Since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, there has been a substantial increase of racism against Asian people all around the world. Discrimination against Asians is an issue that transcends borders and cultures. The intricate web of biases and prejudices faced by this group is deeply rooted in historical, cultural, and social contexts. Many conflicts minor and major are produced from discrimination impacting many innocent lives. “Today, 57% of Asian’s see discrimination against Asians living in the U.S. as a major problem [a]nd 63% say too little attention is paid to race and racial issues concerning Asian Americans” (Tian 2023). Asians and Pacific Islanders have faced severe discrimination with blatant reasons deriving detrimental results.
The history of Pan-Asian discrimination traces back a long time marked by a sequence of events with threads of racism and cultural biases. “Discrimination against Asian immigrants began almost as soon as they entered the U.S. in the middle of the 19th century.” (Zheng 2021). Just as Asians set foot in the U.S., racist approaches were made, and they persecuted the Asians almost immediately. From discriminatory immigration policies to harmful stereotypes perpetuated by the media today, Asians have faced many challenges for a long time. This discrimination has persisted, taking on various forms across different periods and regions like the Covid-19 pandemic. “Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a sharp rise in racism against Asian people across the world” only worsening these issues even more, creating a surge of racism globally (Khan 2021). The pandemic ignited Pan -Asian Discrimination leading to serious issues and conflicts resulting in a need for governmental action.
This continuous discrimination has developed a multitude of conflicts, most severe prompting in government protocol. Discrimination in the U.S. has been going out of hand as a result of the pandemic. The U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations took precaution and presented the government’s way of solving racism towards the citizens:
“The prevalence, and pervasiveness, of racial discrimination might make the situation look hopeless, but we remain hopeful. Let us expose the racism and racial discrimination endemic to every society, around the globe. Let us press forward, to root out that discrimination and remove the rot from our foundations. And on this day dedicated to ending racial discrimination, let us leave our children a less hateful, more hopeful world.”. (Thomas-Greenfield 2021)
Thomas-Greenfield had to take action as harmful and unkind things were perpetuated by the community such as racist Asian stereotypes in TikTok and just being racist in public. In Atlanta, Georgia, a mass shooting had occurred, and 6 Asians died. People were left in shambles and even worse “No crescendo of charitable donations to Asian organizations occurred. No spike in community partnerships, new diversity and inclusion initiatives, or renewed commitments to corporate social responsibility emerged from corporate America.” (Zheng 2021). Many were at loss and were left in tragedy after racist violence had taken place and were yet to describe why that racism felt out of reach.
Therefore, the severe discrimination against Asians and Pacific Islanders with overt reasons for malicious results. It's a deeply rooted conflict that has been intensified by the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic and is established in historical, cultural, and social contexts, and has far-reaching consequences. The constant conflicts in society towards Asian Americans further highlight the severity of the issue and Asians and Pacific Islanders continue to face challenges that impede their ability to live equitable lives. To further expose this problem, a strong effort is required to overcome discrimination, harmful stereotypes, and promote an inclusive society where everyone, regardless of their background, can flourish.
Works Cited
Bao, Hongwei. “Envisioning and Enacting a Pan-Asian Political Identity: The Cultural Politics of the First ‘Stop Asian Hate UK’ Protests.” The Sociological Review Online, Sept. 2021, https://doi.org/10.51428/tsr.crwi5533. Accessed 9 Oct. 2023.
Mineo, Liz. “A Long History of Bigotry against Asian Americans.” Harvard Gazette, Harvard University, 24 Mar. 2021, news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2021/03/a-long-history-of-bigotry-against-asian-americans/.
Thomas-Greenfield, Linda. “Fact Sheet: U.S. Efforts to Combat Systemic Racism.” The White House, 21 Mar. 2021, www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/03/21/fact-sheet-u-s-efforts-to-combat-systemic-racism/.
Tian, Neil G. Ruiz, Carolyne Im and Ziyao. “Discrimination Experiences Shape Most Asian Americans’ Lives.” Pew Research Center Race & Ethnicity, 30 Nov. 2023, www.pewresearch.org/race-ethnicity/2023/11/30/discrimination-experiences-shape-most-asian-americans-lives/.
Zheng, Lily. “To Dismantle Anti-Asian Racism, We Must Understand Its Roots.” Harvard Business Review, 27 May 2021, hbr.org/2021/05/to-dismantle-anti-asian-racism-we-must-understand-its-roots.
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