Push Admin

Fil-Am 2021 assault victim advocates vs. hate crime

The elderly Fil-Am victim of a 2021 assault in New York is sharing her story to prevent hate crimes and help victims' recovery.

Article (news)

ABS-CBN News

<div><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/pwFZHdAOCZA?&amp;feature=youtu.be&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe> </div>The elderly Filipino-American victim of an assault in New York is sharing her story to prevent hate crimes and help victims&#x27; recovery.“I found my voice,” Vilma Kari told ABS-CBN News North America. “This is my advocacy now. By me speaking out about what happened to me, I would be able to heal the community with my voice.”Kari became the victim of a physical attack in 2021 after the suspect, Brandon Elliot, assaulted her in an incident caught on security footage. Elliot was sentenced in February to 15 years in state prison. The Fil-Am also shared what she said to Elliot in court, right before his sentencing.<div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/2/22/suspect-in-hate-crime-vs-65-yr-old-filipino-woman-gets-15-years-in-prison-1022">Suspect in hate crime vs 65-yr-old Filipino woman gets 15 years in prison</a></div>“I told him, you took my peace [and] some freedom away from me,” Kari recalled. “You have put fear in my heart. I have a fear of walking outside by myself, fear of riding the subway, of meeting people, and that fear will always linger.”The 65-year-old said owning those fears has given her the courage to move on. Kari and her daughter Liz recently met with some Filipinos in Atlanta as part of a nationwide event by the March 16th Remembrance Committee.The gathering marked the third anniversary of the Atlanta shootings, where 21-year-old Robert Aaron Long opened fire at two spas, killing eight people including six Asians. Long told the police that he was motivated by sexual addiction and denied that race played a role in the killings. He pleaded guilty to the charges and was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. “I truly believe it changed the entire landscape of Asian American history and Asian American advocacy,” said Bonnie Youn, the event’s organizer.Kari was one of the featured speakers at the March 16 event held in Norcross, Virginia. She vows to continue speaking up for victims like her, in the hopes of preventing the next racially motivated attack. “Some of us are survivors who live to see the next day,” she said. “May my presence and vulnerability continue to encourage others to amplify their voices and seek justice and to also not be afraid to share these stories.”

The elderly Fil-Am victim of a 2021 assault in New York is sharing her story to prevent hate crimes and help victims' recovery.

Fil-Am 2021 assault victim finds advocacy in speaking up vs. hate crime

News

Entertainment

Lifestyle

Sports

Metro.Style

More

Traffic

Manila

Horoscope

News

Fil-Am 2021 assault victim finds advocacy in speaking up vs. hate crime

ABS-CBN News,

Lenn Almadin Thorhnill | TFC News Georgia

Published Mar 20, 2024 05:02 PM PHT

Read More:

United States

New York

Georgia

Filipino American

Violence

Advocacy

Crime

TFC News

ABS-CBN is the leading media and entertainment company in the Philippines, offering quality content across TV, radio, digital, and film. Committed to public service and promoting Filipino values, ABS-CBN continues to inspire and connect audiences worldwide.

Corporate

Investors

Governance

International Distribution

Corporate

Governance

Investors

International Distribution

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

AI Policy

Terms of Service

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.