They say they've been silent for too long.
Now, the Asian American community and its allies spoke out in San Jose Sunday.
In the rally, organizers demanded an end to the violence and the racism in a large rally. The crowd of dozens quickly grew to more than a thousand.
Spurred by the recent violence against people of Asian descent, organizers say they won't be quiet any longer.
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“We are together, we are here, we're not going anywhere and we're finally ready to speak our truths,” said former football player and attorney Adam Juratovac.
Juratovac was the emcee and the rally organizer. His TikTok followers began organizing the rally during a live stream.
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Organizers say there's anger at the recent violence and at everyday racism, where Asian Americans say they've faced for far too long.
Current and former elected officials spoke of the need for policy change.
“The outcome has gotta be action. Tangible action by policymakers and educators," said former congressman Mike Honda.
Many spoke out against what's called the model minority myth.
“We do well at school, we do well at work, so we're successful. But that’s not a true representation, that's a stereotype," said San Jose State University professor Yvonee Kwan.
Today, the fight comes in the form of words. But tomorrow, organizers say they are moving forward and take action. They added this is not a passing moment but a movement.
