Why

The coronavirus pandemic has been a large contributor to hate and aggression against Asian americans. Anti-Asian hate crimes rose nearly 150% in major U.S. cities in 2020, according to a new report released by the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism. Asian american business owners have been forced to increase security and own weapons due to the increasing threats against their lives. Asian-owned restaurants, salons and shops rapidly lost business at the start of the pandemic because of racial stigma, fueled by former President Donald Trump's repeated references to the coronavirus as the "Chinese virus" or "Kung flu." Community leaders warn that the racism targeting these businesses could potentially worsen the country's economic recovery from the recession caused by coronavirus.

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