Gemma Chan has said that she fears for her family whenever they leave home or use public transport as she announces her support for a campaign raising money for the East and South East Asian community (ESEA) in light of a recent surge in anti-Asian hate crime.
The Humans actor announced her support for the campaign on Instagram with a post that states #StopEast+SouthEastAsianHate with a link to a GoFundMe page.
“Like many others, I worry for family members every time they leave the house or use public transport,” Chan wrote in a caption below before revealing that both of her parents have been subjects to anti-Asian hate in the last year.
“My mum has worked for the NHS for most of her life - she and my dad have been followed and subjected to a number of verbal assaults since the beginning of the pandemic,” she wrote.
“Whilst I’m relieved that these attacks didn’t become physical, unfortunately that is often not the case,” Chan added before going on to reference recent incidences, “such as the unprovoked attack on a 26-year-old woman in Edinburgh last week which ended in her hospitalisation, the vicious beating of a university lecturer who was out jogging in Southampton and the physical assault of Singaporean student Jonathan Mok on Oxford Street, amongst many others”.
Chan continued: “What’s even more concerning is that the recorded figures are likely an underestimation because many incidents go unreported, both to the police and in the media.”
The actor said that money raised for the ESEA Community Fund will go towards grants for grassroots organisations that support ESEA and other communities.
To date, the GoFundMe page has raised £43,844 of its £50,000 goal.
Chan’s post has thus far acquired thousands of comments and likes, including one from British Vogue editor Edward Enninful, who wrote: “We are all behind you @gemma_chan.”
You can donate to the ESEA Community Fund here.
