In an interview with Russell Jeung, a professor of Asian American Studies at San Francisco State University, he shared alarming statistics: nearly 49% of Asian Pacific Islanders in the U.S. have encountered discrimination or violations of their civil rights. These experiences range from unjust firings or disciplinary actions at work to being denied service in restaurants or stores, overlooked when attempting to rent or buy homes, and facing bullying or unwarranted police stops based solely on their Asian Pacific identity.
Despite the significant number of individuals affected, only about one in five report their experiences. There are existing frameworks aimed at investigating and remedying civil rights violations, such as human resources initiatives in workplaces and formal reporting channels to government civil rights agencies. Yet, studies indicate that few individuals take the initiative to report these incidents.
Jeung pointed out that one major reason behind the low reporting rates is the complexity of the reporting process, which causes many to opt for silence. He noted that 56% of those who reported civil rights violations found the process itself discouraging, while 52% of those who chose not to report believed that informing law enforcement or certain activist organizations would not catalyze any meaningful change.
Though surveys may differ in their questions, they typically categorize experiences of abuse, verbal harassment, or denial of service as hate incidents. In 2022, it’s estimated that one in five Asians encountered some form of a hate incident, totaling around five million anti-Asian incidents nationwide within that year.
Jeung emphasized that while hate incidents have surged in recent years, the Asian community is also evolving, with an increasing number of individuals taking a stand. This includes storytelling events in various locations, student organizations promoting Asian studies in schools, and legislative initiatives to combat hate crimes. “More people are stepping up to oppose racism,” he remarked. However, he also pointed out a troubling consequence of strained U.S.-China relations, which can intensify racial animosity. When China is framed as an enemy, Chinese Americans often face unjust suspicion, blurring the lines between them and the Chinese government.
As the interview concluded, Jeung noted that the broader context of U.S.-China tensions has given rise to conspiracy theories about China, which fuel a surge of racist rhetoric. He observed that social media plays a critical role in amplifying these sentiments, further igniting racist attitudes among certain individuals.
