WASHINGTON — Editor's Note: The above video is from March 23, 2021.
Last March, D.C. chefs Kevin Tien and Tim Ma started an organization to raise money to fight anti-Asian racism and support Stop AAPI Hate by doing what they do best: Cooking.
Tien and Ma founded Chefs Stopping AAPI Hate last year. They teamed up with 45 D.C.-area chefs for a series of take-out dinners to raise money for the organization as well as bring awareness of racism against Asian Americans following a sharp uptick in violence at the height of the coronavirus pandemic.
The takeout dinner series began in D.C. and expanded to other cities around the country including New York City and San Francisco. All proceeds were donated to Stopping AAPI Hate and Rise Justice Labs.
Since its inception, the team has raised $500,000 for marginalized communities with other key fundraisers such as an Afghan refugee dinner, and a Chefs for Ukraine dinner with proceeds supporting World Central Kitchen's relief efforts on the border of Ukraine.
Tien is the executive chef at Moon Rabbit. We spoke with him last year about how he approached launching the organization.
"I always cook whenever I'm having times of self-doubt or trouble. I find it is a way to do what I do best as a way to help myself, and I know that this is a good way to help others as well," Tien said.
Now, more than a year later, Chefs Stopping AAPI Hate continues took look for opportunities to support communities in need through the art of food.
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