“As an Asian American, I have been frightened by the recent rise in attacks and hate crimes against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. Through this submission, I worked to highlight the importance of engaging in discourse and standing up for the AAPI community. I also hoped to emphasize the diversity of the AAPI panethnicity, as it is a very broad group that encompasses numerous countries of origins and racial groups of different backgrounds, income levels, education levels, and personalities. This is often a neglected fact, as people may categorize the entire AAPI community based on the stereotypes they hold. As such, I made a point to also include the “Not Your Model Minority” line, because it was important to me to note that hate against AAPI individuals (as well as all minorities) does not just consist of violent crimes, but also microaggressions, unconscious bias, and stereotyping. Finally, I wanted to specifically feature AAPI women since AAPI women have experienced hate two to three times more than men, according to the Stop AAPI Hate LA County and Georgia 12/28/20 reports.”
Karen, Political Science: Public Policy