MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. — Over the weekend, people across the country held protests and vigils calling for an end to violence against Asian-Americans.
Two Asian American women in Central Georgia are asking for help and understanding following the deadly shootings at Atlanta-area spas.
Lina Sealy comes from a Korean family and used to live in Gwinnett County. She lives in Milledgeville, but her parents are still in the Atlanta area.
Sealy said, "That could've been my mom, my aunt, my great aunts, extended family."
Eunice Chon lives in Macon, but she, too, used to live in Gwinnett.
Through a friend, she knows the son of one of the victims in the Atlanta spa shooting.
"He doesn't have time to grieve for long because he has to figure out where he is going to stay, where his brother is going to stay and how to support him, and that shattered my heart," said Chon.
Both Sealy and Chon told me they are all too familiar with hate towards Asian Americans, even though several Central Georgia sheriff's offices say they haven't had any recent cases reported.
Sealy also said, "There's always the derogatory jokes, the comments -- the basic stuff, 'Why are your eyes slanted?' The sexual innuendos..."
Chon said her brother was insulted in February by a carload of people driving by as he sat outside a store in Macon.
"They just called him 'Ching Chong' out of the blue," said Chon.
Now, they're just ready for a change.
Chon also said, "There's a lack of... it hurts to say it, it hurts to say it, there is a lack of concern."
They say there are two things all of us can do that can make all the difference -- start a conversation or speak up if you see something wrong.
The nonprofit group "Stop AAPI Hate" tracks incidents of hate and discrimination against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in the U.S.
If you experience or see a hate incident, you can report it to STOPAAPI.org.
The site also walks you through how to help a victim of hate, like introducing yourself, offering support, and helping the victims figure out what they want to do next.
Sabrina Hom, a professor of race and gender studies at Georgia College, says there's more you can do to help the AAPI community every day.
"Folks should go out there and support Asian-owned businesses and Asian community groups," said Hom. "I mean, there is a lot of fear."