My heart breaks with all the stories I’ve heard this week about violence perpetrated against Asian folks here in the Bay. Nobody deserves to be hurt in this way. The truth is, for the last four years we’ve had a leader who has trafficked in racist stereotypes about Asians.

This has created a culture by which disdain and distrust of Asian communities is at an all time high. From laying the pandemic at their feet, to stoking fears about economic takeover, it’s a recipe for disaster. That’s exactly why Trump stoked these fears.

So many people are hurting right now, and too few of us are getting what we need to be resilient in the face of a crisis we did not cause. That’s why we need to be vigilant — our lack of unity is their shield to keep us from our dignity.

Everyday in our communities, people without power try and exercise power over others who are without power because we don’t have it in the rest of our lives. All the while, the people who have power and abuse it laugh all the way to the bank.

Desperation fuels violence. So does a racist culture. We need to place the blame where it belongs. We are stronger together than we are against each other. Business has been gutted in our communities, but condos proliferate that no one can afford.

Our communities deserve better. @LibbySchaaf where is the money to help our communities be resilient in the face of crisis? Can you dare to be more imaginative than Donald Trump, and combat violence with resources rather than retribution and more racism?