Racism and hate towards Asians has been on the rise since the pandemic, but these sentiments have a long and continuing history in our society. Co-chairs of Spokane’s Asian Pacific Islander Coalition, Ryann Louie and Sarah Dixit, converse about the different ways hate has shown up in their lives in the past and present, and how their unique lived experiences have led them to advocate for a better future in Spokane.

About the speakers:

Ryann is a southern California transplant who moved to Spokane for the second time to be involved in the holistic and progressive community movement in the Inland Northwest. With a degree in architecture from Washington State University and a deep passion for environmental and social justice, they recognize that some of the ways to combat the system of white supremacy, especially anti-Asian racism, is through education, policy changes, and reimagining what community looks like. Ryann is the co-chair of the Asian Pacific Islander Coalition (APIC) Spokane, founder of Reimagine Spokane, office manager at South Henry Studios, and an LGBTQIA2S+ workshop facilitator for Spectrum Center

Born and raised in Southern California, Sarah Dixit moved up to Spokane for college in 2014, where she studied Sociology at Whitworth University. After graduating, she began her career in advocacy and social justice through her job as an organizer at the local Planned Parenthood, which connected her with the progressive movement in Spokane, including APIC Spokane. She is the Co-Chair for the Asian Pacific Islander Coalition (APIC) Spokane Chapter and Public Affairs Manager for Planned Parenthood of Greater Washington and North Idaho