Racial Discrimination Intensified while the Pandemic Subsided: Experiences of Chinese New Yorkers during 2020-2022
The declaration of the COVID-19 pandemic as a U.S. national emergency on March 13, 2020, marked the beginning of a tumultuous period, characterized by widespread infections and a surge in fatalities. Unfortunately, this crisis also triggered an unprecedented rise in xenophobia, discrimination, and racism targeting Asian Americans, particularly those of Chinese descent. This report shows that, while the COVID-19 pandemic subsided, Chinese Americans in New York City experienced intensified racial discrimination and racism-related vigilance.
Key Findings
Chinese New Yorkers reported increased levels of everyday discrimination experiences. In 2022, 70% of Chinese New Yorkers experienced racial discrimination in their daily lives, marking an increase from 58% in 2020 and 64% in 2021.
Chinese New Yorkers maintained a high level of racism-related vigilance, with over 80% remaining constantly vigilant during the three-year period.
Throughout 2020 to 2022, Chinese New Yorkers facing material hardships were more likely to report discrimination and racism-related vigilance compared to those without such hardships.
Bias and hate incidents sustained during the three years. In 2022, over one-third of Chinese New Yorkers experienced bias and hate incidents, slightly higher than 2021 and 2020, with verbal harassment and threat being the most common types in all three years.
Suggested Citation:
Gao, Qin, Jianan Li, Ao Shen, and Xiaofang Liu. 2023. Racial Discrimination Intensified while the Pandemic Subsided: Experiences of Chinese New Yorkers during 2020-2022. China Center for Social Policy, Columbia University.
