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Update, April 9, 2021: When we first wrote this blog, we used the term Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI). Thank you to Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander (NHPI) leaders for calling attention to AAPI as a term that erases NHPI communities. We have adjusted our language in the blog to reflect this. Moving forward, we will use the terms NHPI or Pasifika when referring to our Pacific Islander communities in King County in order to honor our NHPI neighbors and stop the erasure that is caused when we treat our communities as a monolith.
We’re in solidarity with our diverse Asian neighbors in King County in the midst of a growing rise in anti-Asian hate crimes.
Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, anti-Asian racism and xenophobia have shaken and traumatized our communities. We denounce racism, colorism, and any actions taken to harm someone because of their race or place of origin. We also acknowledge and condemn the systemic violence and erasure that our Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander communities face, and how this is distinct from the escalation of anti-Asian hate crimes in our country.
In response to this hate, we see art as an important form of community healing. Today, we’re sharing art pieces from some incredible local artists — Che Sehyun, Yvonne Chan, Toka Valu, and Tori Shao — who have shared their art with us to celebrate the power of community care, the healing potential of our traditions, and the vision of collective liberation.

![Quote from the artist, Toku Valu. “[This image] pays homage to the longevity of our traditions and customs that have survived generations of systemic aggression in efforts to erase our collective sense of self. This too is resilience and it all points back to the importance of uplifting the voices and leadership of our Pasifika communities who continue to steward their own self-determination.”](https://i0.wp.com/publichealthinsider.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/3-2.png?resize=750%2C750&ssl=1)






Originally published on March 17, 2021.