On Saturday, March 20, the “Stop Asian Hate SGV/LA” rally and candlelight vigil brought together several hundred people in Alhambra, in the heart of the San Gabriel Valley, a majority Asian community east of Los Angeles. The rally against the increase of hate incidents targeting the Asian American and Pacific Islanders community took place simultaneously with several others, including one in the adjacent city of San Gabriel. The Alhambra rally was notable for its large makeup of younger participants.

The rally hosted a multitude of speakers sharing messages and descriptions of hate experienced. Speakers touched on the need for Black, brown and Asian unity in working against hate. The rally included an eight minute silent remembrance paying respect to the victims of the shootings in Atlanta. A candlelight altar with artwork and flowers commemorated victims of violence against the AAPI community. 

First time organizer Betty Hang put together the event, which took place in Almansor Park in Alhambra. Several officers from the Alhambra Police Department watched over the gathering. Speakers at the event, who were mostly younger community members, touched on the police presence, noting how law enforcement involvement had previously caused physical and emotional harm in interactions that had gone awry. The evening ended with a unity clap first introduced by labor activists to Filipino and Latino migrant workers in the 1960s.