The tragic killing of eight people at Atlanta area spas on Wednesday, six identified as Asian women, was just the latest incident to escalate tensions among Asian communities regarding a rise in racially-motivated attacks.
According to Rep. Marilyn Strickland (D-Wash. 10th District), one of four Korean Americans to be elected to Congress, there needs to be a reckoning on accountability when it comes to hate crimes.
"I think part of the frustration that a lot of us in the Asian community have right now is that these crimes are happening, and there doesn't seem to be an urgency to respond to it," she told Cheddar. "And I think that's why we are being so intentional about speaking out, holding rallies, and making sure that people do not erase us or make us invisible."
Strickland, who is also half Black, said that she's "concerned for the safety of communities of color, in general," particularly after marginalized groups had to be subjected to divisive rhetoric from former President Donald Trump over the past four years.
"Eight people died, and six of them, Asian women. And so there are a lot of elements to this crime that warrant our attention," she said of the March 17 massacre. "This has been going on, again, really since COVID."
Demanding Accountability of People in Power
While forcing a change in people's hearts and minds is not necessarily realistic, Strickland said that she expects some legislation to come down the pipeline to address criminal hate incidents but noted that since most such crimes are heavily local matters, addressing them requires buy-in from the community.
"I would say to people who are in the cities, on the ground, in the neighborhood, stay local, make sure you hold people accountable, and don't let up," she said.
The congresswoman also addressed remarks by Captain Jay Baker, a spokesman for the Cherokee County Sheriff, who described the Atlanta spa shooter as "having a really bad day" prior to the massacre and whose own social media posts came to light, which included images containing anti-Asian rhetoric.
"When these crimes are committed, we don't want to see people in positions of authority or law enforcement, like the sheriff did, making excuses for it," she said.
"We want to send a message that when you commit a hate crime in the United States, regardless of who the victim is, people want accountability. They want there to be consequences and repercussions."
Strickland explained that the Asian community has to continue applying pressure to those in power in order for real solutions to emerge.
"People must feel empowered to speak out and they must feel comfortable speaking out but just speak out if you have something to say," she said.
2021 was a wild ride for the world of cryptos. Both Bitcoin and Etherum hit new all-time highs, as well as other coins like SHIB-INU. According to several experts, crypto is here to stay and is expected to blast off in the year 2022 as more and more people invest in the crypto world. The host of "The O Show" Wendy O, joined Cheddar to discuss more.
According to recent new polls, Americans are becoming more and more skeptical about tech companies. A number of respondents revealed their distrust of companies like Apple, Instagram, Facebook, and even Tik Tok. They say that they believe it is time for government agencies to step in to take action in order to protect users' personal information and data. Technology Reporter at AXIOS Ashley Gold, joined Cheddar to discuss more.
Over the past year, the new love for gaming has created a huge demand for the consumption of content on streaming platforms. All this has caused a rise in gaming influencers all over the world. Founder of Viral Nation Joe Gagliese and Digital Video Executive Andrew Wall, joined Cheddar to discuss more.
The U.S. population has dipped to its slowest rate since the nation's founding. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the population grew just point 0.11% from 2020 to 2021 due in part to decreased international migration, decreased fertility, and increased mortality from the pandemic. Paul Overberg, reporter at the Wall Street Journal, joined Cheddar to discuss what's behind the record slow growth in population and why it has negative implications for the economy and the nation.
Carlo and Baker kick off the weirdest week of the year with all the news you missed over the holiday weekend, including calls for the CDC to shorten its isolation window as Omicron sweeps through the country.
The 2022 Winter Olympics will be without some of hockey's biggest players. The NHL and the NHL Player's Association have agreed to not participate in the men's hockey tournament at the Games in Beijing next year. The league has been forced to postpone some games because of a rise in COVID-19 cases among players. Washington Post sports reporter Samantha Pell joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss what this could mean for the Winter Olympics and the sport of hockey.
Baron Davis and Kate Hudson want you to bring cannabis home for the holidays. The cannabis-infused seltzer brand Cann released a new spot featuring the actress and former NBA player. The campaign comes hand in hand with Cann's launch of a new holiday bundle, which includes its product with Hudson's King Street Vodka. Davis and Hudson are also Cann investors. Cheddar cannabis reporter Chloe Aiello spoke to Davis about his involvement with the company and its new campaign.
Healthcare workforce management platform ShiftMed
recently announced a $45 million funding round.
The company's platform connects nurses and healthcare professionals to hospitals and other healthcare providers.
ShiftMed's new funding comes amid widespread labor shortages in the healthcare sector. The company's CEO Todd Walrath joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
Universities like UCLA, Yale, and Duke have announced they're implementing remote learning amid the COVID omicron variant surge, despite President Biden recommending that K-12 schools should continue in-person education. Jared C. Bass, senior director for Higher Education at American Progress, joined Cheddar to break down what institutions of higher education might be considering differently. "I think some universities are allowing periods of a bit of a respite to allow students to get testing and make sure when they do return back to campus that they're healthy," he noted.
