by Akemi Tamanaha, Associate Editor
In the United States, COVID-19 cases have not disappeared, and neither have the hate crimes that have plagued the Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander communities since the pandemic began. But ahead of the 2024 elections, those communities say they are prepared to fight back.
“From Pain to Power: Asian American and Pacific Islander Activation in the Face of Hate,” a new report from Stop AAPI Hate, found that AANHPI communities have been taking political and civic action against racism at extremely high levels. Stop AAPI Hate worked with NORC at the University of Chicago to survey AANHPI adults.
“Our new research sends a strong message to the nation that we have not been passive victims amid ongoing waves of racism,” Cynthia Choi, co-founder of Stop AAPI Hate and Co-Executive Director of Chinese for Affirmative Action, said at a press briefing. “When we experience hate, we become more motivated to take action against it.”
The hate Choi referenced does not appear to be slowing down. The report also found that nearly half (49%) of AAPI adults they interviewed experienced hate due to their race, ethnicity, or nationality. Around 43% of those respondents said the hate crimes or incidents they experienced had a negative impact on their health.
According to the report, 85% of respondents are concerned about the U.S. racial climate, and “70% are motivated to get involved in efforts to advance justice and equity for AAPI people.” Researchers outlined four factors that motivated AAPI people to get involved:
- Hope for a better future for younger generations
- Seeing the collective efforts of AA/PI people to combat racism
- Feeling connected to their racial/ethnic identity
- Their/their family’s experiences with racism and discrimination
How are they getting involved?
Approximately 3 in 4 respondents (74%) said they “participated in activities to resist racism.” Those activities included actions like contacting an elected official, signing a petition, protesting, donating to racial justice organizations and educating others on racism.
According to the report, 27% said they took political action to combat racism: contacting an elected official, protesting, etc. Stop AAPI Hate believes this data point shows a “remarkable increase in Asian American political engagement” over the past decade and a half. In 2008, researchers noted, only “9% of Asian Americans contacted a politician and just 4% participated in protest activity in general.”
Rep. Judy Chu (D-CA), who is the chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC), and her vice-chair Rep. Ted Lieu (D-CA) said they were encouraged by the evidence of political and civic engagement outlined in the report.
“No one should live in fear of wrongful accusations, unwarranted racial profiling or ugly xenophobia. So I’m heartened to see that nearly 75% of AAPIs participated in activities to reduce or resist racism,” Rep. Chu said at a press briefing for the report.
Both Congress members also criticized former President Donald Trump for his use of racist rhetoric like “Kung Flu” and “Chinese virus,” noting it contributed to the rise in anti-Asian hate crimes during the pandemic. They also warned that a second Trump presidency would harm the AANHPI community. Chu pointed to policies like the Trump administration’s China Initiative, which led to the wrongful prosecution of several researchers in the United States.
The report offered recommendations for policymakers to combat anti-AAPI racism. Its four major recommendations are:
- Implement policies that address ALL forms of hate, not just crimes.
- Prevent and address institutional discrimination
- Fund AANHPI organizations to provide culturally informed care and support
- Invest in data equity efforts and community-based research
“Asian Americans will not stop demanding resources, attention and action from those in positions of power, because we are already mobile, mobilized and we are fired up about exercising our growing political power,” Manjusha Kulkarni, Co-Founder of Stop AAPI Hate and Executive Director of AAPI Equity Alliance, said.
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