Going Viral: Racism, Asian Americans and COVID-19

Shunned. Spat On. Beaten.  With the rapid spread of the coronavirus since the start of the pandemic in 2020, so too have videos of anti-Asian hate and violence “gone viral.” This hate and violence have become normalized due to politicians' repeatedly referring to coronavirus as the “Chinese Virus.” Shunning, being spit upon, and being beaten are among the many forms of bigotry reported to the Stop AAPI Hate website by Asian Americans across the country. In its first week of operation, the Stop AAPI Hate website documented over 600 cases.  Today, over 6,600 cases have been reported. This podcast humanizes the Asian American experience of COVID-19. This community-engaged project, led by Dr. Robyn Magalit Rodriguez and produced by Asian American Studies student, Jennifer Bernal Nguyen, supports efforts already underway in the Greater Sacramento region, led by the API Regional Network, to amplify the experiences of APIs who are not only suffering from the virus itself but are suffering from anti-Asian hate and violence as well. This project was supported by a grant from the UC Davis Humanities Institute.

 

cov

 

Podcast Episodes 

1. Dr. Cirian Villavicencio - Professor of Political Science at San Joaquin Delta College

2. Anna Pak - Undergraduate Student at UC Davis

3.  Survivor of COVID-19

4. Debra Louie - Counselor at San Joaquin Delta College

5. Anti-Asian Hate and Violence Incidences in the Sacramento Region

 

Questions and comments can be sent to bulosancenterdirector@gmail.com