• by Fern Siegel , May 26, 2023

Hate incidents against Asian American and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) communities continue to rise.

The Venables Bell + Partners “Invisible No More,” a collaboration with Stop AAPI Hate, a national coalition dedicated to confronting racism against AAPI communities, notes a sadder reality. These groups don't feel comfortable reporting their experiences, though 1 in 5 have admitted to a hate incident in the U.S.

The spot, directed by Zoe Neary, shows people on a crowded subway — what's missing are Asian Americans, who are often marginalized and hidden from view.

"Our communities are once again reeling from the mass shooting in Allen, Texas, a violent act of hate in which eight people were killed, including four Asians. It's a reminder that two years after the COVID-19 pandemic sparked a wave of hate incidents, we're still on edge — about the possibility of not only physical attacks, but also workplace discrimination, verbal harassment, vandalism and other forms of hate," said Manjusha Kulkarni, Stop AAPI Hate co-founder and the executive director of AAPI Equity Alliance.

Che-Na Stephenson, group creative director at VB+P, has experienced such attacks first-hand.

"Our community must speak up so that these incidents are no longer ignored. I'm grateful to VB+P for giving me and my team the opportunity and creative freedom to work on issues that impact real people's lives," she said.

Data from Momentum and AAPI Data found 10% of AAPIs reported being a victim of a hate crime or hate incident in the March 2021 survey. Their March 2022 survey shows that 15% of AAPI adults had reported the same experience.