How communicators can make a difference in stopping anti-Asian hate
The Museum of Public Relations hosted industry leaders for a discussion of the Asian-American experience in the industry and how comms leaders can make a difference in their communities.
The data on incidents of hate targeting the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community tells a stark story about the U.S. in a post-pandemic world.
According to the organization Stop AAPI Hate, the number of reported incidents where the AAPI community was targeted doubled in March of 2021 from 3,795 incidents to 6,603 incidents—fueled by the way the AAPI community has been turned into a scapegoat in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to the data, which spanned incidents from March 19, 2020, to March 31, 2021, verbal harassment made up the vast majority of reports at 65 percent. Shunning, defined as the “deliberate avoidance of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders,” was the second most common form of discrimination at 18 percent, while physical assault comprised the third largest category at 13 percent.
In response, many Americans are ready to take action—and there are plenty of advocates within the PR and communications industry who say they have a platform and are prepared to use it to drive change.
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