Asian Americans now face a “double whammy” of discrimination and financial strain, ABC News reports.
Asian American businesses began reporting a drop in foot traffic and business as early as January. Some have seen a decrease in business as high as 80 percent, according to NBC News.
As businesses throughout the country continue to struggle, many Asian Americans have been left without work. In New York, unemployment rates among Asian Americans have skyrocketed. According to ABC News, New York state saw a 10,210 percent year-over-year increase of unemployment filings among Asian Americans during the week of April 11, the highest among any racial group.
In April 2019, the Asian American unemployment rate in New York was 2.1 percent, which was lower than the unemployment rate among Whites (2.9%). As of April 2020, the Asian American unemployment rate has risen to 14.3 percent and the White unemployment rate has risen to 13.8 percent.
Asian Americans in Minnesota are also reporting higher rates of unemployment. Data released on May 19 showed that about 24 percent of Asian Americans working in Minnesota have applied for unemployment benefits, according to MPR News. The state average currently sits at 22 percent.
Discrimination against Asian American owned businesses has played a role in the rise in Asian American unemployment. Associations between the virus and China, made by American leaders including President Trump, have hurt Asian American owned businesses, according to CNN. These businesses, who employ many Asian Americans, have been forced to close or layoff workers.
The impact of discrimination extends beyond Asian American owned businesses. Andre Perry, a fellow at the Brookings Institution whose research focuses on race and economic inclusion, told ABC News that employers may be influenced by racist and xenophobic views of Asian Americans amidst the coronavirus pandemic.
“By calling it a Chinese disease, you are one step away from saying don’t hire Chinese people,” Perry said.
AsAmNews has Asian America in its heart. We’re an all-volunteer effort of dedicated staff and interns. Check out our new Instagram account. Go to our Twitter feed and Facebook page for more content. Please consider interning, joining our staff or submitting a story.
