Americans don't think hate towards Asian Americans has increased, but Asian Americans disagree

According to a new study by The Asian American Foundation, lack of visibility and awareness of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) issues, history, and leaders continues to pose a challenge to the AANHPI community's sense of belonging and acceptance.

SAN FRANCISCO, May 1, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Asian American Foundation (TAAF) today announced the findings of the fourth annual STAATUS Index (Social Tracking of Asian Americans in the U.S.) - a national study of Americans' perceptions of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) communities. The results show that Americans have stereotypical opinions and perceptions about AANHPI communities across five key categories – hate, national security, visibility and awareness, belonging, and building bridges/cross-racial solidarity.

Key findings include:

• Only one-third of Americans think hate towards Asian Americans has increased, but 61% of Asian Americans feel that hate towards them has increased in the last 12 months. 43% of Americans show no familiarity with recent attacks on Asian Americans.
  
  • Over the past 12 months: 32% of Asian Americans say they were called a slur, and 29% said they were verbally harassed or verbally abused.
  • 41% of Asian Americans think they are likely to be the victim of a physical attack in the next 5 years because of their race, ethnicity, or religion.
  • 59% of Asian Americans think it is at least somewhat likely that they will be a victim of discrimination in the next 5 years.
• Because of discrimination and lack of representation, only 38% of Asian Americans completely agree they belong, and even fewer (18%) feel they are fully accepted in the U.S. for their racial identity.
  • Asian Americans are the least likely group to feel strongly that they belong in the U.S. compared to 44% of Black Americans, 51% of Hispanic Americans, and 70% of white Americans.
  • For Asian Americans who feel they aren't fully accepted or don't fully belong in the U.S., online spaces/social media (34%) feel the least welcoming.
  • Asian Americans also said they feel like they belong least at their workplaces, neighborhoods, and schools/colleges/universities (all 31%)
  • For Asian Americans who don't feel they belong or are accepted, 6 out of 10 (60%) pointed to previous experiences of discrimination and/or violence, and 37% said they don't see people like them in positions of power.
• We need to break the "STAATUS quo" and ensure AANHPI stories are being told beyond heritage month.
  • For the fourth year in a row many Americans still can't name a famous Asian American. This year, 52% of people could not think of a single famous Asian American. When people were named, Jackie Chan (9% - who is not American), Bruce Lee (5% -  who died over 50 years ago), and Kamala Harris (2%) were the most common responses this year.
  • More than half (55%) of Americans are unable to name a single historical event or policy related to Asian Americans.

"Our 2024 data shows a disturbing trend that The Asian American Foundation has been tracking," said Norman Chen, CEO, TAAF. "A large percentage of Americans show no familiarity with recent attacks on Asian Americans, while fear for safety continues to be a reality for too many members of our community. The persisting and escalating hate and mistrust directed at Asian Americans, combined with a lack of representation and visibility, are creating an environment in which many feel excluded, unseen, and unsafe."

Notably, the findings underscore what TAAF and its partners have expressed for years - visibility and representation aren't just buzzwords, but actually vital to the safety and belonging of the AANHPI community. Asian Americans are the fastest growing racial or ethnic group in the United States and Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders are the third-fastest-growing. It is therefore more critical than ever to combat misconceptions towards the AANHPI community through representation, connection, and education.

Americans surveyed believe that racism towards Asian Americans will decrease by teaching the history of Asian Americans in K-12 schools and colleges (41%), increasing visibility of Asian Americans in American society (41%), and providing more opportunities to interact with Asian Americans (39%). "When Americans learn our history, and see us on their TV screens and at the highest ranks of corporate America, that influences and shifts their perceptions, which can combat hate, build bridges, and ultimately create a sense of belonging for AANHPI communities," Chen said.

TAAF, supported by leading scholars and research organizations such as LAAUNCH, AAPI Data, and Asian American Research Initiative, designed and implemented the STAATUS Index study. The results from the study provide critical foundational research to inform public policy, community-based solutions, and long-term systemic change. 

Methodology
The results of this report are based on a survey of 6,272 US-based respondents, aged 16 and above, conducted through an online panel, between January 30 to March 13, 2024 by Savanta Research.

The sample was weighted using population parameters (race, age, gender, income, and region) from the U.S. Census Bureau 2020. This weighting mirrors the demographics of the national population. For comparative analyses of Asian American subgroups (East Asian/South Asian/Southeast Asian/Filipino), the STAATUS Index used unweighted data.

To read the full results of the STAATUS Index, please visit share.taaf.org/STAATUS2024 

About the STAATUS Index
The STAATUS Index—Social Tracking of Asian Americans in the U.S.—is a comprehensive, annual assessment of attitudes and stereotypes towards Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders. The inaugural 2021 STAATUS Index was one of the first national studies on this topic in 20 years. Conducted annually, the survey tracks trends in whether and how long-held stereotypes and current events may influence American sentiment.

About The Asian American Foundation (TAAF)
TAAF serves the Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) community in their pursuit of belonging and prosperity that is free from discrimination, slander, and violence. Launched in 2021 in response to the rise in anti-Asian hate and to address the long-standing underinvestment in AANHPI communities, TAAF mobilizes the community to fight against hate and violence, reclaim our narratives and celebrate our stories through our core pillars of Anti-Hate, Education, Narrative Change, and Resources & Representation. Through our high-impact initiatives,events, and investments in national and local nonprofits, we're creating a permanent and irrevocable sense of belonging for millions of AANHPIs in the United States. For additional information about TAAF, please visit www.taaf.org

Media Contact: 
The Asian American Foundation | [email protected]
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SOURCE The Asian American Foundation