Every morning, I wake up to a beam of sunlight shining on my face with the accompanying cacophony of a honking, yellow school bus across the street. As I’m walking to the kitchen to have my usual breakfast, a dan tat from Fay Da Bakery, I wonder if my grandpa had finished doing the facial exercises he found on WeChat meant to enhance circulation. Looking out the window, I notice that he’s tending his garden that’s filled with a cornucopia of fruit and vegetables including melon, squash, tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers! My heart warms up as I hear the little boy who often skips past our house, yelling “Hi Grandpa!” To which he replies, “Good morning!” My grandpa has always radiated a warm and friendly attitude towards our neighbors—and even strangers. It is one of the things I admire the most about him.
But in light of the recent recurring hate crimes against Asian Americans, I can’t help but worry for him. What if he’s outside when the wrong person comes by and screams at him to “Go back to China!” or even worse, beats him? It’s incredibly appalling and heartbreaking to think that our loved ones could be targeted, and found on the news the following day. Yet the reality is that there has been a 150% increase in the number of anti-Asian hate crimes, with 122 incidents occurring in 16 of the country’s most populated cities in 2020.
On Tuesday, February 16th, 2021, a 30-year-old Korean woman was pepper-sprayed from a sedan while walking in SoHo, Manhattan. Since no words were exchanged, the NYPD could not directly conclude that she was racially targeted. Nonetheless, the offenders didn’t face any charges—further adding fuel to the cycle of anti-Asian hate crimes that we see now.
The victim expressed her thoughts on the situation to the NY Daily News.
“I tried to downplay it… I wasn’t even going to report it. But I think I am more traumatized than I thought. It’s hard for me to walk down Houston Street… and whenever I’m on the subway, I’m really tense, and [have] a panic attack.”
— Yaeji Kim
What stands out to me about this particular occurrence is that Kim was afraid to speak out about the violence committed against her. However, as an Asian American woman myself, I wouldn’t have had the courage to do so either. In mid-February 2020, when news of COVID-19 started spreading like wildfire, my fellow peers at school would make comments like, “We’re all going to die because some dumbass in Wuhan had to go and eat a bat. No surprise, Chinese people eat dogs.” At the time, I told myself that these comments were funny because I wanted to fit in; I was afraid I would be seen as “the one who couldn’t take a joke.” The truth is, the racism Asian Americans face is significantly downplayed. Because of the model minority myth, racist acts like these are not taken as seriously. As a result, we often feel that we are left with no choice but to shield ourselves by staying invisible, in hope that it will stop us from being attacked. While anti-Asian sentiment and xenophobia have always been a persistent issue in America, the pandemic has allowed it to unravel and intensify on a much larger scale.
On the same day, another 71-year-old woman was punched in the face on the train, and since, she has vowed to not take the subway anymore.
I recall reading about these incidents on my Instagram feed from NextShark’s page that evening. I felt very anxious. After sharing my thoughts and frustrations over the dinner table, I kept pondering if we would ever be able to go outside again, without the fear of being insulted verbally or feeling constantly on edge. Fast forward a few days, my parents had to go to Chinatown to settle a tax issue. I vividly remember getting an uneasy feeling in my stomach and wishing that they could delay going as much as possible. While I was in my Zoom meeting for English class, my mind kept wandering…What if something were to happen on the train? What if they get pepper-sprayed as well? Would any bystanders step in or would they simply ignore my parents being assaulted? I started to replay all the hate crimes that I read about in the last month, like the Chinese man that was stabbed in Chinatown with a butcher knife. I even went on Find My iPhone to check their location. I kept looking out my window to see if my grandpa had returned from his dentist appointment. I find myself constantly reminding my family members to refrain from going outdoors when it’s not a dire emergency or for necessities. However, what’s most distressing is succumbing to the realization that I won’t be able to protect them 100% of the time—the upsurge in anti-Asian hate crimes has practically become a daily occurrence.
All of this is to say that it’s okay for us to be scared, but we have to start taking action. It’s more critical now than ever that we refuse to be silenced. For instance, a multiracial coalition of grassroots groups in the San Francisco Bay Area has organized solidarity rallies and mutual aid campaigns to spotlight the many ruthless assaults. By bringing back their Chinatown Ambassador Program, people can volunteer to ensure senior safety by accompanying them on walks and helping them run errands. Furthermore, people have created GoFundMe fundraisers for victims and advocacy groups like Stop AAPI Hate and Asian Health Services. We must actively seek out these services and organizations, uniting together to condemn these assaults and protect our community.
House Resolution 908
I’m going to be honest: I never really care much about politics since I’m only 16 and don’t have the right to vote yet. But, everything changed when I found out that my representative, Congresswoman Grace Meng, introduced House Resolution 908 to address the rise in anti-Asian hate due to COVID-19. She has taught me that it is not okay to remain silent in the face of racism.
Her active role in implementing reforms to denounce Asian hate is truly admirable. It is extremely empowering to see that she is channeling so much energy into helping our community. Unfortunately, with the changes she has advocated for on a federal level, she has faced numerous racist remarks.
She shared a video back in September 2020 of all the voicemails she received after introducing the resolution. In the recording, people were cursing and calling her a “fat slob,” “Chinese virus,” and “Kung Flu.” This is the same rhetoric Trump has used. As I was watching the video, I felt infuriated yet devastated. How could people be so vile and insensitive? I resent those people for spewing the very hate we’re fighting against. It’s as if they have no remorse at all.
Despite this, she has also positively influenced many to take action, like President Joe Biden. In late January 2021, he signed a memorandum with the mission to guide the Department of Justice on effectively compiling data and assisting with the reporting of anti-Asian hate crimes.
“Today, I’m directing federal agencies to combat resurgence of xenophobia, particularly against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, that we’ve seen skyrocket during this pandemic. This is unacceptable and it’s un-American.”
— President Joe Biden
Following this address to the public, representatives in Ohio, Utah, and New Jersey have also expressed their agreement through sponsorship or introduction of legislation. Within New York City Public Schools, education through anti-hate lessons is being requested in grades ranging from elementary to high school. There have been events for awareness, town halls, and bystander intervention training held throughout the boroughs of Manhattan, Queens, and Brooklyn.
With this progress, we must not forget the 164 Members of Congress (all Republicans) who voted against the resolution, actively pardoning racism and discrimination. When we condone this behavior, we are uplifting white supremacy.
These individuals are exactly the reason why Asian Americans must vote. Together, we can leverage as the deciding factor in electing the right people to office. I will definitely take this into consideration when I’m able to vote in the next two years. For now, I’ll continue to keep up with what is happening in politics, because it is our loved ones whose lives are at stake.
What are your thoughts on the recent anti-Asian hate crimes? How do you feel about the way Congress is addressing the issue? I would love to hear from all of you! Leave any question(s) or comments you have below! Thank you!
To further decolonize our minds:
PBS | How to Address the Surge of Anti-Asian Hate Crimes (Video)
National Geographic | America’s Long History of Scapegoating Its Asian Citizens
Elle | Ignoring the History of Anti-Asian Racism Is Another Form of Violence
Time | Hate Crimes Against Asian Americans Are on the Rise. Many Say More Policing Isn't the Answer
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