The world has progressed greatly with technology and various diasporic movements happening for centuries. People have moved from one continent to another, bringing their language and culture and the hope of starting better lives in their pockets. A child born to Chinese immigrants who built life anew in the United States, Jack Liang not only understood but felt racism at a young age. He is no stranger to being bullied, discriminated against, and targeted for violence, be it in school as a student or even until he worked his way up in corporate America. Fueled by his passion for imposing a change in perspectives and the treatment of the Asian American community, Jack left his job at Instagram and took his voice to the streets.
According to data published by the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism, anti-Asian hate crimes increased by 339% in 2021 compared to the previous year. Furthermore, Los Angeles "recorded the most hate crimes of any U.S. city this century," with New York just right behind it. NYC also had an extreme increase in anti-Asian hate crimes, from 30 in 2020 jumping to an alarming total of 133 in 2021.
Despite having no experience organizing mass actions, Jack took a leap of faith in 2021 and led the largest anti-racism demonstration called Rally Against Hate, staged in Columbus Park, NY, on March 21, 2021. The rise in hate crimes against the Asian American community significantly grew over the last couple of years, leaving thousands of Asian Americans as victims of so-called white supremacy. And it’s not just Asians but the African American community that has been a target of hate as well.
Rally Against Hate was sparked by the multiple crimes in Atlanta when a gunman opened fire in three massage spas, now known as the Atlanta Spa Shootings. The incident killed eight women, six of them of Asian descent. This is followed by multiple deaths of Asian Americans, some randomly stabbed on the street, some killed in their own homes, and some assaulted by strangers. There have been approximately 500 reports of the same incidents in New York City alone, and Jack knew it had to stop. Rally Against Hate gathered over 10,000 attendees and welcomed former presidential candidate Andrew Yang as a speaker, where he quoted Martin Luther King: “We need to help humanize an economy that is turning on more and more people.”
Following its success, Jack held another anti-racism demonstration called the Times Square TakeOver, a follow-up event to Rally Against Hate, also aiming to foster solidarity among Asian Americans amid the hate crimes committed against the community. The second installation gathered hundreds of Asian Americans bearing signs that said: “Stop Asian Hate” and other proactive messages. The protest was joined by many personalities, including Rihanna.
Both Rally Against Hate and Times Square TakeOver paved the way for initiatives from the New York City Police to combat hate crimes against Asian Americans. Jack led people from varying backgrounds and cultures to act as one, and the result has placed a light on the weight of racism in the United States.
Without needing any form of funding, either from donations or from organizations, Jack proved that anyone could make a difference. He led a movement from nothing but his passion for empowering the Asian American community, and his message is traveling across continents. Jack is fighting for people of all colors to nurture equality and respect in a diverse world. Starting with the Big Apple, one of the most colorful melting pots in the world, Jack is changing perspective and is actively leading others to put racism and discrimination behind them and walk towards a society where everyone is recognized not for their skin or race but as simply as humans.
Media Contact
Company Name: Coral Global
Contact Person: Jack Liang
Email: Send Email
Phone: 917.987.2013
Country: United States
Website: coral.global
