Sandra Oh is speaking out just days after eight people were killed in the deadly shooting at three Atlanta-area spas.
On Saturday, the Grey’s Anatomy alum stopped by a Stop AAPI Hate rally in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to deliver a very important message to a mask-covered crowd. In a video making the rounds on social media, she discussed the recent increase in hate crimes against Asian Americans and how people can help support the community.
“Pittsburgh, I am so happy and proud to be here with you and thank you to all the organizers for organizing this just to give us an opportunity to be together and to stand together and to feel each other. For many of us in our community, this is the first time we are even able to voice our fear and our anger, and I really am so grateful to everyone willing to listen. One thing that I know is that many in our community are very scared, and I understand that. And one way to go through our fear is to reach out to our community.”
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The 49-year-old continued:
“To everyone here… I will challenge everyone here, if you see something, will you help me? If you see one of our sisters and brothers in need, will you help us?”
The crowd then responded with, “Yes!” before Oh went on:
“We must understand, as Asian Americans, we just need to reach out our hand to our sisters and brothers and say, ‘Help me and I’m here.’”
She then shouted:
“I am proud to be Asian! I belong here!”
Ch-ch-check out the impassioned speech (below):
BREAKING: Sandra Oh speaks at a “Stop Asian Hate” demonstration in Oakland to about 250 people.
“I am proud to be Asian,” she says. “We belong here.” pic.twitter.com/BCAtBpn4QQ
— Rebecca Johnson (@rebeccapaigejo) March 20, 2021
Oh has long been an outspoken advocate for her community — especially within the entertainment industry. Two days before the protest, she released a statement on Instagram about the deadly shootings, writing:
“I send loving kindness and support to the families of the eight souls murdered in Georgia on March 16. And to all the victims of racist violence. I am devastated and profoundly angry. I know many of you are scared but let us not be afraid.”
Oh then added, “Remember #itsanhonorjusttobeasian,” which called back to her infamous comment from the 2018 Emmys.
The Killing Eve star’s call for support for the Asian American and Pacific Islander community follows the fatal attack at three Atlanta spas this week where Robert Aaron Long killed eight people — six of them being Asian women. The victims included Soon Chung Park, 74, Hyun Jung Grant, 51, Suncha Kim, 69, Yong Ae Yue, 63, Delaina Ashley Yuan, 33, Paul Andre Michels, 54, Xiaojie Yan, 49, and Daoyou Feng, 44.
Local investigators announced that the 21-year-old man had been arrested and confessed to the crime. However, he claimed it wasn’t racially motivated. The Cherokee County Sheriff Frank Reynolds said in a Wednesday press conference:
“He made indicators that he has some issues, potentially sexual addiction, and may have frequented some of these places in the past.”
Since then, celebrities such as Ariana Grande, LeBron James, Mindy Kaling, Olivia Munn, Lana Condor, Joe Jonas, Rihanna, and more have reacted to the racist violence, as well as provided resources to help. Daniel Dae Kim has also made a speech against the rise in hate crimes against the Asian community during a congressional hearing on Thursday.
Our hearts continue to go out to the victims of this tragedy and their families.
[Image via Sheri Determan/WENN]
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