Remembering Grandpa Vicha

Welcome to the Tiger in the Room.

Today we launch our podcast on this date, January 28th, in honor of a pivotal moment in Asian-American history - the tragic death of Vicha Ratanapakdee, a beloved Thai-American father and grandfather who was murdered three years ago in broad daylight in San Francisco, a victim of a racially motivated attack.

His story served as a catalyst for the Stop Asian Hate movement and consequently nationwide attention to the harsh reality of violence and racism against Asians and Asian-Americans.

For many of us, the shocking murder of Vicha is where we first saw the mainstream media reporting incidents of attacks against Asians and Asian-Americans. For many of us, it led to a national consciousness and awakening of the trauma that Asians have experienced since the start of COVID-19 and sparked a movement that most of us have never seen before in our lifetime.