On and Off Social: Supporting Asian and Pacific Islander Communities

This year, we’ve all watched as hate crimes and racism towards the Asian and Pacific Islander community escalated. And with the increase of these shocking events, social media posts followed, even if the mainstream media largely remained silent.  As I aimlessly scroll through a variety of posts from brands, influencers, and loved ones, I see those that are taking action while others remain silent. It’s clear which accounts take Socially Conscious Social seriously and those that miss the big picture.  

Let’s take a look at how brands are speaking out and what to consider when supporting the Asian Pacific Islander (API) community on social media.

The Three R’s are not for Social Injustice

The only time it’s acceptable to not reduce, reuse, and recycle is when speaking out on horrific events and social movements such as these. Brands that spoke out in support of the Black Lives Matter movement have chosen to reduce their posts and stay silent on Asian and Pacific Islander hate.  L’Oréal Paris made a “Speaking out is worth it” post in June 2020 to which they received much backlash for talking the talk but lacking on the walk.  Perhaps, this is why they have so far chosen to stay silent against injustices in the API community. This is especially disappointing as they have claimed on social that “L’Oréal Paris stands in solidarity with the Black community, and against injustice of any kind.”  The choice to publicly support one marginalized group over another sends a strong message.  But, the bottom line is that they are not the only ones holding back when it comes to recent injustice.  To these brands, we heard your claims to stand with marginalized communities and against hate last year, but this does not mean you can stay silent.

Standing in Silence 

Many brands have voiced their support by standing with the Asian and Pacific Islander community.  For brands founded by those in the API community, there is no surprise they stand in solidarity with our community.  But for others, I wonder how long will you stay silent before speaking out?  

To me, Glossier’s post where they declared they stand with the API community feels a lot like performative action.  The caption makes claims to give back “through partnerships, donations, volunteer work, and continuing to amplify Asian stories and perspectives.”  The question is, where is the proof?  To date, there are no resources, organizations, or API brands mentioned within the posts. Comments under the post were in agreement that it did nothing for the community and lacked action.  Not to mention, Glossier only spoke out after the events of March 16 and remained silent during the spike of conversations surrounding attacks on our API elders in early February.  During the heartbreaking events to the Black community last year, Glossier was in hot water after claims of “standing in solidarity” with the Black community as past employees exposed discriminatory actions towards BIPOC employees with Outta The Gloss.  In response, the company promised to donate to organizations combating racial injustice, starting the Grant Initiative for Black-Owned Beauty Businesses, and posting Community Resources Pamphlets.  Given that Glossier’s demographic are millennials and more than 80% of that generation say making the world a better place is one of their top priorities, it seems more egregious to not prioritize this issue.

Work With the API Community  

Of course, donating money to organizations helping make changes in society is a great way to show your support, but I think collaborating with API artists and brands goes a step further.  In mid-February, Pacsun hosted an Instagram Live conversation between Michelle K. Hanabusa, founder of Uprisers and co-founder of Hate Is A Virus, and Asia Jackson founder of #MagandangMorenx.  During this talk, the two openly discussed recent issues within their Asian and Pacific Islander communities.  Pacsun also launched a collaboration with Hanabusa’s streetwear brand Uprisers. The curated collection UPRISERS®WORLD features clothing items that draw attention to racial inequality and injustice.  With 2.5 million followers, Pacsun serves as the bridge to bring these types of movements to life.

Recognize Cultural Impact on Your Brand

There is a never-ending list of the ways brands have taken aspects of API culture and heritage to make a profit.  The Mahjong Line is a gentrified version of the traditional Chinese game of Mahjong.  The company was  founded by Kate LaGere, Annie O’Grady, and Bianca Watson who are all of non-Chinese descent.  Up until recently, they have stayed silent on social media surrounding hate crimes in the API community. While they did voice their support for the API community and announced donations made in early February, it was noteworthy that the comments were turned off on this post. This indicates that they were not interested in engaging with their community on this subject. The brand has received overwhelming backlash based on their initial branding. They used terms like “modernize” and “refresh” in their marketing which suggests that the white version of the game is somehow superior to the traditional Chinese version.  In the “About Us” section of the website, the brand speaks to the backlash in a victimized tone with a promise to change.  However, their “we stand with you” post (which notably utilizes an API artist who did not even like the post she was featured in) neglects to take responsibility for their appropriation of Asian culture.

On the other hand, Cocokind responded to recent events by calling out the ingredients they borrow from Asian culture and heritage in this post, even though they are Asian owned.  The brand committed to donating 100% of sales that day from products that contained the six ingredients listed in the National Asian Pacific American Women's Forum.  Cocokind also posted resources for their followers on how they can directly support the community.  That they took the responsibility to recognize the impact of various Asian cultures on Cocokind says more about the brand than any donation would.  Another Asian-owned beauty brand, Tower 28, posted a message from founder Amy Lui who gave voice the pain surrounding recent events.  The brand also announced its commitment to donating 100% of that day’s sales to the API Community Fund through GoFundMe.  My wish is that brands owned by those outside the API community would choose to do more to show their support. 

In short, my thoughts are that our Asian and Pacific Islander families should not be overlooked. We can see through the rushed, repurposed support posts and worst of all, silence. Navigating a response to these events on social media can be a challenging game to play, but authenticity is key. I am Chamorro but in the Pacific Islander community considered “hapa haole,” a term used to describe mixed Islanders. Still, a 30-mile long island that I’ve never yet been to, Guam, holds my heart. The compiled events of recent hate crimes towards the Asian and Pacific Islander community hits home for me. Lately, I’ve worried more and more about the safety of my family and friends within this community, even for complete strangers I pass on walks. It’s more than uncomfortable to think about the times when I felt I couldn’t speak out on my own stories of prejudice or concerns for others in my community. I reflect on the times when I did speak up and have been told “don’t you dare play the race card” or “you’ve lived a comfortable American life, stop acting like a victim.” The truth is, I am still trying to gather my words for it all. My heart is with everyone within this community and especially those that lost loved ones on March 16.