chau, Erin Shigaki, Juliana Kang Robinson, Julie Kim, Raychelle Duazo, Saiyare Refaei and Saya Moriyasu). The campaign aims to raise awareness, beautify streetscapes, and uplift Seattle’s AA+NHPI community.
Posters will be free to the public at the following events:
Jun 9 – Seattle Art Museum’s Educators Open House, 3 -5 pm at SAM (for educators).
Jul 9 – SCIDpda (Seattle Chinatown International District Preservation and Development Authority) Bash Canton Alley, Chinatown-International District, Seattle
Jul 28, 2022 – Wing Luke Museum JamFest, Maynard Alley, Chinatown-ID, Seattle
Posters are also available from the 4Culture office in the Tashiro Kaplan building, Pioneer Square (115 Prefontaine Pl S, Seattle) during its gallery hours, Thu & Fri 10 AM – 5 PM.
Free digital art versions of the posters can also be downloaded from the bottom of the web page: wingluke.org/anti-asian-american-hate-crimes. (Further information on declaring that there is no place for hate in Seattle is also available there.)
Throughout May, in celebration of AA+NHPI Heritage Month, the posters will be on display at the gallery windows of 4Culture, King Street Station, (303 S Jackson Street 2nd floor, Seattle), Wing Luke Museum, Inscape Arts & Cultural Center (in the former Immigration & Naturalization Service (INS) building at 815 Seattle Blvd S, Seattle) as well as in various storefronts throughout Seattle and beyond.
This project was made possible with funding from 4Culture and the Seattle Office of Arts & Culture with support from Wing Luke Museum and SCIDpda.
