AANHPI Heritage Month: Americans' attitudes towards AAPI highlights misperceptions and ignorance

One in two Asian Americans feel unsafe in the US and nearly 80% of Asian Americans do not completely feel they belong and accepted in the United States, according to a new survey.

The survey also found that 50% of Asian Americans feel unsafe in the US because of the rash of racist attacks against them attributed to discrimination and the lack representation among the ranks of leaders.

The Asian American Foundation (TAAF) on May 2 announced the findings of the third annual STAATUS Index—”Social Tracking of Asian Americans in the US”—the leading study examining attitudes and stereotypes towards Asian American and Pacific Islanders  in the US. 

“We’re seeing a continuing and alarming trend in that the majority of Asian Americans do not feel safe or feel like they belong here because of their race,” said Norman Chen, CEO of TAAF. “Anti-Asian violence haunts our community and takes a toll in every part of our lives, from riding a public bus to attending school. 

FYI: Click here to read the 2023 STAATUS report.

"We can’t blame political rhetoric and the COVID-19 pandemic alone for anti-Asian sentiment. Historic stereotypes and prejudices towards our communities are persistent and deeply entrenched.

Some of the key takeaways are:

• Of all the racial groups surveyed, Asian Americans—especially young, Asian American women— are the least likely to feel they completely belong and are accepted in the U.S. The top reason cited was racial discrimination, followed by the lack of representation of Asian American leaders in the workplace.
• Many Americans across the country are open to more opportunities to interact with AAPIs, support AAPI businesses, and learn more about AAPI stories and history.
• Of those who feel unsafe, 29% believed the most dangerous situation was on public transportation.

One of the discouraging findings in the report is that a quarter of those interviewed could not name a famous living Asian American. Among those who responded, Jackie Chan (who is not American) and Bruce Lee (who died 50 years ago) received the most votes. Vice President Kamala Harris, whose mother came from India, received the 4th most votes. Surprisingly, that's an improvement from last year's survey when the respondents did not menton Harris.

Americans as a whole expressed mixed feelings about the perceived economic or military coming from the People's Republic of China.

Most respondents, 83%, see China as a military/national security threat, 74% as an economic threat, and 44% as a health threat.‍ That feeling is strongest among older and white Americans overwhelmingly (>80%) 

However, 79% of Americans do not believe people of Chinese Americans pose a threat to the US. Respondents also overwhelmingly (87%) are comfortable with Asian Americans’ employment in jobs that involve national security.

Nevertheless, nearly one-third of Americans see Asian Americans as more loyal to their perceived country of origin and almost a third (31%) think Asian Americans should be subject to additional scrutiny if they work in areas considered critical to U.S. global strategic competitiveness.

A majority (57%)of all Americans race relations was getting worse in the lst five years. Only 16% felt that race relations was improving..

The survey offered some hope in improving race relations. More than 60% of Americans would like more opportunities to interact with AAPIs and learn about their experience and history.

Advocates of including Asian American history in school curriculums should be pleased that 3 out of 5 Americans think that incorporating the Asian American experience into the teaching of American history is important.

Respondents were asked, 

"What do you have in common with AAPI?"

A quarter of the respondents think they share “a lot” of economic interests (26%) and core values (25%) with Asian Americans, signaling an opportunity to grow understanding and strengthen connections with AAPIs.

The results from the annual study help TAAF plan their own programming including supporting initiatives that counter bias and build belonging among AAPIs. For example, TAAF’s areas of focus include improving public education curricula so that AAPI history is taught in schools, supporting tracking and reducing incidence of hate and promoting authentic and diverse AAPI narratives in journalism, media, film, and television—all efforts aimed at addressing the root causes of harmful, racist attitudes.

“The report also shows that geopolitics may affect anti-Asian sentiment, causing distrust and putting communities on edge,” Chen said. “It is startling to see that more than one in four of Americans still think Asian Americans are more loyal to their perceived country of origin than to the US," 

"These unfortunate and enduring misperceptions erode our sense of belonging and safety as AAPIs. By tracking these perceptions, we want to draw attention and implement solutions to the very real and persistent problems impacting the daily lives of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders,” he continued.