Racism against South Asians has dramatically risen in the past year, despite higher representation through figures like Vice President Kamala Harris and Usha Vance, wife of Republican VP candidate Sen. JD Vance. A report by Stop AAPI Hate shows anti-South Asian slurs doubled from nearly 23,000 to over 46,000 between January 2023 and August 2024.
“We are extremely alarmed by the wave of hate… both on and offline,” said Manjusha Kulkarni, co-founder of Stop AAPI Hate. The report links the rise in hate to the increased visibility of South Asian figures, with online threats peaking in August 2024. Seventy-five percent of these threats targeted South Asians.
While online hate towards Asian communities surged by 52%, it also rose by 45% for Jewish communities and 14% for Black communities. Many statements included xenophobic language like “Go back to where you came from.”
Despite the rise in hate, this is motivating Asian American voters. “South Asians are turning out in powerful numbers… voting for leaders who champion diversity,” said Chintan Patel of the South Asian Impact Foundation.
Congressional leaders like Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) connected this rise to xenophobic rhetoric. “This xenophobia hasn’t appeared out of thin air,” Jayapal stated, calling for action to counter the growing hate.
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