While anti-Asian racism isn’t a new issue, there has been a devastating surge in the number of hate crimes against Asian communities during the Covid-19 pandemic. Discrimination, xenophobia and acts of violence have all skyrocketed, with countries including Canada, New Zealand and the UK reporting an increase in racist incidents over the past 12 months.
In the US, crimes against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) are also on the rise. In August 2020, the United Nations issued a report showing that more than 1,800 racist incidents targeting AAPI people were reported during an eight-week period, from March to May 2020. More recently, nonprofit social organisation Stop AAPI Hate published a report detailing 3,292 recorded incidents in 2020; 68 percent were towards women. On 16 March 2021, eight people—including six women of Asian descent—were shot dead at three spas in Atlanta, Georgia.
Across entertainment, culture and politics, racist stereotypes of Asian people continue to be reinforced. Throughout 2020, former US President Donald Trump referred to COVID-19 as the “Chinese virus” and “kung flu”. Meanwhile, TV shows and films have cast Asian actors in regressive roles such as ‘the nerd’ or ‘the storeowner’, and yellowface has been commonplace for decades (for example, Mr Yunioshi, played by white actor Mickey Rooney in 1961’s Breakfast At Tiffany’s).
The problem is endemic and change must be immediate. Here, Vogue speaks to three people from the AAPI community—TikTok star Bella Poarch, music producer Shawn Wasabi, sibling pop duo Lastlings and rapper Saweetie—about how we can fight anti-Asian racism, why the Asian community needs better representation in the entertainment industry, and the meaningful action we must take.
Bella Poarch
Born in the Philippines, the 24-year-old joined TikTok in April 2020—she now has more than 1.3bn likes and 61.5m followers, and is currently the third most-followed person on the platform.
What are some of your experiences as an Asian-American person?
“I grew up in the Philippines and I moved to the US—to Texas—when I was a teenager. My mother used to pack me Filipino food for lunch, and I would get made fun of because of the way it smelled. Kids would make fun of me because of the way I looked and call me ‘Ling Ling’. Growing up in a brand-new country, coming from the Philippines, was hard. I was treated differently and felt like people thought less of me because I was Asian.
“I have also dealt with being randomly attacked and assaulted. It’s not something I’m ready to talk about, but it’s hard for me to watch what is going on in our community. I can relate to how people are feeling in the moment, during recovery, and the mental toll that can follow you for a lifetime. These attacks can change your life—it can change the way you perceive, value and pursue life. To this day, I suffer from clinically diagnosed depression, anxiety and PTSD as a result of my attack.”
What can people do to show their support and take meaningful action?
“Because of my own experiences, I believe the most effective action is supporting the victims after their attacks. If you know someone who has been attacked, please consistently and gently check in on them. Ask their family members or friends if they notice behaviour changes. Keep encouraging them to speak to a therapist.”
Who are the Asian cultural, political and social leaders you admire?
“[Singer and actor] Lea Salonga, who sang the Mulan song Reflection [in 1998]. I looked up to her when I was a kid because Mulan was one of my favourite movies, and knowing that a Filipina was singing the main song in the movie inspired me to keep singing.”
Shawn Wasabi
The 25-year-old music producer was born in California to Filipino parents and has been making music since 2013. In 2015, he released Marble Soda, which hit 1m views within 24 hours. He’s since worked with hip-hop group Far East Movement and released his debut album, Mangotale, in 2020.
What are some of your experiences as an Asian-American person?
“I’m a second-generation Filipino American and grew up in an immigrant family in Salinas, California. A lot of the entertainment that I consumed was either East Asian or American, and nothing in the middle. The Jackie Chan Adventures and the character Jade Chan stood out. It was the closest thing I had to a representation of Asian-Americans in the media.
“As I grew older, I noticed that there was a small contingency of Asians on the big screen. In music, hearing [hip-hop group] Far East Movement’s Like A G6 was a ‘wow’ moment. There was an emergence of talented Asians getting involved with dancing, art, music, and so on. A lot of that came from YouTube, and that’s when I discovered entertainers such as [rapper and actor] Awkwafina, [actor and rapper] Dumbfoundead, [comedian] Ryan Higa and more.
“Growing up in an Asian-American household, you are taught to be risk-averse. I had to think past the idea that I had to go to college and major in biology. Entering the entertainment industry as an Asian felt like a one in a million chance—I see it like playing poker, and I got a royal flush.”
What can people do to show their support?
“I feel like there is a mixture of support and loneliness in entertainment. There isn’t really anyone to share this feeling with. People tend to put others into boxes without even realising, and I encourage everyone to be aware of your biases. There are charities such as the Asian-Americans Advancing Justice coalition, but the most immediate thing to do is to talk to each other and help your friends.”
