I’ve spent much of the pandemic speaking to people from East and South-East Asian communities in the UK – and have seen something extraordinary. On one hand, it’s been a devastating 20 months. Anti-Asian racial violence has surged. People from these communities are disproportionately represented among frontline workers and the virus has taken a grim toll. The official response has been woeful.
On the other hand, these experiences have led to a radical transformation within these communities. We’re seeing what I think is a historically significant moment in racial consciousness and organising.
Last year, the World Health Organization, the United Nations and Human Rights Watch appealed to governments worldwide to address a shocking rise in COVID-19-related ‘hate and xenophobia’ targeting people from East and South-East Asia, due to the association of the virus with China.
