March set for tonight in Phoenix in support of Asian community

A march and event is planned Saturday evening in Phoenix in support of the Valley’s Asian American and Pacific Islander community.

Organizers are expecting about 500 people at Margaret T. Hance Park. Marches and rallies against a recent rise in anti-Asian violence across the country drew hundreds to Chandler and Mesa in the past month.

“We’re trying to create a platform where the AAPI community members can have a voice to share and continue the cross-cultural communication and build that bridge because that takes a long time to do and it needs to stay in the forefront,” said organizer Leezah Sun.

After a gunman killed eight people, six of whom were women of Asian descent, last month in Georgia, Congress held its first hearing on antiAsian violence and discrimination in decades.

The U.S. Senate voted Wednesday with overwhelming bipartisan support to open debate on an anti-Asian American hate crimes bill which aims to combat hate crimes against Asian Americans and strengthen hate crime reporting.

Sun previously helped organize a Phoenix vigil for the Georgia shooting victims. She and the other organizers have since formed a group called Strength in Unity, which is hosting the event. It will start at 6 p.m. with a meditation and then people will march around the park, Sun said, while speeches and performances will begin in the park at 7 p.m.

Last year, Sun ran for Arizona House of Representatives District 19 and lost but said it sparked her interest in being politically active.