Since the start of the COVID outbreak, there has been a surge of Asian American hate crimes across the United States. According to NBC, Asian American hate crimes increased nearly 150% in 2020. Between March 2020 and February 2021, Stop AAPI Hate (a nonprofit social organization) has reported 3,795 incidents of harassment or violence. Disturbingly 11% of these incidents involved physical assaults. The rise of these hate crimes not only affects Asian Americans but our international students in the U.S.
To get a firsthand insight into what it is like to be an Asian international student in the United States today, we interviewed a few international students. Here are their stories:
Q: With the surge of Asian American hate crimes across the United States, how do you feel about the social environment in the US now?
“I actually don’t feel much difference in terms of social environment since I stay in my home most of the time because of the pandemic. Classes and grocery shopping can both be done online, so I don’t go out much. My classmates and teachers are also very understanding of the situation, no one has ever made me feel insecure or uncomfortable.”
Q: Are there any instances where you experienced hate?
“I never experienced any. But I think it might be because that I’ve been only in the US for less than 2 years and due to the pandemic. I’m mostly home. I don’t have many friends and most of my friends have returned to home country; therefore, I’d say I did not have many chances to experience anything that I can call it a “hate crime”.
However, I do feel very disappointed because we are in the year of 2021, yet many people still don’t know much and/or are biased about the other cultures. After all, it is quite normal for people to vent their emotions and do a lot of extreme and irrational behaviors due to cognitive limitations. It is sad but true that these things still exist even in a top country like the United States.”
Q: Do you feel more positive or have a more positive outlook from the recent social movements such as many different rallies against Anti-Asian Hate (along with celebrities voicing out i.e. Rihanna, actor Daniel Wu)?
“It’s certainly helpful. The African American’s continuous fighting for discrimination proved that. Staying silent will not help with anything.”
Q: Has the rise in hate crimes affected your decision on what you will do after your current visa expires?
“ Not really- I plan to apply for a PhD here in the US, since the scholarships that are offered by U.S. Universities are better than the universities in the UK. Also, US schools are still the most reputable and widely recognized in the world.”
Q: With the surge of Asian American hate crimes across the United States, how do you feel about the social environment in the US now? Has your concern for safety changed over the past few months?
“I do feel scared sometimes. I am much more careful when I’m outside compared with before the pandemic. I also think guns need to be banned since there are so many shootings going on; the fact that guns are easily accessible is certainly a loophole in terms of safety in general.”
Q: Are there any instances where you experienced hate? Would you like to share this event?
“ Not sure if this count but one time around 10 pm I was walking home from grocery shop and there were a group of high school aged kids waving their baseball bats as I passed by, they turned and yelled something to me (I didn’t hear it very clearly, so I don’t know what they said) but they do look threatening, and it seems like they were going to attack me. Ever since then I try not to go out at night.”
Q: Do you feel more positive or have a more positive outlook from the recent social movements such as many different rallies against Anti-Asian Hate (along with celebrities voicing out i.e. Rihanna, actor Daniel Wu)?
“ I do think it works somehow, but in the end, I think what most important is that the Asian Americans in the US need to stay strong and be more united. Use media as tools to change the image that Asians are silent and will tolerate anything that happens to them.”
Q: Has the rise in hate crimes affected your decision on what you will do after your current visa expires?
“ This doesn’t really affect anything but the fact that I didn’t get my H1B really affected my plans.”
Q: With the surge of Asian American hate crimes across the United States, has your concern of safety changed over the past few months?
“I would say I don’t feel unsafe because I mostly stay at home. It’s still quite safe when I go to grocery stores, doctor’s offices or go out for a hike.”
Q: Are there any instances where you experienced hate? Would you like to share this event?
“Yes, there is! I was discriminated by someone who is also Asian (he’s a Chinese American born in the US)! We were assigned in the same group project at class, one time he asked me: “Why you Chinese come to America?” I replied: “You should ask your ancestors!” After that I requested to change to a different group because I never wanted to be in the same group with him anymore.”
Q: Do you feel more positive or have a more positive outlook from the recent social movements such as many different rallies against Anti-Asian Hate (along with celebrities voicing out i.e. Rihanna, actor Daniel Wu)?
“ I don’t think it works for the long run- it’s more like a fad. There needs to be real actions such as laws established for this kind of issues.”
Q: Has the rise in hate crimes affected your decision on what you will do after your current visa expires?
“ No effect on my plan as I still want to work in the US to gain some experience.”
