Double Pandemic: Discrimination experiences of New Yorkers of Chinese descent during Covid-19
Asians and Asian-Americans have experienced a surge in anti-Asian hate and attacks since March of 2020, marking the “double pandemic” of COVID-19 and racial discrimination.
The COVID-19 pandemic, declared a U.S. national emergency on March 13, 2020, not only caused widespread infections and fatalities but also triggered significant xenophobia and racism against Asian Americans, especially those of Chinese descent. A joint report by the China Center, the Center on Poverty and Social Policy, and the Columbia Population Research Center analyzed Poverty Tracker data, revealing that about one-third of 423 surveyed Chinese New Yorkers experienced harassment or bias in 2020, with over half facing discrimination. Financially vulnerable individuals were more prone to such experiences, and the majority feared for their safety. Discrimination and racism-related vigilance were notably high on both U.S. coasts, with over half of Chinese Americans experiencing discrimination. In New York City, 70% of Chinese New Yorkers reported daily discrimination by 2022, with over 80% maintaining high vigilance. Bias and hate incidents remained persistent, highlighting the ongoing mental health impacts and daily challenges faced by the Chinese American community.
Publications
In a joint report, led by the China Center and in collaboration with the Center on Poverty and Social Policy and the Columbia Population Research Center, a new analysis of Poverty Tracker data sheds light on the discrimination experiences of New Yorkers of Chinese descent during COVID-19 and the consequences on mental health.
Of the 423 New Yorkers of Chinese descent surveyed in this study, about one third reported experiencing an incident of harassment, assault, or bias in 2020, such as being called a racial slur or physically intimidated or assaulted. Over half of participants reported experiencing discrimination, such as being treated unfairly and with a lack of respect. Moreover, discriminatory experiences are more commonly experienced by people who are already financially vulnerable. The vast majority of New Yorkers of Chinese descent worried about their own or their family’s safety from a hate crime or harassment, even those who had not experienced harassment or discrimination directly.
Read: Double Pandemic: Discrimination Experiences of New Yorkers of Chinese Descent During COVID-19
Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, Asian Americans, especially Chinese Americans, have faced heightened racially-motivated harassment and violence. The surges in anti-Asian discrimination and hate have been particularly high on the East and West coasts due to the concentration of Asian Americans in both areas.
This report compares the racial discrimination experiences and racism-related vigilance among Chinese Americans in New York City and California and reveals that over half of Chinese Americans experienced some form of discrimination in both locations. Even more Chinese Americans endured high levels of racism-related vigilance, revealing the heavy toll racial discrimination has on the mental health and daily lives of the Chinese American community across the two coasts.
The declaration of the COVID-19 pandemic as a U.S. national emergency on March 13, 2020, marked the beginning of a tumultuous period, characterized by widespread infections and a surge in fatalities. Unfortunately, this crisis also triggered an unprecedented rise in xenophobia, discrimination, and racism targeting Asian Americans, particularly those of Chinese descent. This report shows that, while the COVID-19 pandemic subsided, Chinese Americans in New York City experienced intensified racial discrimination and racism-related vigilance.
Key Findings
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Chinese New Yorkers reported increased levels of everyday discrimination experiences. In 2022, 70% of Chinese New Yorkers experienced racial discrimination in their daily lives, marking an increase from 58% in 2020 and 64% in 2021.
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Chinese New Yorkers maintained a high level of racism-related vigilance, with over 80% remaining constantly vigilant during the three-year period.
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Throughout 2020 to 2022, Chinese New Yorkers facing material hardships were more likely to report discrimination and racism-related vigilance compared to those without such hardships.
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Bias and hate incidents sustained during the three years. In 2022, over one-third of Chinese New Yorkers experienced bias and hate incidents, slightly higher than 2021 and 2020, with verbal harassment and threat being the most common types in all three years.
This research is released by the Columbia China Center for Social Policy in collaboration with the Columbia Population Research Center, the Center on Poverty and Social Policy, and the Weatherhead East Asian Institute.