Hikaru Shida would like all people to be treated equally.
The #StopAsianHate movement is not new. Since the pandemic began last March the number of verbal and physical attacks on people of Asian descent has risen drastically.
Frustrations surged this past week after a man was charged with fatally shooting eight people, including six Asian women, at Atlanta area spas. Authorities said that the attack “did not appear to be” motivated by race, which prompted massive backlash online and in the Atlanta community.
In the days since, a number of celebrities have added their voice to the chorus of those speaking out, bringing more attention to the matter. AEW's Women's World Champion is the latest in a growing list to share her thoughts.
In a video posted to her YouTube channel (included above), Shida said the following:
"Hello everyone, this is Hikaru Shida, AEW Women's World Champion. Let me tell you my opinion about #StopAsianHate. It has been almost a year and a half since I started to live here. I've never felt discriminated, never. I don't want to say that I'm lucky because it should be normal for everyone. I hope that people, not only Asian, people all over the world live normal, equal lives. Thank you for watching."
WWE Hall of Famer Kevin Nash also weighed in on the issue. He sent out the following tweet:
America is so full of hate. The senseless violence against our Asian American community once again showing how broken we are. Let's be diligent and protect our Asian Brothers and Sisters.
— Kevin Nash (@RealKevinNash) March 19, 2021
A recent report released by Stop AAPI Hate found that 3,795 racially motivated attacks have been committed against Asian Americans since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and concluded that the number is likely much higher when you consider that a large number of offences go unreported.
Fight COVID Racism is reporting 947 incidents of anti-Asian hate crimes across Canada during the pandemic.
Stop AAPI Hate has compiled resources detailing what people can do to assist someone experiencing a racist attack or hate crime.
