While anti-Asian racism isn’t a new issue, there has been a devastating surge in the number of hate crimes against Asian communities during the Covid-19 pandemic. Discrimination, xenophobia, and acts of violence have all skyrocketed, with countries including Canada, New Zealand, and the UK reporting an increase in racist incidents over the past 12 months.
In the U.S., crimes against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) are also on the rise. In August 2020, the United Nations issued a report showing that more than 1,800 racist incidents targeting AAPI people were reported during an eight-week period, from March to May 2020. More recently, nonprofit social organization Stop AAPI Hate published a report detailing 3,292 recorded incidents in 2020; 68 per cent were towards women. On 16 March 2021, eight people — including six women of Asian descent — were shot dead at three spas in Atlanta, Georgia. Throughout 2020, former U.S. President Donald Trump referred to Covid-19 as the “Chinese virus” and “kung flu”.
Here, Vogue speaks to a handful of figures from the AAPI community about how we can fight anti-Asian racism, why the Asian community needs better representation in the entertainment industry, and the meaningful action we must take.
Bella Poarch
Born in the Philippines, the 24-year-old joined TikTok in April 2020 — she now has more than 1.3bn likes and 61.5m followers, and is currently the third most-followed person on the platform.
.jpg)
What are some of your experiences as an Asian-American person?
“I grew up in the Philippines and I moved to the US — to Texas — when I was a teenager. My mother used to pack me Filipino food for lunch, and I would get made fun of because of the way it smelled. Kids would make fun of me because of the way I looked and call me ‘Ling Ling’. Growing up in a brand-new country, coming from the Philippines, was hard. I was treated differently and felt like people thought less of me because I was Asian.
“I have also dealt with being randomly attacked and assaulted. It’s not something I’m ready to talk about, but it’s hard for me to watch what is going on in our community. I can relate to how people are feeling in the moment, during recovery, and the mental toll that can follow you for a lifetime. These attacks can change your life — it can change the way you perceive, value and pursue life. To this day, I suffer from clinically diagnosed depression, anxiety and PTSD as a result of my attack.”
What can people do to show their support and take meaningful action?
“Because of my own experiences, I believe the most effective action is supporting the victims after their attacks. If you know someone who has been attacked, please consistently and gently check in on them. Ask their family members or friends if they notice behavior changes. Keep encouraging them to speak to a therapist.”
Who are the Asian cultural, political and social leaders you admire?
“[Singer and actor] Lea Salonga, who sang the Mulan song Reflection [in 1998]. I looked up to her when I was a kid because Mulan was one of my favorite movies, and knowing that a Filipina was singing the main song in the movie inspired me to keep singing.”
Shawn Wasabi
The 25-year-old music producer was born in California to Filipino parents and has been making music since 2013. In 2015, he released Marble Soda, which hit 1m views within 24 hours. He’s since worked with hip-hop group Far East Movement and released his debut album, Mangotale, in 2020.
What are some of your experiences as an Asian-American person?
“I’m a second-generation Filipino American and grew up in an immigrant family in Salinas, California. A lot of the entertainment that I consumed was either East Asian or American, and nothing in the middle. The Jackie Chan Adventures and the character Jade Chan stood out. It was the closest thing I had to a representation of Asian-Americans in the media.
“As I grew older, I noticed that there was a small contingency of Asians on the big screen. In music, hearing [hip-hop group] Far East Movement’s Like A G6 was a ‘wow’ moment. There was an emergence of talented Asians getting involved with dancing, art, music, and so on. A lot of that came from YouTube, and that’s when I discovered entertainers such as [rapper and actor] Awkwafina, [actor and rapper] Dumbfoundead, [comedian] Ryan Higa and more.
“Growing up in an Asian-American household, you are taught to be risk-averse. I had to think past the idea that I had to go to college and major in biology. Entering the entertainment industry as an Asian felt like a one in a million chance — I see it like playing poker, and I got a royal flush.”
What can people do to show their support?
“I feel like there is a mixture of support and loneliness in entertainment. There isn’t really anyone to share this feeling with. People tend to put others into boxes without even realizing, and I encourage everyone to be aware of your biases. There are charities such as the Asian-Americans Advancing Justice coalition, but the most immediate thing to do is to talk to each other and help your friends.”
