On a rainy Wednesday in San Gabriel, Asian elders are honestly sharing their stories about handling harassment and discrimination. The dialogue - - which happened two years after lethal shootings at day spas in Atlanta that targeted Asian communities - - is non-judgmental and open.

," shared Koreatown resident Esther Cheng, 76.

About one-third of Asian Americans fear physical and verbal violence against them, research study shows.

In the middle of the increase in across the country anti-Asian hate criminal offenses, racially-motivated dangers and discrimination, organizations are training Asian communities - - specifically seniors - - in the Los Angeles location what to do if they witness or become a victim of harassment.


< img alt=" With a screen behind her proving why individuals do not act, ..." class =" lazyload size-article_inline" data-sizes =" auto "data-src=" https://www.pressenterprise.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/SGT-L-TRAINING-0316-SR-01.jpg?w=620" data-srcset =" https://www.pressenterprise.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/SGT-L-TRAINING-0316-SR-01.jpg?w=620 620w, https://www.pressenterprise.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/SGT-L-TRAINING-0316-SR-01.jpg?w=780 780w, https://www.pressenterprise.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/SGT-L-TRAINING-0316-SR-01.jpg?w=810 810w, https://www.pressenterprise.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/SGT-L-TRAINING-0316-SR-01.jpg?w=1280 1280w, https://www.pressenterprise.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/SGT-L-TRAINING-0316-SR-01.jpg?w=1860 1860w" > With a screen behind her proving why people do not act, Florence Lin, neighborhood relations supervisor for the Asian Youth Center, teaches a bystander intervention training in Mandarin for the AAPI neighborhood on Wednesday, March 15, 2023 at the Blossom Market Hall in San Gabriel.( Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG). Jean Chu, of the Chinatown Service Center, helps teach an onlooker intervention training for the AAPI neighborhood hosted by Asian Americans Advancing Justice on Wednesday, March 15, 2023 at the Blossom Market Hall in San Gabriel. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG). < img alt= "Tiffany Su, Jody Chung and Maggie Chen attend an onlooker ..." class=" lazyload size-article_inline" data-sizes= "automobile "data-src =" https://www.pressenterprise.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/SGT-L-TRAINING-0316-SR-02.jpg?w=620" data-srcset=" https://www.pressenterprise.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/SGT-L-TRAINING-0316-SR-02.jpg?w=620 620w, https://www.pressenterprise.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/SGT-L-TRAINING-0316-SR-02.jpg?w=780 780w, https://www.pressenterprise.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/SGT-L-TRAINING-0316-SR-02.jpg?w=810 810w, https://www.pressenterprise.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/SGT-L-TRAINING-0316-SR-02.jpg?w=1280 1280w, https://www.pressenterprise.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/SGT-L-TRAINING-0316-SR-02.jpg?w=1860 1860w" > Tiffany Su, Jody Chung and Maggie Chen go to an onlooker intervention training for the AAPI neighborhood hosted by Asian Americans Advancing Justice on Wednesday, March 15, 2023 at the Blossom Market Hall in San Gabriel. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG). < img alt= "Esther Cheng, of Koreatown, attends a bystander intervention training for ... "class=" lazyload size-article_inline" data-sizes=" vehicle "data-src= "https://www.pressenterprise.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/SGT-L-TRAINING-0316-SR-03-1.jpg?w=620" data-srcset=" https://www.pressenterprise.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/SGT-L-TRAINING-0316-SR-03-1.jpg?w=620 620w, https://www.pressenterprise.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/SGT-L-TRAINING-0316-SR-03-1.jpg?w=780 780w, https://www.pressenterprise.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/SGT-L-TRAINING-0316-SR-03-1.jpg?w=810 810w, https://www.pressenterprise.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/SGT-L-TRAINING-0316-SR-03-1.jpg?w=1280 1280w, https://www.pressenterprise.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/SGT-L-TRAINING-0316-SR-03-1.jpg?w=1860 1860w" > Esther Cheng, of Koreatown, participates in a bystander intervention training for the AAPI neighborhood hosted by Asian Americans Advancing Justice on Wednesday, March 15, 2023 at the Blossom Market Hall in San Gabriel.( Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG). Show Caption of. Broaden. Civil rights not-for-profit Asian Americans Advancing Justice Southern California released its inaugural spectator intervention training in 2021 - one month after the Atlanta medical spa shootings that killed 8 individuals, consisting of six Asian ladies. Almost 100 community members came to the Mandarin and Cantonese workshops held Wednesday, March 15, at the Blossom Market Hall in San Gabriel.

Organizers said these complimentary spoken trainings are held a number of times a month in various languages - including English, Mandarin, Cantonese, Korean, Thai

, Vietnamese and Tagalog - and rotate at community locations around the San Gabriel Valley and Los Angeles location. Through these trainings, Advancing Justice has actually worked with thousands in-person and online, from high schoolers to the elderly. The in-language trainings were created in partnership with the nonprofit Right to Be, which offers resources to end harassment and avoid it from escalating into physical violence
." We want people to comprehend that if they see any discrimination, that they know how to react - not simply stand there helplessly, but actually understand what to do," stated Florence Lin, the neighborhood relations supervisor at the Asian Youth Center in San Gabriel." Many of( these seniors) have stayed at home considering that the pandemic -. It's important for them to have this area to find out and share experiences together, and in their own language. ". Wednesday's training in San Gabriel started with a moment of silence for the victims eliminated in Monterey Park, a nearby city that is recovery after a Jan. 21 mass shooting left 11 Asian elders dead at a precious dance studio. President Joe Biden visited the city on Tuesday to reveal an executive order focused on curbing weapon violence. Advancing Justice organizers state that their choice to host an intervention training in the San Gabriel Valley area was intentional, as the community is still recovery after what happened in Monterey Park. In the aftermath, a coalition of Asian American and Pacific Islander organizations raised over$ 1 million to support victims and their households. Relief efforts are continuous with the Monterey Park Community Healing Fund, and Advancing Justice continues to supply totally free legal services to those affected. Christina Yang, a general counsel and a pro-bono director with Advancing Justice, said that the trainings

are implied to teach attendees how to intervene safely, "utilizing the 5 D's of bystander intervention - sidetrack, hand over, document, delay and

direct.". The 5 D's are non-confrontational approaches individuals can use to support somebody who is being pestered; utilizing ways to re-direct the discussion, or requesting aid from other witnesses or someone - in authority." People need to comprehend that directly challenging the individual doing the harassing is not the only way to step in and make a distinction," Yang said. "The security of anybody thinking about intervening is always a concern, and we hope those who attend our trainings feel better able to stand and be there for others in the community who might experience anti-Asian hate or harassment.". Esther Cheng, of Koreatown, participates in an onlooker intervention training for the AAPI community hosted by Asian Americans Advancing Justice on Wednesday, March 15, 2023 at the Blossom Market Hall in San Gabriel.( Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG
). Lin, who assisted lead the training, asked participants," Which of the 5 D's is your superpower?" Attendees discussed their own experiences, sharing they've assisted others by revealing compassion. Jody Chung, from San Gabriel, came to the training after seeing
word of it online. She said that discovering how to securely de-escalate a scenario "is something that everybody needs to know," and wishes to take the useful tools she learned back to her home and community.

" We all understand someone who has been in these situations - it's a truth of the world we reside in now.".