Since the Coronavirus began, there has been a dramatic increase in attacks on Asian Americans, especially in the Bay Area. We’ve seen many incidents involving elderly citizens and an innocent Uber Driver. As this discrimination continues, the Asian community has vulnerable members who feel unsafe in public spaces. These heartbreaking events should not only be a concern only to the Asian community but rather everyone.

Senior Giselle Flores has endured racial discrimination throughout her schooling in San Jose. Flores has a history of being victimized in situations where she can’t stand up for herself due to the racial demographics on campus. “There have been incidents where I feel like I can’t even bring my culture to the school because I’ll always feel like I’m being made fun of,” Flores said. 14.4% of the students at Gunderson are Asian American, and we must be aware of this racial prejudice. 

President Trump used many racial slurs in 2020, referring to covid as the “China Virus.” His remarks brainwashed many Americans in 2021 to harass Asian Americans. The discrimination against Asian Americans is often overlooked because of the continuous stereotypes made about the community. Some common misconceptions of the community are that Asian Americans have high socioeconomic status and sufficient education, causing discrimination to not be legit. This model minority myth gives many people the right to start discriminating against Asians. This also creates this stigma that Asians don’t have to struggle to reach a higher status, which creates stereotypes all over media including movies like Crazy Rich Asians and Netflix’s T.V Series, Bling Empire. 

Asian Americans are often targeted during national crises, and this pattern continues to this day. Around the 1880s, the Chinese Exclusion Act prohibited all Chinese laborers from immigrating during World War II under a declining economy. After 9/11, many South Asians were affected by Islamophobia and were physically harassed. As we’re in a global pandemic, we see many of our fellow citizens being spat on, coughed on, and attacked. 

As we’re becoming more aware of these cases, people should begin listening to their Asian peers and their experiences. “You have to realize that model minority was created by white supremacists to separate us because they know that if we work together and become one then we can defeat the common evil, which is white supremacy,” Flores said. To reach racial empathy we must understand the sources of racial inequality through ethnic studies. When students are educated on the history of Asian Americans, then they truly will be respected in this country. Expanding to diverse communities such as the Black and Latino communities will eventually lead to longer-term protection under this unprecedented environment.