OPINION | America needs to talk about Anti-Asian racism
By: Aditya Ambarisha
New York City is an epicenter of diversity, where hundreds of cultures are practiced, cuisines relished and languages spoken. According to the 2020 United States census, the city’s racial makeup is 29.0% Hispanic, 23.1% African-American and 14.5% Asian. In a city that prides itself on tolerance and acceptance, often referred to as a “melting pot” of cultures, it may come as a surprise to many that vicious racial violence still remains a harsh reality. But for the 1.2 million Asian-origin people in New York, this is an unfortunate fact of life. According to a study conducted by The Asian American Foundation (TAAF), 1 in 2 Asian Americans living in the city have reported personally experiencing either insults, harassment, threats or a physical attack in the past 12 months due to their race or ethnicity.
“A question that many have been asking,” says the CEO of TAAF, Norman Chen, “is what triggered this onslaught of attacks against Asians in the first place. Based on the evidence, COVID-19 definitely led to a rapid rise in racism.”
The coronavirus, better known as COVID-19, is a contagious disease first identified in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. Rapidly transmitting from Asia to the rest of the world, the United States officiated a nationwide lockdown beginning in March of 2020. By the end of the first wave of the pandemic, over three million people were estimated to have died across the world as a result of COVID-19 symptoms. With a shortage of medical care straining the country and tensions raised high, many Americans sought a group of palpable culprits that could be blamed for the pandemic. Asian Americans, due to their phenotypic resemblance to Chinese individuals, became the target of racist attacks throughout the pandemic. A study conducted by the Pew Research Center found that about one-third of Asian adults know someone who was threatened or attacked due to their race in the aftermath of COVID-19.
Despite the alarming statistics surrounding the upsurge in violence against Asian Americans, it may come as a surprise that this new wave of racism garnered so little attention in mainstream media. According to an analysis by the Virulent Hate Project at the University of Michigan, the amount of news articles addressing anti-Asian racism during the highest point of the coronavirus (between March 2020 and March 2021) totaled 4,337, while there were greater than 12,000 documented verbal and physical assaults.
With the alarming evidence that surrounds this uneasy topic, several major questions stand: why should American society pay greater attention to these issues?
The U.S. must address anti-Asian racism, not just as a legal or policy obligation, but as a matter of human decency and fairness. Asian Americans have faced a long history of discrimination, from historical injustices like the Chinese Exclusion Act and Japanese internment to the current spikes in hate crimes fueled by COVID-related xenophobia. The surge in verbal harassment and physical attacks has left many Asian American communities feeling vulnerable and unsupported. Ignoring these issues exacerbates their marginalization, fracturing the trust and inclusivity of a nation built on the promise of equality. Confronting anti-Asian racism sends a clear message—that hate and prejudice have no place in America—ensuring that all communities can feel safe, valued, and seen.
Beyond moral responsibility, addressing anti-Asian racism strengthens both society and the economy. Asian Americans are vital contributors to industries like technology, healthcare, and small businesses, but discrimination limits their full participation and potential. On a broader scale, taking a stand against racism reflects America’s role as a global advocate for human rights and democracy. Shaped by the dizzying array of racist attacks faced by Asian Americans in the aftermath of COVID-19, America must come to understand one key concept about the millions of Asians who call the United States home—with Asians owning thousands of businesses across the country, making up 6% of the nation’s population, and with Asian superstars popping up in Hollywood, professional athletics, and the fashion industry—Asians are just as American as anyone else in our country. The truth remains that AAPI citizens, who have lived in the United states for the last decade, did not cause the eruption of COVID-19 from Wuhan, China, and are not foreign nuisances in the United States. With the Asian American demographic growing rapidly, America must not treat them as outsiders nor ignore their emerging vital role in the country’s development.
It may take months, it may take years, but the people of our nation must strive to make America safe for every Asian American by fiercely combating racism and protecting this vulnerable population. To achieve that, we must address racism through every measure possible, whether by advocating for AAPI protecting legislation, providing shelters and support to those personally harmed by attacks, or by integrating education which properly informs our society on the reality of AAPI racism. But ultimately, recognizing the problem is the most critical first step we can take.
