Local Community Group Aims To Stop Asian Hate Through Bake Sale

SEATTLE — A Seattle-based community group is organizing a massive bake sale to push back against anti-Asian hatred— and encouraging others to host bake sales of their own.

Subtle Asian Baking is a Facebook group for sharing Asian-inspired baking and dessert recipes. According to the group's page, founder Kat Lieu was reminiscing about a recent trip to Tokyo, but due to the pandemic, couldn't go herself, so she decided to make a page to find and share inspiration and recipes. From that humble beginning, a movement started, garnering more than 140,000 members on Facebook and another 90,000 followers on Instagram.

But while their group has blossomed during the pandemic, something terrible has also taken root in America: a rise in hate crimes against Asian residents and communities, not just in Washington, but across the entire country. According to Stop AAPI Hate, a coalition effort pushing back against anti-Asian hate crimes, one in five Asian Americans have experienced a hate incident within the past year.

Related: Washington State Leaders Denounce Anti-Asian Violence

Following the recent murders of Christina Yuna Lee and Michelle Alyssa Go, organizers with Subtle Asian Baking said they wanted to do something to push back against all that hate. So, the group has launched "The #veryasian Bake Sale", a coordinated effort to stop Asian hate.

"With the recent brutal murders of Michelle Go and Christina Yuna Lee, we see there continues to be a dire need to help #stopasianhate and to amplify female Asian voices," Lieu said. "From now until April 18th, 2022, we invite you to donate directly or host bake sales along with the Subtle Asian Baking community, Stache of Goods, Cakes by Michelle, and Big Cake Mom to raise funds to help #StopAsianHate."

Donations for the sale are being accepted via GoFundMe, with a goal of raising $5,000. Half of the money raised will go to Heart of Dinner, which combats food insecurity and isolation in New York City's Asian American community, and the other half will go to The Very Asian Foundation, which shares AAPI voices through education, storytelling, and community connection.

>> Find theThe #veryasian Bake Sale on GoFundMe.

Editor's Note: Patch is a GoFundMe promotional partner.