CHARLOTTE, N.C. — May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, but during a time when we should honor our Asian American neighbors, a new study says distrust of the community is only going up.
Asian Americans are feeling increasingly discriminated against, and researchers say it has a lot to do with misinformation about the COVID-19 pandemic. According to a study from two leading Asian American nonprofits, 21% of U.S. adults say Asian Americans are at least partly responsible for the coronavirus.
That's up from 11% in 2021. The report comes after a sharp rise in the number of anti-Asian hate crimes, which were up 339% nationwide in 2021.
Just last year, a man destroyed an Asian-owned convenience store in Charlotte while yelling anti-Asian slurs.
Experts believe the spike in crimes is because lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are stepping up their anti-China rhetoric. Now, more groups — including the Biden administration — are working to make Asian American neighbors feel included.
From Olympians to city council, Asian Americans are now getting recognized for their work more than ever before.
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