In response to the alarming surge in hate incidents targeting the Asian American community, a Los Angeles-based legal and civil rights organization is launching its first bystander intervention initiative.
The effort by Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Los Angeles includes a public service announcement narrated by actor Ken Jeong and a series of free training workshops designed to promote awareness and usage of bystander intervention methods.
Intended to prevent verbal harassment from escalating into physical violence, the techniques — called the “5 Ds of Bystander Intervention” — offer everyday people the chance to assist victims and play a role in keeping their communities safe.
“We know that members of our community are hurt and enraged. One of the most asked questions we hear is, `What can I do?’ We believe that bystander intervention empowers every person with actionable ways to make a difference,” said Connie Chung Joe, CEO of Advancing Justice-LA.
“Asian Americans are fed up with the growing number of incidents of hate and racism,” Jeong said. “It’s time to turn to solutions that every single person can embrace no matter what walk of life. As humans, we need to continue to listen, learn, love but now it’s time to take action — safely and together.”
The “5 Ds of Bystander Intervention” are:
— Distract: de-escalating the situation by starting a conversation with the victim or finding another way to draw attention away from them.
— Delegate: finding someone in a position of authority and asking them for help.
— Delay: checking in with the victim after the incident is over.
— Direct: speaking up about the harassment.
— Document: recording a video of the incident.
“With this scary new environment, it’s important for everyone to know how to prevent a situation from getting out of control. It’s an honor to collaborate on a project that’s both personal and much needed,” said illustrator James Yang, who also worked on the PSAs. “I’m an optimist and think a better world is not just a fantasy.”
The training and PSAs were created in partnership with Hollaback!, a nonprofit working to end harassment in all its forms.
The initiative was made possible with support from Bank of America, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Farmers Insurance, JPMorgan Chase, Panda Express, #StartSmall and Zwift.
For more information, visit www.AdvancingJustice-LA.org.