May 9 :
Even though only a third of Americans believe that anti-Asian sentiment has grown in the past year, over 61% of Asian Americans feel that it has. Research conducted by the Asian American Foundation reveals that 43 percent of the US population is unaware of the recent incidences of violence against Asian Americans.
It states that the AANHPI community's feeling of belonging and acceptance is affected by the ongoing problem of the lack of exposure and awareness of AANHPI issues, history, and leaders.
There are five main areas where the data reveal that Americans hold stereotypes about AANHPI communities: hate, national security, visibility and awareness, belonging, and establishing bridges/cross-racial solidarity. In the last twelve months, a significant portion of Asian Americans (32% to be exact) had reported being verbally harassed or abused, and a lower percentage (29%), having been insulted.
Just over half of Asian Americans(41%) fear they will be physically assaulted due to their race, ethnicity, or religion during the next five years. Among Asian Americans, 59% have a moderate to high likelihood of experiencing prejudice in the next five years. As a result of racial discrimination and underrepresentation, just 38% of Asian Americans totally agree that they belong, and an even smaller percentage (18%) feel fully accepted in the US for their racial identity.
As compared to 44% of Black Americans, 51% of Hispanic Americans, and 70% of white Americans, Asian Americans are the least likely to have a strong sense of belonging in the US.
Online venues and social media are the most unwelcoming to Asian Americans (34%), who say they don't completely belong in the US. Thirdly, Asian Americans reported the lowest levels of belonging at their places of employment, in their neighbourhoods, and at their respective educational institutions.
Sixty percent of Asian Americans who don't feel welcomed or belong cited past experiences of violence or discrimination, and 37 percent said they don't see Asian Americans like them in positions of power.
It's been four years running and many Americans still can't think of a notable Asian American. This year, more than half of the population was unable to name even one well-known Asian American. Asian-American Vice President Kamala Harris was named by just 2% of the population.
Surprisingly, almost half of Americans (55%) can't think of a single policy or historical event that has addressed Asian Americans.
"The Asian American Foundation has been tracking a disturbing trend," stated Norman Chen, CEO of TAAF, about the data displayed in 2024. Although many in our community continue to live in constant fear for their safety, a sizable portion of the population is unaware of the recent attacks against Asian Americans. Many Asian Americans feel excluded, unseen, and insecure due to the environment created by the persistence and escalation of hate and suspicion against Asian Americans, as well as their lack of representation and visibility.
The population of Asian Americans is expanding at a faster rate than any other racial or ethnic group in the US. Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders represent the third fastest-growing demographic. Thus, TAAF emphasised, it is more important than ever to dispel myths about the AANHPI community through advocacy, networking, and education.
Teaching Asian American history in K-12 and higher education institutions (41%), making Asian Americans more visible in American society (41%), and giving more opportunity to engage with Asian Americans (39%), according to Americans questioned, will prevent bigotry towards Asian Americans. Chen stated. "As Americans gain knowledge about our history and witness our representation on television and in prominent corporate positions, it changes their perceptions, which helps fight hate, foster unity, and finally establish a feeling of belonging for AANHPI communities,"
