Asian Council responds to increase in U.S. hate crimes
Photo of the prayer vigil hosted by Asian Council by Rhianna Barrow.
In the months since the COVID-19 pandemic began, Asian hate crimes increased dramatically in the U.S. The recent shooting in Atlanta, killing six women of Asian descent, sparked a national conversation about Asian hate crimes in America.
“It wasn’t just Atlanta a few weeks ago, and it didn’t just happen after COVID. It got much more prevalent since COVID, but it has always been around,” said Lucy Ren, senior public relations major. “Read up on our history on how and when it started, be aware of what’s going on currently and help fight the future.”
According to a report from the New York Times, there was a swell in Asian hate crimes over the past year. Using media reports from across the country, the NYT found more than 110 incidents since March 2020 where there was clear evidence of race-based hate.
NYT reported that anti-Asian crimes sky-rocketed once former President Donald Trump referred to COVID as the ‘’Chinese virus” early in the pandemic. A majority of racially motivated attacks against Asian people have been linked to the coronavirus.
“The swell of xenophobia is unmooring. It breeds a kind of palpable fear and feeds the notion of othering, of reducing an individual’s essence to ethnic stereotypes,” reports the NYT.
On March 16, a shooter in Atlanta killed eight people, most being women of Asian descent. During the investigation, the shooter insisted it was not a racially motivated attack. The attack has since sparked national controversy and discussion of Asian hate crimes in the U.S.
“I have had people telling me that the Atlanta massacre had no racial motives, which was hurtful but is exactly why I think more people need to acknowledge that we live in a world where racism does exist,” said Madelaine Setiawan, a junior history and political science major. “Many people do not know the discrimination that many of our Asian brothers and sisters have gone through, which is why I believe it is so important for others to learn and be educated so that we all can improve and move forward as better people.”
Lee’s Asian Council hosted a prayer vigil on March 23 for the Lee community to raise awareness and pray for the Asian community. The vigil included students and faculty sharing feelings through prayer, stories from victims and worship.
The Asian Council is a club that strives to promote Asian culture to students at Lee, according to their social media. The club strives to create a learning space for everyone to share about different Asian cultures.
“I don’t think anyone understands the consolation the Asian community at Lee University felt from those who support us by taking time out of their day to stand with us, mourn with us, and pray with us,” said Setiawan.
For more information about Asian Council, visit their Instagram page. For further resources and information about Asian hate crime, click here.
