Download
There’s a good reason we designate months with special themes. It draws attention to people and issues we some might not otherwise consider.
Take the month of May, for example. It has been designated “Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month.” Historians say May was chosen to commemorate two events – the May 7, 1843, arrival of the first Japanese immigrants to this country.
And May 10, 1869, is called Golden Spike Day, to commemorate completion of the first transcontinental railroad in the United States. Many people of European ancestry weren’t interested in working on the railroad, opening the door for Chinese workers to get the job done.
Pedestrians cross 10th Street in the Chinatown neighborhood of Philadelphia, Friday, July 22, 2022. Organizers and members of Philadelphia’s Chinatown say they were surprised by the 76ers’ announcement that they hope to build a $1.3 billion arena just a block from the community’s gateway arch. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
According to History.com, an estimated 15,000-20,000 Chinese immigrants were a major part of the railroad’s construction, working under brutal conditions and receiving less pay than the white workers.
There are plenty of reasons to pay homage to the contributions of Americans from this diverse group of cultures, languages and lands. From Kimchi to Pad Thai, Asian cuisine is now American fast food. And K-Pop is not only a global phenomenon, it’s part of America’s music scene.
But that’s not the whole story about the experiences of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders (AANPI) in the United States. Since the COVID pandemic, there’s been what law enforcement authorities say is a record-breaking surge in hate crimes against Asians. It’s had a devastating impact on the community’s sense of safety and well-being in Pennsylvania and across the United States.
President Joe Biden speaks before a screening of the series “American Born Chinese” in the East Room of the White House in Washington, in celebration of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, May 8, 2023. It has been almost 50 years since the U.S. government established that Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders and their accomplishments should be recognized annually across the nation. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File)AP
Ellen Min, a co-founder of the Harrisburg Asian American Pacific Islander (HAAPI) organization, spoke at a recent Leadership Harrisburg forum and laid bare the fear and anxiety that has gripped her community since the pandemic and as a result of rising tensions with China. And for good reason.
There was a period recently when Asian Americans, including elderly women, were being attacked on the street in broad daylight in 2021-22. There was the mass shooting in the spa in the Atlanta area in March 2021 that left eight people dead, including six Asian women. And Min said Asians have suffered accusations that they brought COVID into the country, stirring hostility from right-wing extremists.
Even now, Min said her community keeps close watch on negative news reports about China or other Asian countries, as a matter of personal safety. That makes sense considering what the statistics show.
According to the National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS), law enforcement agencies reported to the FBI that hate crimes increased from more than 8,000 in 2020 to almost 11,000 in 2021.
As bad as the data is, it may not capture the reality of the horror this community has experienced. It is based on information received from 14,660 of 18,888 law enforcement agencies in the country that provided information that year. And leaders of the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander community caution many people do not report attacks, since they don’t trust police to do anything about it.
Hate crimes against this community in Pennsylvania almost doubled between 2019 and 2020, from 45 to 81. The statistics reflect only 734 of 1,540 law enforcement agency reports. And again, many people don’t bother to call police.
The fear of violence is only one of the issues this community continues to face.
Region 3 Director Melissa Herd is Region 3 Director, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Melissa Herd, Region 3 Director for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, says the Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander community faces barriers to healthcare, often as a result of language issues. She penned an Op-Ed for PennLive stating, “Your ability to get and afford health care should never depend on the color of your skin, where you live, or what language you speak.”
She makes a good point. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is working to address the healthcare issues that impact thousands of Pennsylvanians who claim AANHPI culture, including access to Medicare and prescription drugs.
If it weren’t for May being named “American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month,” many might never know of the struggles this community has faced. We join them in celebrating their heritage and their significant contributions to American history.
Joyce M. Davis is PennLive’s Outreach & Opinion Editor. Follow her on Facebook and on Twitter @byjoycedavis.
Hear her on the Battleground PA podcast with political analysts Jeffrey Lord and Rogette Harris, streamed to YouTube and on podcast apps.