This month, we’re uplifting the story of Franny, an Asian American woman who witnessed and endured a violent hate incident. With the help of one of our Stop the Hate partners: World Mission University (Through Peace), Franny found a way forward.
While walking her dog through Chinatown, Franny’s daily routine took a terrifying turn. An elderly Asian man was being brutally beaten across the street. He was bleeding, lying still on the concrete sidewalk.
Franny knew she had to help, but as soon as she tried, she found herself the new target of the attacker’s rage. He began chasing her down the street screaming “I’m going to kill you!”.
“I ran for my life,
I even threw myself into oncoming traffic to get away.”
She ran until she saw a Sheriff’s patrol car and called out for help. While they handcuffed the attacker and put him in the back of their car, the officers claimed this was not in their jurisdiction, so they had to wait for LAPD to arrive.
The elderly Asian man stood there waiting, clearly hurt and scared, unable to communicate with the officers as he hardly spoke English.
“He didn’t want to press any charges & left the scene with a huge bruise on his face.”
When LAPD finally came, they did not take Franny’s statement and she was left feeling vulnerable and unprotected. LAPD told her that because she wasn’t a victim of battery, she wasn’t able to get justice.
Emotionally scarred and worried about the elderly man, Franny posted her story on social media. World Mission University (Through Peace) came across it and reached out offering help.
They guided Franny through the complexities of this harmful situation – reporting both the hate crime she witnessed and the hate incident she endured.
They also managed to find the elderly man and offer him support, as well as demand that the officers receive retraining so they can respond more appropriately in the future.
This hate and violence changed the way Franny saw the world. As part of her healing journey, she now shares her story at hate crime workshops across the state.
“Every time I share my story with my neighbors, I grow closer towards a mended heart.”
Now, as a survivor and advocate, Franny dreams of a world with abundance, where everyone lives safely and free from fear. With every workshop, she believes we move one step closer to a more just future.
This is just one of many stories we’re hearing from our Stop the Hate partners. Incidents as such highlight the continued need for organizations like Through Peace, who are dedicated to supporting Angelenos in their recovery and path towards healing.
Read more stories like these to learn how hate can show up in your community. Only by naming it can we stay vigilant and stop hate wherever and whenever we see it.
*Names have been changed to maintain confidentiality.
