The rise in hate crimes over the last year, including last week’s mass murder, is reprehensible. Our journey to DAO Labs began in Asia, living, working and studying abroad with people and in cultures we quickly began to love. It’s as much the people and culture that drives our passion for Chinese herbal medicine as it is the practice itself. In fact, two of our Co-Founders are currently living in Asia, sheltering from the health crisis world in a place that if not home, perhaps is the next best thing. Our hearts go out to all people affected by hate, with last week’s experience hitting a bit closer to home in a way that we have at times overlooked.

Starting today, a portion of all proceeds will be donated to AAPI Victory Alliance. This group is working to build Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) political power across the country by providing education on progressive issues; creating and advocating for policies that affect our communities; and building alliances with organizations to help AAPIs exert their power and be the margin of victory at the local, state, and national levels.

We’re also donating acupuncture to people who might be in need of mental or physical support, having been affected by these hateful experiences. This peaceful practice is an important part of our wellness toolkits, and we hope that it can offer a level of support or at least a brief distraction from what’s going on outside the walls of each clinic. And what’s more, it’s a reminder that one of the most powerful wellness modalities on the face of the planet, started in a part of the world thousands of years ago by people who were simply trying to provide help and healing through nature. It doesn’t get more peaceful than that.

-The DAO Labs Family

Amazing illustrations by @Alonglastname.

John G. McGarvey is a co-founder of DAO Labs and a regular contributor to The Way. A frequent visitor to China and Asia for both business and pleasure, he is an avid consumer of Chinese medicine. He can be reached at john@mydaolabs.com.