Asian Americans are dealing with issues of feeling threatened and excluded due racism from fear of COVID-19 virus. Last year, only the Asian American community saw a rise in hate crimes, according to the Center for Study of Hate and Extremism.

Anti-Asian hate crimes surged 145%, while overall hate crime dropped 6% in 2020.  America’s 10 largest cities, except Chicago and San Antonio, saw an increase in anti-Asian hate crimes.

Organizations are trying to resolve these issues.  The Stop Asian Hate GoFundMe started after Vicha Ratanapakee, a 91-year-old Thai American man, died after a man pushed him to the ground in San Francisco in January.  Two actors Dae Kim Korean American, who stars in “Hawaii Five-O,” and Chinese American actor Daniel Wu organized the charity.  They teamed up to offer a $25,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of those responsible for Ratanapakee’s death.  Two days after the incident, Antoine Watson, a 19-year-old man from Daly City, California, was arrested for assault with a deadly weapon, elder abuse and murder.  Malaysia Goo, a 20-year-old woman also from Daly City, was also arrested for accessory after the fact.  

The Stop Asian Hate movement would inspire the creation of other anti-Asian discrimination groups.  One group, Stop Asian American Pacific Islander Hate, started due to the escalation in xenophobia and bigotry from COVID-19. 

 “It’s a collaborative effort by other groups like the Asian Pacific Planning and Policy Council, Chinese for Affirmative Action and the Asian American Studies Department at San Francisco State University to stop the verbal harassment, physical attacks and violent crimes affecting the community,” Sultan Valle, a member of the group via Facebook Messenger.

Valles said the spike in anti-Asian violence began in March 2020 at the beginning of the COVID-19 virus pandemic.

“My personal observation is that most people don’t experience Anti-Asian violence in the workplace,” Valle said.  “It is during their commute to work, riding on public transportation.”

Social media is another place where people search for solutions to the problem. 

Maria Luk, a member of the Facebook group Asian American Alliance Against Racism, said, She is working with principals, student leaders and pushing for bully bystander training to all students within her school district.  She’s not just concerned about the Asian hate that is happening and that my children will be targeted. 

“I am concerned that domestic terrorist groups such as QAnon could potentially be our teachers or parents of students at our school.”  She said, “it is important to educate children so they will not normalize these violent acts.”

Trag Bamh, a first-generation Taiwanese government contractor computer technician from Austin, said he’s never experienced any act of violence but knows of some who have.  He has a Korean friend was stabbed, while with his fiancé.  He said, “I’m not sure if it had anything to do with race but with all the sorts of blame to Asian race, but due to covid I’m not sure.”

As for why the rise in attacks, “It’s due to ignorance and assuming that every one of Asian descent is responsible for COVID-19,” he said. 

“I wish more people were more knowledgeable of other people races and religion, understand that there is a lack of equality and learn from different cultures by spending time with people and keeping an open mind,” Bamh said.