The COVID-19 pandemic brought on a wave of anti-Asian hate and racism, particularly against those “who look Chinese,” because of misattributed blame for the spread of the pandemic.

To combat this discrimination, the Asian Gold Ribbon (AGR) campaign was established. Its purpose is to drive social change and to raise awareness of anti-Asian hate and racism on a large scale. The campaign also offers mental health support programs and advocates for social justice through educational activities.

Individuals can support the visibility campaign on Asian Gold Ribbon Day, celebrated on May 20, corresponding with Asian Heritage Month. You can celebrate by taking photos with gold ribbons and posting them on social media with the hashtag #asiangoldenribbon and tagging @asiangoldenribbon. Asians and non-Asians are encouraged to join in to inspire unity and solidarity for a brighter future.

And why gold? Yellow has been historically used to disparage Asians. So the AGR campaign decided to reclaim the color with pride by choosing gold, a celebratory shade of yellow.