Allure
Asian Resillience
The Rise in Anti-Asian Hate Makes Normalcy a Distant Dream for Salons
—Sarah Han
"I hope we do all that we can to bring our communities together and acknowledge the challenges we face as Asian Americans today."
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As an Asian American spa owner who employs people from Nepali and Asian backgrounds, I have never before been so worried about safety and the impact [the rise in anti-Asian hate] may have on my business. After the spa shootings, I considered adding buzzers to my spa doors for safety and not [staying open] late.
Although we hire anyone who is a great fit for the brand, we currently hire mostly women from Nepal, Egypt, Pakistan, and South America, as well as China and Korea. When Asian-related hate crimes started spiking, some of our staff were very scared to come into work on the subway. We gave them the space they needed and allowed them to stay home until they felt comfortable. We also offered to have them Uber'ed over at the company's cost and were never dismissive of their concerns — and we absorbed all costs of any outstanding services that the women were not able to perform. We also added extra security cameras in the salons.
[...]
My particular spa and industry at large have led with threading, a skill that mainly comes from the East, including India, Pakistan, and other Asian countries. Many young women have moved away from salon professions and don't feel comfortable working in spas anymore — hence [there's been] a reduction in the pool of talent.
I currently serve as a Lotus Circle Advisor for the Asia Foundation, which serves [women across] 18 different countries in Asia [in the fight] against violence and gender discrimination. As an Asian American woman, I hope to see economic opportunities, growth, and futures for entrepreneurs and women from our backgrounds both in the U.S. and across the globe. As a mother of two, the Long Island caustic acid attack really scared me. I see my daughter in that girl and hope we do all that we can to bring our communities together and acknowledge the challenges we face as Asian Americans today.
