Stop AAPI Hate Presents: A Safer Place for All

We all deserve a safe place to live — but many of us can’t pick up groceries, take the train, or walk around our neighborhoods without the fear of street harassment. This panel conversation, facilitated by Stop AAPI Hate, delves into the common problem of street harassment, and how it is experienced by women, girls, people of color, and members of the queer and disabled communities. As Pride Month comes to a close, we will explore the following questions:

What does street harassment look like — and who does it affect?

What would a safer, more accessible environment look like for vulnerable communities, including LGBTQ+ communities?

How can different communities who are experiencing harassment join forces to address street harassment?

Stop AAPI Hate is leading a multiracial coalition against street harassment. To learn more, visit noplaceforhateca.org.

Food and beverages will be available for purchase before, during, and after the event. Manny's never turns away anyone for lack of funds. To receive a complimentary ticket just email the word "grapefruit" and the title of this event to darian@welcometomannys.com.

About the Speakers:

Shanti Elise Prasad, Advocacy Manager, Chinese for Affirmative Action (CAA)

As an Advocacy Manager, Shanti (she/they) supports state and local campaigns for CAA and Stop AAPI Hate, including No Place For Hate California. Prior to CAA, Shanti spent 12 years in local, state, and federal policy and advocacy, state coalition building and leadership, and organizing in the areas of food security, food and farming justice, and economic justice.

Shanti grew up in Fresno and San Francisco and is proud of her maternal family's farmworker roots and her Indian, Filipinx, and Chicanx American family’s entrepreneurial spirit and commitment to human rights.

Haleema Bharoocha, Advocacy Director, Alliance For Girls

Haleema (she/her) is a Gen Z South Asian American, named on She the People’s list of 25 Under 25: Women of Color to Watch. As an activist, she has fought for poverty alleviation and public safety. Most recently, at Alliance for Girls, she led Not One More Girl, the first community initiative to address sexual harassment on BART. Haleema Haleema is also a workshop facilitator. In her career, she has led sessions on Islamophobia, bystander intervention, and gender-based violence. Her work is featured in Teen Vogue, Bloomberg, SF Chronicle, and Vogue Italy.

Janice Li, Director, Coalition for Community Safety and Justice

Janice (she/her) is a community organizer with a love of cities. In 2018, she became the first Asian American woman elected to the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) Board of Directors, representing the west side of San Francisco. Until 2021, she also worked at the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition, where she led countless campaigns to make San Francisco streets more walkable, bikeable and transit-first. Now she directs the Coalition for Community Safety and Justice, a coalition founded by CAA to address violence. Janice was born in Hong Kong, raised in Buffalo, and lives in Inner Richmond with her partner.

Jupiter Peraza, Director of Social Justice and Empowerment Initiatives, Transgender District

Jupiter (she/her) is an undocumented trans woman, activist, graduate student of International Relations at San Francisco State University, DACA recipient, and Director of Social Justice & Empowerment Initiatives at The Transgender District. In 2021, she led the initiative to designate August as Transgender History Month in the city and county of San Francisco - ushering in the nation's first commemorative month for transgender history. In 2022, Jupiter was recognized by State Senator Scott Wiener as the California Senate District 11th Woman of the Year.