Dr. Tiffany Moon and Crystal Kung Minkoff Show Support for the AAPI Community Amid Rise in Hate Crimes

With the recent increase in hate incidents against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, Dr. Tiffany Moon and Crystal Kung Minkoff are showing their support for the AAPI community.

The Real Housewives of Dallas and The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills cast members, respectively, have both been using their platforms to speak out on the rise in hate crimes against the AAPI community over the past year, posting on social media with the hashtag #StopAsianHate to raise awareness. 

"I will not be silent. I will not tolerate racism against anyone in any way, shape, or form," Tiffany wrote in a post on Instagram on February 21 sharing an article about the rise in hate crimes. "If I see it, I will call it out. Spread love, not hate."

Crystal, who will be the first Asian-American Housewife on RHOBH in the upcoming Season 11, also shared ways to support the AAPI community in an Instagram post that featured an image with the words "Very Asian and Very Proud."

"Despite being the fastest growing racial and ethnic group in the country, despite consisting of 20 million people with roots in more than 20 countries, the racism, discrimination and disparities experienced by many Asian Americans are often overlooked. Asian Americans suffer from the racism of being made invisible," Crystal wrote in the post. "Those notions, which suggest that Asian Americans are outsiders who don't face disadvantages, make it possible for them to be seen as acceptable targets — and contribute to the spate of violence seen over the past year. We will no longer be silent or invisible any more."

Earlier this month, the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism at California State University, San Bernardino released an analysis showing that while hate crimes overall dropped 7 percent in 16 of America's largest cities in 2020, anti-Asian hate crimes rose by 149 percent. Stop AAPI Hate also released its 2020-2021 national report earlier this week that revealed nearly 3,800 incidents reported to the center from March 19, 2020 to February 28, 2021, with 503 of those incidents occurring this year. The report also found that women reported hate incidents 2.3 times more than men.

Tiffany opened up about raising awareness of hate crimes against the AAPI community amid the pandemic during an interview with the Dallas-based ABC affiliate WFAA that ran on March 16. "Like, what is going to come of this tragedy? And the answer for me, at least, was to increase awareness and to talk about it and not just sweep it under the rug," she shared. "It's like I always say, 'Lead with love and laughter, never with hate.'"

In the wake of three shootings in the Atlanta area on March 16 in which six of the eight people killed were Asian women, Crystal wrote on Instagram, "I’m feeling paralyzed today. But I won’t stay silent." "My heart was ripped out of my chest yesterday," she also wrote. "I am grieving today along with all my Asian brothers and sisters. Please take your time and mourn, and try and remember how valuable and loved you are."

Officials are still investigating the motive in the shootings, according to NBC News.

Bravo's Top Chef Season 17 winner Melissa King also spoke out on the recent rise in anti-Asian racism and shared how followers can support the AAPI community. "As a person of color, racism comes to no surprise. It’s disheartening to witness the increase of Asian hate crimes throughout this country since Covid," she wrote in a post on Instagram on March 17. "I am enraged and will not stand silent. We must do better."

Bravo previously released a statement on Instagram on February 18 in support of the AAPI community amid the recent rise in hate crimes. "As racist hate crimes continue to rise in the community, we stand with our fellow Asian American [and] Pacific Island collaborators, partners, and colleagues against racism, hatred, and violence," the statement read and included #StopAAPIHate and #StopAsianHate.