Anti-Asian assaults have skyrocketed since March 2020, when parts of the U.S. started to go into lockdown and quarantine due to the pandemic. Fueled by racism, and xenophobia, and often encouraged by leaders and government officials, in the past few months, there have been more than 20 racist attacks on Asians — especially against the elderly and most vulnerable — leaving many Asian Americans afraid and wary.
According to data from California State University’s Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism, anti-Asian hate crimes in 2020 have increased 149% over 2019, with 122 incidents in 16 of the most populous U.S. cities. In the corresponding time period, overall hate crimes have decreased 7%. From March and August 2020, non-profit organization Stop AAPI Hate recounted receiving over 2,583 nationwide reports of anti-Asian spurred crimes.
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Where did the hashtag #StopAsianHate start
How to talk to your kids about anti-Asian hate crimes
In light of the recent anti-Asian violence and racism, here are some tips on how you can speak to your kids about anti-Asian hate:
Teach your children about bias
Make sure our children understand how bias — unconscious and conscious — works; that they know how society shapes their ideas about racism, bias, and diversity. No one is immune because everyone is a product of society.
Check your own behavior and comments
No matter how careful you are, it is inevitable our kids will pick up on our own unconscious biases. When you are frustrated about the pandemic, try not to blame anyone for being the cause. Be mindful of your reactions to news about COVID-19, and possible anti-Asian or anti-Chinese comments and responses.
Talk about the anti-Asian violence in an age-appropriate manner
Tell your kids about the anti-Asian violence and give them historical context. If you don’t know it, you can all learn together.
Chinese American mom Georgette Wong told us she talks about the violence with her kids, as well as what has happened historically. “My son, who is in middle school, is currently reading George Takei’s ‘They Called Us Enemy,’” Wong shared. “We talk about Vincent Chin, the internment of Japanese Americans, the treatment of the railroad Chinese, of how his Pau Pau couldn’t go outside of SF Chinatown for fear of being beaten up.”
