How many reports do we need to prove that anti-Asian racism exists?

I always feel frustrated when people say there was no anti-Asian racism before the COVID-19 pandemic.

From the Komagata Maru incident of 1914 to the violent attacks during the pandemic — including the mass shooting at a spa in Atlanta, Ga. in 2021 — anti-Asian racism has existed throughout Canadian and American history — and it continues to thrive to this day.

How anti-Asian racism is experienced, its effect on community members and how we confront it, however, are questions worth asking.

A new report published by the Chinese Canadian National Council Toronto Chapter (CCNCTO) and the University of Toronto’s Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work has done just that.

It highlights the pervasive experiences of anti-Asian racism among Chinese Canadians and provides concrete actions that governments, school boards, human service agencies, and others can take to address systemic anti-Asian racism in our society.

Based on community-focused, participatory research, the report underscores the difficulties Chinese Canadians face in voicing their experiences and concerns about anti-Asian racism, which lead to the feelings of hopelessness and helplessness among them.

These difficulties often stem from the pressure to conform to the myth of the “model minority,” the lack of anti-racism education in society and schools, and the underrepresentation of Asian Canadians in mainstream media.

As one of the co-authors of this report, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of déjà vu and sadness as I listened to the many stories that participants shared.

As a community-based social worker and researcher who works closely with Chinese Canadian communities, I have helped community members navigate the everyday experiences of systemic racism that they have faced, but their stories often ended with them saying: “let it go, I don’t want any more trouble.”

As a first-generation queer immigrant from Hong Kong, I have also personally struggled with experiences of anti-Asian racism.

I have been told to “go back to where I belong” enough times that today I still ask myself whether I should “go back.”

It took me a long time to find a community of people who have had similar experiences and to realize that my experiences of racism are indeed valid.

The value of our new report lies in the vulnerable, lived stories that it shares. The report’s first-person accounts build on previous work by CCNCTO, which tracked the staggering number of self-reported incidents of racism that Asian people experienced across Canada during the pandemic.

Transformed into community knowledge, these personal experiences fill the current gap in anti-Asian racism research. They provide us with a clearer picture of the complex, nuanced realities of Chinese Canadians’ daily lives under the impact of anti-Asian racism.

It also showcases Chinese Canadians’ resilience in resisting hatred and their desire to advocate for change. Study participants emphasized the need to increase representation in mainstream media — but this cannot be done if journalists and media agencies don’t recognize the importance of providing spaces for under-represented communities to make their stories visible.

Anti-Asian racism is not just about once in a while reporting another heartbreaking story of a fellow Asian Canadian encountering hate.

Confronting anti-Asian racism requires committing to the practice of holding space for Asian Canadians to share our experiences.

Governments, business leaders, school administrators, fellow community members, and others must recognize the power they have to support Asian Canadians in this long fight against racism.

So how many more reports are needed to prove that anti-Asian racism exists?

The answer: None. We know that anti-Asian racism exists. What we need now is to build widespread understanding about the struggles and resilience of Asian Canadian communities.

We need to generate recommendations for addressing anti-Asian racism and xenophobia, and we need to share the untold, “invisible” stories of racism in the mainstream media. We must listen to communities and create platforms that encourage them to tell their stories. And we must consult communities about what they need in order to address anti-Asian racism.

Taking a more grassroots, community-centred approach will provide us with the community knowledge and power we need to fight against all forms of social injustice.

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