Who are the Asian cultural, political and social leaders you admire?
“[Artist and musician] Louie Zong, [animator] Daniel Chong, Far East Movement, [actor] Ken Jeong — a bit controversial, but I have memories of seeing him in the movie The Hangover [2009] and he made me laugh — and [comic-book artist] Mike Choi. Special shout out to a friend of mine, Awkwafina. She came from a music-producer background. She has a special type of wisdom. Now, I want to be on her level.
“[Musician and producer] Hollis Wong-Wear is a huge inspiration. Before meeting Hollis or even coming to Los Angeles, I wasn’t paying attention to social impact, discourse, or anything in that world. I did things without even realizing the impact. Hollis helped me greatly understand the impact that I have — she’s not only an artist, but an activist and public speaker. [Before I met her] having a roof over my head and doing music for a living made me happy. She saw the bigger picture of the platform we have, and why it’s different for me as an Asian-American being in this space.”
Saweetie
The 27-year-old from California — born to a Filipina-Chinese mother and an African-American father — has been making music since 2017’s Icy Grl, which has had more than 117m views. She released her most recent hit, Best Friend, with Doja Cat in January.
What are some of your experiences as an Asian-American person?
“I identify as Black and Asian, biracial. Intersectionality is real and hard for many multiracial and biracial individuals, especially women of color. Having to deal with both Black and Asian hate crimes, and the discrimination that has been plaguing our communities recently, has been exhausting.
“The fact that these violent crimes could happen to any of my loved ones angers me. My mother is half-Chinese and half-Filipina, and there are a lot of traditions and memories passed down from her side of the family, especially time spent with my lola [grandmother]. These crimes are nothing new, and the general mistreatment towards AAPI communities is now finally being covered in mainstream media.”
What can people do to show their support and take meaningful action?
“Standing up for those around you or even outside your everyday life can make a difference. Keeping people accountable when they fetishize or reduce all Asian-Americans to a simple stereotype is a small but effective way to fight against the same oppressive system that people of color suffer from. Also, educate yourself about the issues and history of Asian-Americans, and all BIPOC, AAPI communities. I believe in solidarity between Black, Asian and all people of color to help fight the oppression we suffer from every day.
“Organizations that you can donate time, funds or energy to include: Stop AAPI Hate; Racism Is A Virus Too; Asian-Americans Advancing Justice; Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund and I’m Ready Movement.”
Who are the Asian cultural, political and social leaders you admire?
“[Japanese contemporary artist] Yayoi Kusama for her conceptual art and shows, using feminism, minimalism and surrealism to help combat her mental-health problems. [Actor] Daniel Dae Kim for being one of the first Asian-American celebrities to speak out about anti-Asian crimes. Yuri Kochiyama, a Japanese-American civil rights activist [who passed away in 2014]. Her friendship as an adult with activist Malcolm X helped define American activism in the 20th century.”
Lastlings
Australian siblings Amy and Josh Dowdle, 21 and 27, released their debut album First Contact in 2020. An homage to their Japanese heritage, No Time was inspired by Kazuo Ishiguro’s novel Never Let Me Go, while Take My Hand called on the anime film, Your Name, directed by Makoto Shinkai.
Instagram content
This content can also be viewed on the site it originates from.
What are your thoughts on Asian representation in entertainment and culture?
Amy: “To be honest, it’s been pretty disgraceful up until the past few years, especially the representation of Asian women who are continually fetishized and sexualized in western media. It definitely plays a role in how they are treated and perceived within society.”
Josh: “Amy and I both grew up and went to school in Australia. We were one of the few Asian students in our schools and definitely went through our fair share of racism and bullying — inside and outside of our schooling, and even to this day. Both of us went through a period where we wanted to hide and neglect our Japanese side. There wasn’t any [Asian] inspiration in Australian media and definitely no half Asians like us. It was difficult to be proud of who we were, even though deep down we knew we loved being Japanese and loved our heritage. It’s sad that the misrepresentation of Asian people in western media, as well as the lack of education and ignorance towards Asian culture, can lead to feeling the need to suppress your own culture and heritage.”