Who are the Asian cultural, political and social leaders you admire?
“[Artist and musician] Louie Zong, [animator] Daniel Chong, Far East Movement, [actor] Ken Jeong—a bit controversial, but I have memories of seeing him in the movie The Hangover [2009] and he made me laugh—and [comic-book artist] Mike Choi. Special shout out to a friend of mine, Awkwafina. She came from a music-producer background. She has a special type of wisdom. Now, I want to be on her level.
“[Musician and producer] Hollis Wong-Wear is a huge inspiration. Before meeting Hollis or even coming to Los Angeles, I wasn’t paying attention to social impact, discourse, or anything in that world. I did things without even realising the impact. Hollis helped me greatly understand the impact that I have—she’s not only an artist, but an activist and public speaker. [Before I met her] having a roof over my head and doing music for a living made me happy. She saw the bigger picture of the platform we have, and why it’s different for me as an Asian-American being in this space.”
Saweetie
The 27-year-old from California—born to a Filipina-Chinese mother and an African-American father—has been making music since 2017’s Icy Grl, which has had more than 117m views. She released her most recent hit, Best Friend, with Doja Cat in January.
What are some of your experiences as an Asian-American person?
“I identify as Black and Asian, biracial. Intersectionality is real and hard for many multiracial and biracial individuals, especially women of colour. Having to deal with both Black and Asian hate crimes, and the discrimination that has been plaguing our communities recently, has been exhausting.
“The fact that these violent crimes could happen to any of my loved ones angers me. My mother is half-Chinese and half-Filipina, and there are a lot of traditions and memories passed down from her side of the family, especially time spent with my lola [grandmother]. These crimes are nothing new, and the general mistreatment towards AAPI communities is now finally being covered in mainstream media.”
What can people do to show their support and take meaningful action?
“Standing up for those around you or even outside your everyday life can make a difference. Keeping people accountable when they fetishise or reduce all Asian-Americans to a simple stereotype is a small but effective way to fight against the same oppressive system that people of colour suffer from. Also, educate yourself about the issues and history of Asian-Americans, and all BIPOC, AAPI communities. I believe in solidarity between Black, Asian and all people of colour to help fight the oppression we suffer from every day.
“Organisations that you can donate time, funds or energy to include: Stop AAPI Hate; Racism Is A Virus Too; Asian-Americans Advancing Justice; Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund and I’m Ready Movement.”
Who are the Asian cultural, political and social leaders you admire?
“[Japanese contemporary artist] Yayoi Kusama for her conceptual art and shows, using feminism, minimalism and surrealism to help combat her mental-health problems. [Actor] Daniel Dae Kim for being one of the first Asian-American celebrities to speak out about anti-Asian crimes. Yuri Kochiyama, a Japanese-American civil rights activist [who passed away in 2014]. Her friendship as an adult with activist Malcolm X helped define American activism in the 20th century.”
Lastlings
Australian siblings Amy and Josh Dowdle, 21 and 27, released their debut album First Contact in 2020. An homage to their Japanese heritage, No Time was inspired by Kazuo Ishiguro’s novel Never Let Me Go, while Take My Hand called on the anime film, Your Name, directed by Makoto Shinkai.
What are your thoughts on Asian representation in entertainment and culture?
Amy: “To be honest, it’s been pretty disgraceful up until the past few years, especially the representation of Asian women who are continually fetishised and sexualised in western media. It definitely plays a role in how they are treated and perceived within society.”
Josh: “Amy and I both grew up and went to school in Australia. We were one of the few Asian students in our schools and definitely went through our fair share of racism and bullying—inside and outside of our schooling, and even to this day. Both of us went through a period where we wanted to hide and neglect our Japanese side. There wasn’t any [Asian] inspiration in Australian media and definitely no half Asians like us. It was difficult to be proud of who we were, even though deep down we knew we loved being Japanese and loved our heritage. It’s sad that the misrepresentation of Asian people in western media, as well as the lack of education and ignorance towards Asian culture, can lead to feeling the need to suppress your own culture and heritage.”
Who are the Asian cultural, political and social leaders you admire?
Josh: “We both really look up to the whole team at Song For The Mute, an Australian-based clothing label. We admire how they incorporate their culture into the collections. [Japanese-British singer] Rina Sawayama inspired me to share my story about our experiences with Asian racism.”
Amy: “I have also been inspired by the work of Amanda Nguyen. She is a social entrepreneur and shares a lot of information on racism and the AAPI community. She inspired me to share my experiences of racism with my friends and on social media. After sharing my story online, [others told me] they now have the confidence to speak up and share their stories, reach out for help and create further awareness.”
