This moment of crisis has been building over the past pandemic year. Many consider the recent anti-Asian violence and harassment a consequence of the former Trump administration's “China virus” and “Kung flu” rhetoric. Research shows that Americans exposed to such racist rhetoric are more likely to perceive Asian Americans as foreign and un-American, which can stoke greater hostility toward Asians. An AAPI Data survey conducted just after the Atlanta shooting shows that 71% of Asian American adults worry about COVID-19–related hate crimes, harassment, and discrimination, 21% of whom worry very often. The survey data also suggest that upwards of 2 million Asian American adults have experienced anti-Asian hate incidents since the onset of COVID-19: 1 in 8 Asian American adults in 2020, and 1 in 10 in the first quarter of 2021.

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