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The latest on the Key Bridge collapse, New York puts forth legislation to get clean energy projects on the grid and Wisconsin and other states join a federal summer food program to help feed kids across the country.

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Republicans float conspiracy theories on the collapse of Baltimore's Key Bridge, South Carolina's congressional elections will use a map ruled unconstitutional, and the Senate schedules an impeachment trial for Homeland Secretary Mayorkas.

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Historic wildfires could create housing and health issues for rural Texans, a Kentucky program helps prison parolees start a new life, and descendants of Nicodemus, Kansas celebrate the Black settlers who journeyed across the 1870s plains seeking self-governance.

Washingtonians Support Asian-American Businesses During COVID-19

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Tuesday, April 14, 2020   

SEATTLE -- As coronavirus emerged in Washington state, Asian-Americans faced xenophobia and racism, and businesses in Seattle's International District suffered.

Some businesses have gone under and others are in danger of closing. But in March, Sarah Baker and other Seattleites stepped up to create a Facebook group called "Support the ID" - which now has more than 18,000 members - to promote the area's businesses.

Baker is on the board of the Japanese-American Citizens League and grew up visiting the International District. She said most of the businesses are family- and immigrant-run.

"I've had several folks just respond and say how much they appreciate the support and that the page itself has just really brought them a lot of business and it's just been really, really helpful to them during this period," Baker said.

At the end of March, Baker also started a GoFundMe campaign in which donations are used to buy meals from the International District to be delivered to front-line health care workers.

The effort is featured this week in a video from the "In This Together" series by the group Define American. It's the second in this weekly series.



Shauna Siggelkow, head of original content with the group, said they were originally working on a series about immigrant communities coming together, but pivoted with the outbreak of COVID-19. She said folks find out what they're made of in crises like this.

"It's important to us that we're acknowledging the challenges that the Asian-American community is going through right now," Siggelkow said, "but also really highlighting how so many Americans are galvanized to support that community as well and show solidarity with them."

Baker said she's been heartened by all the support for the International District.

"To see average, everyday people going out of their way to support each other and to support the community," Baker said, "it's definitely been a big highlight for me the last couple of months and has been really keeping me going, despite all of the bad stuff that's been happening."


Disclosure: Define American contributes to our fund for reporting on Census, Civic Engagement, Civil Rights, Immigrant Issues. If you would like to help support news in the public interest, click here.


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