Manila, Philippines – As COVID-19 crippled society over the last three months, countless stories of kindness and compassion have emerged, shining a light of hope through the darkness. At the same time, that light has served to paint stories of ugliness in greater contrast: with the global pandemic having started in Asia, a growing wave of discrimination has formed against anyone of Asian origin, including front liners.
Working from Manila, TBWA\Santiago Mangada Puno joined forces with the National Association of Asian American Professionals (NAAAP) and the ‘I Am Not a Virus’ advocacy, to give a voice to the tireless individuals who have made it their mission to save our lives. Asian front liners based in the United States, Canada, Singapore, and the United Kingdom, among others, were enlisted to speak out against the unfair treatment they’ve received as a result of their race.
Speaking from their respective hospitals – the participants deliver the powerful message that the virus does not discriminate. With some partially obscured by PPE, their exhaustion and weariness are palpable, even as their resolve remains unwavering. The video ends with a call for unity, and the hashtag #IAMNOTAVIRUS.
Today, more than ever, the essential nature of medical practitioners and their efforts has never been clearer. Working to save lives under trying, often impossible, conditions, these real-life heroes have emerged as the first, last, and best hope for surviving the global pandemic.
For more information on #IAMNOTAVIRUS and the National Association of Asian American Professionals, you can follow @iamnotavisus.info on Facebook and Instagram, or @notavirusinfo on Twitter. You may also visit www.iamnotavirus.info and www.naaap.org.
