Koreatown residents escorted by volunteers to help keep them safe amid spike in anti-Asian attacks

KOREATOWN, LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- In light of numerous recent attacks on Asian Americans across the nation, a group of local volunteers is helping Koreatown residents by offering safety and companionship if they need to go out.

Organizers call them Neighborhood Safety Companions, keeping a watchful eye on the community while doing their part to prevent anti-Asian violence.
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"With everything happening, it's just so frustrating and sad, so just trying to find ways I can allocate my time and energy helping our community," volunteer Linda Joe told ABC7.

The teams of volunteers, wearing yellow vests, have been greeting neighborhood residents. They're particularly concerned about the safety of pedestrians, delivery workers and street vendors.

The volunteers also offer to escort neighborhood residents to their cars or other destinations. Many of them have been upset by the spike in racism, hate and violence across the U.S. targeting Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.
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"Seeing Korean women just being attacked and especially with the terrorist attack that was in Atlanta," said volunteer Nathan Ramos-Park. "I mean, that was my mother, that was my aunt that was my grandmother."