Who are the Asian cultural, political and social leaders you admire?
Josh: “We both really look up to the whole team at Song For The Mute, an Australian-based clothing label. We admire how they incorporate their culture into the collections. [Japanese-British singer] Rina Sawayama inspired me to share my story about our experiences with Asian racism.”
Amy: “I have also been inspired by the work of Amanda Nguyen. She is a social entrepreneur and shares a lot of information on racism and the AAPI community. She inspired me to share my experiences of racism with my friends and on social media. After sharing my story online, [others told me] they now have the confidence to speak up and share their stories, reach out for help and create further awareness.”
Jay Park
Seattle born rapper and singer Park, 33, performs in both Korean and English, after learning Korean in his late-teens. In 2017, he became the first Asian-American musician to sign to Jay-Z's Roc Nation label and has since worked with Vic Mensa, 2 Chainz and Hit-Boy
What are your thoughts on Asian representation in entertainment and culture?
"Growing up in the States, there weren’t many people that looked like me in the entertainment industry besides Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan, and MC Jin. Of course, in 2021 because of the hard work of many pioneers there is much more representation, but I still feel like there should be much more since there is such a huge Asian American population. There are a lot of Asian people putting in work in a lot of different fields, whether it be fashion, hip hop, acting or the sports world. They should definitely get the acknowledgment they deserve, and not just in our own community."
What people can do to show their support?
"Lend your voice or your hand. Let people know that it’s not ok. Check up on your Asian friends or acquaintances. It’s not whether you side with Asian people or not. It’s whether you side with humanity or not."
Who are the Asian cultural, political and social leaders you admire?
"I get inspiration and give my respect to anyone and everyone that is speaking up or doing their part, no matter how small or big to make a change and to make a statement. Everyone from [rapper and activist] China Mac to [New York Mayor candidate] Andrew Yang deserves praise."
Mike Shinoda
Musician, rapper, producer, songwriter, and graphic designer Shinoda, 44, was born in Los Angeles to a Japanese-American father. He formed the band Linkin Park in 1996, which went on to become one of the biggest rock acts in the world, selling over 100 million records worldwide. He released the solo single, Happy Endings featuring iann dior and UPSAHL in February 2021.
.jpg)
What are some of your experiences as an Asian-American person?
"Growing up, people always got my ethnicity confused. My dad, my brother, and I got mistaken for Mexican, Native American, Chinese, Filipino, and Inuit. In reality, my dad is first-generation Japanese, born an American citizen in 1939. His dad moved from Japan to California with very little, and ended up building a small general store near Fresno, in the heart of a town shared by Japanese and Mexican immigrants.
During WWII, our family was forced into internment camps here in the U.S. with 120,000 others, under federal Executive Order 9066. They rounded up any west coast American citizen of Japanese descent—along with others who "looked like they might be Japanese"—and stuck them in makeshift prison camps in the desert, for the duration of the war. Later, those families came home to poverty, with all their belongings vandalized, stolen, or destroyed. They did nothing to deserve it; they were loyal American citizens."
I detailed my family’s internment camp experience in a song called Kenji from my 2005 Fort Minor album The Rising Tied. It was my way of sharing a part of history which was missing from my class's history books, and a way to signal to other Asian American kids that they were seen. I didn’t have very many Asian role models as a kid (shout out to James Iha from Smashing Pumpkins), so being able to represent for the next generation in that way felt good."
What people can do to show their support?
"We’re all dealing with overwhelming stresses for which we could have never been prepared. This is a time of crisis that requires unity and collaboration. We’ve needed to collectively commit to staying safer, because the numbers matter. We’re all worried about the same things, trying to manage our families, education, work, and everything else. The bubbling up of frustration and hatred is understandable, but it can never be acceptable.
The internment of the Japanese Americans was a result of collective hysteria, committed by the government and accepted by the population at large. Whenever we’re facing a widespread crisis—as we were then and as we are now—there is a temptation to cast blame. But maybe the misplaced fear and anger of Japanese Internment can be a reminder that we’ve made some mistakes before, and we don’t need to make them again."