Findings Say Young Adult Asian Americans Are More Likely to Experience Hatred and Less Likely to Report Incidents
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, AUG 27, 2024, LOS ANGELES Asian Americans Advancing Justice Southern California (AJSOCAL) and RAND are proud to release Enhancing Support for Asian American Communities Facing Hate Incidents: Community Survey Results from Los Angeles and New York City and the Community Learn and Outreach Toolkit for Countering Anti-Asian Hate, a collaborative research report and resource developed for community-based organizations (CBOs) to address racism-related challenges faced by Asian American community members. Access is available to both at ajsocal.org/our-reports-and-research/
Due to the alarming rise in anti-Asian hate and discrimination since the COVID-19 pandemic, both RAND and AJSOCAL were moved to examine how Asian American community members can access help when they need it and how to equip community organizations to address community members’ needs when they experience an act of hate or discrimination. AJSOCAL, RAND, and community partners in Los Angeles and New York collaborated to better understand the scope of hate incidents across different Asian American demographic groups, to assess the resources necessary to counteract these incidents, and to identify primary methods of outreach and engagement to reach community members.
Connie Chung Joe, CEO, Asian Americans Advancing Justice Southern California said, “We are proud of our collaboration with RAND and their renowned research expertise. Applying it to the ongoing fight against anti-Asian hate is empowering especially for AAPI organizations. We know that the report and the toolkit will be used heavily by our community partner organizations, corporate social responsibility groups, legislators, universities, and allies worldwide. Collectively we can and will combat discrimination.”
The toolkit is an evidence-informed resource derived from discussions with Asian American organizations in Los Angeles and New York City, including AJSOCAL, and a 2023-2024 survey completed by more than 800 community members in both cities. The community survey aimed to provide CBOs with important insights to enhance outreach and support strategies.
The research report provides an in-depth analysis of the LA and NYC community survey findings, highlighting the urgent need for culturally and linguistically tailored strategies to effectively reach Asian Americans across various immigrant generations and age groups with information about anti-hate resources at CBOs. It offers actionable recommendations for CBO staff, policymakers, and researchers focused on Asian and Asian American communities.
Key Survey Findings:
- English-speaking Asian American young adults, particularly those from 1.5, second, or later immigrant generations, reported higher instances of experiencing anti-Asian hate but were less likely to seek help compared to first generation or take any action.
- Despite most Asian Americans valuing community-based counter-hate services, usage rate remains low. The majority of respondents (67%) lacked knowledge about community resources that were available or faced barriers like language difficulties, time constraints, or lack of transportation to receiving services.
- The in-language dominant population are as likely to call CBOs as the police (or more likely) to ask for their help if an Anti-Asian Hate incident were experienced. Only 37% would use 211 or 311.
- Word of mouth from family or friends was the top information source for English, Chinese, and Thai speakers, and the second most preferred by Korean respondents, who favored television as their most popular source. Top info sources for receiving Anti-Asian Hate-related information is WeChat for Chinese, TV for Korean, family or friends for English and Thai speakers.
The Community Learn and Outreach Toolkit for Countering Anti-Asian Hate contains the following:
- Key Terminology: Definitions of anti-Asian hate-related terms and their distinctions, such as hate crime versus hate incident
- Response Options: Strategies for responding to hate incidents and crimes, such as how to respond to verbal attacks
- Barriers and Solutions: Common challenges that community members face when seeking services and their potential solutions, such as actions CBOs can take to encourage community members to report hate incidents and crimes
- Outreach Strategies: Insights into outreach strategies for Chinese, Korean, and Thai communities, including specific strategies on social media and for in-person outreach events
- Infographic Summaries: Infographics and appendices that summarize the toolkit for staff training.
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Asian Americans Advancing Justice Southern California (AJSOCAL) is the nation’s largest legal and civil rights organization for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs). Founded in 1983, AJSOCAL supports over 15,000 individuals and organizations annually. By offering free legal help, engaging in impact litigation, conducting crucial research, and advocating for policy change, AJSOCAL prioritizes the most vulnerable members of AAPI communities while fostering a robust advocacy for civil rights and social justice. Offices are in downtown Los Angeles and Orange County, with satellite offices in Sacramento, ensuring accessibility for all. www. AJSOCAL.org
CONTACTS:
For general press, Liana Liang, 213-241-0237, lliang@ajsocal.org
For Asian language press, Chanfou Saelee, 213-241-0262, csaelee@ajsocal.org
and Alice Lee, 213-241-0257, alee@ajsocal.org
