Celebrities are speaking out amid racist incidents against Asian Americans. Rihanna, Pharrell Williams, Ariana Grande, Joe Jonas, Mindy Kaling, LeBron James and more have taken to social media in the wake of such incidents and have provided resources for people who want to help.
The celebrity attention is in response to a string of shootings involving three Atlanta-area spas, which took place on Tuesday, per CBS News. Eight people were killed in the attacks, with six of those people being of Asian descent.
During a Wednesday press conference, police announced that 21-year-old Robert Aaron Long had been arrested for and confessed to the rampage, though he claims it wasn’t racially motivated.
The shootings came amid increasing rates of racial violence against Asian Americans, which have skyrocketed since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic. Stop AAPI Hate, which was created in response to the increase in anti-Asian hate crimes amid the pandemic, released a report stating that it received 3,795 reports of incidents between March 2020 and February 2021.
Rihanna took to Twitter on Wednesday to denounce the attacks on Asian Americans. “What happened yesterday in Atlanta was brutal, tragic & is certainly not an isolated incident by any means. AAPI hate has been rampantly perpetuated & it’s disgusting! I’m heartbroken for the Asian community & my heart is with the loved ones of those we lost. The hate must stop,” she wrote.
what happened yesterday in Atlanta was brutal, tragic & is certainly not an isolated incident by any means. AAPI hate has been rampantly perpetuated & it’s disgusting! I’m heartbroken for the Asian community & my heart is with the loved ones of those we lost. The hate must stop. pic.twitter.com/rkxZDnxG9E
“Enough is enough,” Pharrell wrote. “Last night was another instance of innocent lives lost to domestic terrorism. We must protect our Asian brothers and sisters… Stop Asian Hate now.”
? #StopAsianHatepic.twitter.com/3jm1QAuKuz
Grande also took to her Instagram Story to share resources and action items.
Ariana Via Instagram Stories pic.twitter.com/ILHj09dujG
On his Instagram Story, Jonas re-shared Stop AAPI Hate’s most recent report, as well as a post about how to be an ally to Asian Americans.
James tweeted his condolences to the victims of the Atlanta-area shootings, calling them “senseless and tragic,” while Kaling wrote that “the targeting of our Asian brothers and sisters is sickening, but not surprising given the normalizing of anti-Asian hate speech in the past year.”
My condolences goes out to the families of all the victims and the entire Asian community tonight on what transpired in Atlanta at the Aromatherapy Spa. Coward a** young man!! Just senseless and tragic!! ??❤️?
The targeting of our Asian brothers and sisters is sickening, but not surprising given the normalizing of anti-Asian hate speech in the past year. We have to #StopAsianHate, enough is enough!
“The attacks against our brothers and sisters in the Asian American communities are heartbreaking,” Dwyane Wade wrote. “The physical assaults and recent killings are rooted in racism. It needs to stop. We cannot be silent.”
“My thoughts and prayers are with the families who have lost their loved ones due to this senseless hatred,” he continued. “To our Asian community – we love you and are standing united with you. Enough is enough.”
#StopAsianHatepic.twitter.com/VnEPzFIR3J
Meanwhile, Daniel Dae Kim announced that, on March 18, he’ll be “speaking to the Congressional House Committee on the Judiciary about the Rise of Discrimination & Violence Against Asian Americans.”
I will be speaking to the Congressional House Committee on the Judiciary about the Rise of Discrimination & Violence Against Asian Americans TOMORROW, Thurs, March 18th at 10AM EDT. You can watch it live at the link below. Please join me, and help #StopAsianHate. #Atlantahttps://t.co/w9duQf8EFv
Leah Remini shared a post referring fans to resources to donate in support of Asian communities, quoting Atlanta Mayor, Keshia Lance Bottoms speech about the shootings in Atlanta.
“A crime against any community is a crime against us all,” Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance. My heart goes out to all the families. Hate crimes against Asian Americans have surged. For ways to help, Link in my bio. If anyone has any helpful websites for the families, please post,” she wrote.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CMiMQ9RHqUD/
A post shared by Leah Remini (@leahremini)
On her Instagram Story, TV host and actress, Holly Robinson Peete, re-shared a post from Taraji P. Henson, with the hashtag, #STOPASIANHATE.
Keep reading to see more celebrities’ responses to the ongoing racism against Asian Americans.
ANTI-ASIAN VIOLENCE RESOURCE https://t.co/ESRU91OKD0
I stand in solidarity with the Asian community. Yesterday, eight people, including six Asian women, were shot dead in a shooting spree in my home-state of Georgia. Enough is enough. We need to start holding people accountable NOW to end racism and violence. #StopAsianHate
Sending love to the Asian community majority right now.
My heart breaks for the Asian community. Sending prayers to all affected by yesterday’s tragedy. #StopAsianHate ?? pic.twitter.com/KfUvtqmgTp
#StopAsianHate#StopAAPIHatepic.twitter.com/pLoGG46u0S
#StopAAPIHatehttps://t.co/f5pUjL9kIi
Call a hate crime what it is.
And GOP leaders, stop fanning violence with anti-Asian rhetoric.
You should be ashamed at what you have unleashed.
Wake up… your Asian friends and family are deeply scared, horrified, sick to their stomachs and wildly angry. Please please please check in on us, please please please stand with us. Please. Your Asian friend needs you, even if they aren’t publicly grieving on social media. x
https://www.instagram.com/p/CMiBBGalbZr/
A post shared by Kelly Osbourne (@kellyosbourne)
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