"White people have stepped away from me in line at Whole Foods." This sentence brought tears to my eyes, a culmination from upset feelings reading the whole article.

My first question to anyone who'd step away from you because you are Asian is WHY? Why would you even THINK of doing that?

For this past year, I've been making an extra effort to smile, nod, and say hi (or in the case of neighbors walking by, call out hi) to Asians who cross my path. I want them to know I see them as fellow humans. I've wanted to counterbalence in a small way the prejudice I know many have experienced, or if they haven't personally experienced it, fear what could happen.

Unfortunately acts of hatred, violence, and prejudice hurt and cause wounds, that no amount of "hi" greetings from strangers can heal.

Thank you for sharing your experience, Yasmin.