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In light of the recent murders of Asian-American women in Atlanta and the rise of violence against Asians in general since the start of the pandemic, A+E Networks on Friday released a cross-platform public service announcement in support of StopAAPIHate.org. The spot is currently running on A&E, The History Channel, Lifetime and LMN and is being shared across the networks’ social media platforms.
The effort also tapped into the networks’ Voices Magnified initiative, which focuses on giving a national spotlight to issues around equality and social reform, with A+E commissioning three new short-form pieces that focus on Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders.
The first piece features Mitchell Maki and the Go For Broke National Education Center talking about World War II’s 442nd Regiment Combat Team, which was the most decorated military unit in American History consisting of second-generation Japanese-Americans.
The second stars Anh Vu Sawyer, who was airlifted off of the American Embassy rooftop with her family when she was 18 after the fall of Saigon. She’s now the executive director of the Southeast Asian Coalition of Central Massachusetts.
And the third stars Tessa Xuan, chair of the Ohio Progressive Asian Women’s Leadership, which is pushing elected officials to deal with the rise in hate incidents targeting Asian-Americans in Ohio.
The three pieces will begin airing in April and run into May, which is Asian Pacific Heritage Month.
More short-form pieces focusing on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders are in the works at A+E Networks with some of these drawing on existing programming and these will air online or on-air.
Also in May, Lifetime will focus its Fierce Female Fridays franchise on Asian-American women, including Vice President Kamala Harris, comedian and actress Awkwafina, first Asian-American Congresswoman Patsy Mink and actress Sandra Oh.