Q: With the surge of Asian American hate crimes across the United States, how do you feel about the social environment in the US now? Do you feel safe?
“I do feel insecure as this happened a few times already was just walking or taking the subway then some random people yelled at me with some discriminating words related to my race.”
Q: Are there any instances where you experienced hate?
“Yes, as mentioned- it happened a few times when I was walking and taking the subway. Just the other day I was on the subway and there were many empty seats, but this guy came up to me and asked me to get up and give him my seat. I think the crime rate in big cities are very high- even my apartment building had shootings before.”
Q: Do you feel more positive or have a more positive outlook from the recent social movements such as many different rallies against Anti-Asian Hate (along with celebrities voicing out i.e. Rihanna, actor Daniel Wu)?
“I do think it helps. However, this is something that takes time to change and therefore future generations need to work together on making a difference.”
Q: Has the rise in hate crimes affected your decision on what you will do after your current visa expires?
“I think it has affected my plans in certain levels, for example I would not want my parents to come and travel as there are many hate crimes towards the Asian elderlies. In general, it still depends heavily on the international relations of US and China.”
Q: With the surge of Asian American hate crimes across the United States, has your concern of safety changed over the past few months?
“I Don’t think so. Maybe it’s because I live in LA and people here are more open and understanding of various cultures. At least I’ve never had experience with discrimination.”
Q: Are there any instances where you experienced hate? Would you like to share this event?
“Nothing serious really; except for one time when the pandemic just started in the US; me and my friend were grocery shopping, and some people saw us then immediately walked away to avoid us- they probably think we brought COVID-19 to the US.”
Q: Do you feel more positive or have a more positive outlook from the recent social movements such as many different rallies against Anti-Asian Hate (along with celebrities voicing out i.e. Rihanna, actor Daniel Wu)?
“I don’t think it would help in the long run- there are always some races that think they are more superior than the others. However, I think guns need to be banned since the bullets will always travel faster than humans, it’s very difficult to escape when shooting happens.”
Q: With the surge of Asian American hate crimes across the United States, do you feel safe? Has your concern of safety changed over the past few months?
“I felt more secure when I was still living on campus. I worry about my safety now that I have graduated and started working, even if my work location is not far from the campus, I still go back to the campus to do grocery shopping as I feel safer there.”
Q: Are there any instances where you experienced hate? Would you like to share this event?
“One time I was walking, a car drove by and the driver gave me his middle finger- not sure if that’s related to me being Asian but it just happened. Also, at the beginning of the pandemic, someone throw an egg to my friend. With what’s going on recently my mom thinks it may be necessary to get a body armor (or anything that is bullet proof).”
Q: Do you feel more positive or have a more positive outlook from the recent social movements such as many different rallies against Anti-Asian Hate (along with celebrities voicing out i.e. Rihanna, actor Daniel Wu)?
“I think it helps since Asian Americans have are always silent. It’s also important for companies and celebrities to speak up or stand for events like this, it helps us to see what they value.”
Q: Has the rise in hate crimes affected your decision on what you will do after your current visa expires?
“It does affect my plan. It is hard enough for us international students to find a job, plus the pandemic, many of my friends have returned to home country already. I am now less interested in applying for H1B. My other friends that stayed because of H1B now wants to move to Canada.
Q: With the surge of Asian American hate crimes across the United States, has your concern of safety changed over the past few months?
“I haven’t experienced any Asian hate related threats yet. I have only seen it through the media.”
Q: Are there any instances where you experienced hate? Would you like to share this event?
“Yes 2-3 times before the pandemic. One time there was a biker on his bike fast, and when he passed by me, he called me “F-ing Chinese”.”
Q: Do you feel more positive or have a more positive outlook from the recent social movements such as many different rallies against Anti-Asian Hate (along with celebrities voicing out i.e. Rihanna, actor Daniel Wu)?
“I think it helps at some point but not in the long run. People that will discriminate will always discriminate and that’s why Asian Americans should be taking actions to protect each other so the haters know that they cannot just do anything to hurt us.”
Q: Has the rise in hate crimes affected your decision on what you will do after your current visa expires?
“No for now, I haven’t changed my plans yet. But I am taking everything one step at a time now.”
At ISO we would like to extend our support to the nonprofit organization, Stop AAPI Hate and to our international students studying abroad in the U.S. Many ISO Members are students from Asia, and we want to ensure that they feel safe and have the necessary resources. All ISO Members have access to mental health treatment, which is covered as any other illness or injury through your plan. For those looking for outside resources to treat mental health, please refer to this blog.
