The world has experienced the unprecedented and dangers and challenges associated with the ongoing coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19). Job losses, death of close relatives, increased cost of living, and mental problems are some of the predicaments many people continue to encounter. However, Prove is an engaging blog operated and managed by different Asian Americans. The contributors focus primarily on the social, cultural, and economic issues these citizens with diverse backgrounds experience in different communities in the country. This paper presents a detailed review of Ken Huang’s blog, “My Asian American Experience: A Journey During the Pandemic”. The work is found or accessible o the blog named Prove.
Detailed Analysis of the Blog
COVID-19 triggered a number of health guidelines that saw most of the cities and public spaces inaccessible. Government agencies and health departments were keen to reduce the spread of this disease and help protect lives. The fact that the condition is believed to have originated in China worsened the experiences for most of the Asian Americans. Some of them encountered additional forms of discrimination and harassment. The West was convinced that China had developed the disease intentionally through the power of its biological studies and capabilities. Immediately after moving to New York, someone shouted: “Go back to your country!” to him (Huang, 2021). This staggering experience compelled the author to examine the plight of other people like him in the American society. The origin and subsequent issues associated with the ongoing pandemic worsened the situation.
Having examined the message Huang received from one of the Americans, it becomes quite clear that the problem of racial discrimination remains systemic in this society. The information was clear to all people who identified themselves as Asian Americans. For two centuries, the greatest percentage of Asian immigrants have continued to experience a wide range of predicaments, including verbal abuse, harassment, lack of adequate opportunities, and reduced resources for realizing their potential. The relevant agencies and systems appeared to group them with other populations that were identified as minorities, such as African Americans and Hispanics (Huang, 2021). There was a need to critique Huang’s blog since it appeared to present numerous insights and revelations about the experiences of Asian Americans in the American society. Being a primary source, the article would help more people learn more about the truth and set the stage for addressing the predicaments most of these citizens have to experience in the country.
To support the nature of discrimination more Asian Americans continue to encounter, Huang provides numerous arguments, facts, and references. He begins by acknowledges that COVID-19 has led to increasing cases of abuse while helping expose the true nature of race relations in the U.S. It remains clear that members of this minority community continue to encounter violence, xenophobia, and prejudice. These are real problems that many Asian Americans have faced in this country, including the very first Asians to immigrate to North America from the 1800s (Huang, 2021). The trend has continued to exist irrespective of the policy guidelines and laws that the government has put in place.
The insult Huang experienced is directly linked to the wave of bigotry and violence occurring in the U.S. against members of the Asian American community. Huang (2021) indicates that the percentage of criminal acts against Asian Americans has increased during the pandemic by 150. To support this fact, the author presents a link to this article, “Anti-Asian hate crimes increased by nearly 150% in 2020, mostly in N.Y. and L.A., new report says” by NBC News. The specific link. The author is keen to question the nature of this renewed form of mistreatment, something that has remained relatively low before the onset of COVID-19. During his days as a child, Huang was confident to grow up in the U.S. since cases of abuse against members of the Asian community remained low. He chose to continue celebrating his two diverse identities.
Unfortunately, the ongoing pandemic, according to the author, presents a new trend whereby the level of hatred against the Asian American and Pacific Island (AAPI) population has continued to rise. While such outcomes would be unacceptable, Huang is convinced that there are unique issues and aspects that make them different or unique. While living in the American society, the author of the selected blog is convinced that they would not need to denounce their backgrounds. Some of the key cultural attributes identifiable from the piece of wok include the names of members of the community and the type of food they eat (Huang, 2021). Huang relies on such aspects to disclose why they have become critical points that haters use to mock them. For example, many people would require these individuals to have English names that could sound American. Others would stereotype or joke by asking them to explain why they eat cats or dogs (Huang, 2021). These issues have formed the basis for the nature of discrimination experienced in the country.
To support the same argument, Huang (2021) identifies micro-aggression, mockery, and stereotype as additional challenges members of this society encounter. For instance, more people would indicate that such people have small people or are incapable of speaking good English. Members of this race would be identified as poor leaders or incapable of completing small tasks efficiently, including driving (Huang, 2021). Some mock AAPIs for not having an understandable or acceptable religion. These realities Huang outlines help shed more light regarding the quiet form of discrimination and abuses that mass media outlets have ignored over the years. Cases of misinterpretation of the AAPI culture remain extremely high (Huang, 2021). A pervasive wave of racial discrimination, stereotypes, and violence continues to exist in the American society while the level of awareness remains low.
To support this kind of assertion, Huang presents a number of sources that identify some of the issues Asian Americans and other minorities encounter despite being recognizable members of the American society. The specific survey is titled “Asian Americans are the Fastest Growing Racial Group in America; However, We Are Facing Record Levels of Violence during the COVID-19 Pandemic”. Readers can access it using this link. This survey by the Leading Asian Americans United for Change (LAUNCH) presents key findings that attract attention of many citizens and even policymakers. The first observation is that many people in the country remain unaware of the ongoing attacks and cases of violence against the wider AAPI community. Huang (2021) indicates that White Americans, Black Americans, Latinos, and some Asians are unaware of these challenges at 37, 30, 24, and 13 percent respectively (Huang, 2021). He goes further to indicate many people do not consider racism against members of this population as a major social problem. Consequently, the support for a new change remains extremely low in this country.
Discussions
Any person who lives in the United States or elsewhere would find this blog informative and inspirational. It succeeds to expose the major challenges AAPIs experience in the country. Huang (2021) helps the reader appreciate that the nature of this problem is pervasive and has been ongoing since the first Asian Americans came to the country more than two centuries ago. The mainstream society has been keen to promote a number of malpractices that are aimed at locking most of these individuals out of the existing core functions and systems. They have remained sidelined, disengaged, and disempowered, thereby being unable to record meaningful social mobilities. The nature of the identified stereotypes has formed the basis for continued discrimination and abuse against members of the AAPI community.
The selected could present a new approach for examining race relations in the American society. The experiences of this author reveal that the concept of intersectionality is applicable in this country. Specifically, more citizens belonging to various minority racial groups have in the years missed out in most of the social and economic functions of the wider community (Huang, 2021). This reality has affected the level of educational attainment, the availability of social services, and the ease of getting competitive jobs. Majority of the individuals find it hard to lead better lives or provide for their families.
Being part of the minority population in the United States, more Asian Americans have continued to experience most of these predicaments. The society has failed to promote practical approaches for engaging each other and increasing the overall level of inclusivity. Majority of the citizens view members of this racial group as inferior or incapable of addressing most of the challenges they encounter in their lives. The established social systems remain ineffective or incapable of guiding more people to pursue their goals. Based on the ideas Huang (2021) presents in his blog, it is clear that the fate of most of the disoriented Asian Americans remains unpredictable. Those who fail to get good paying jobs have to deal with the increasing levels of poverty, homelessness, or even poor medical outcomes. Despite such predicaments, the selected blog appears to encourage more members of this population to appreciate the current situation (Huang, 2021). This kind of acknowledgement will form the basis for a new discourse aimed at transforming their overall engagements and strategies for achieve their social development and economic goals.
After going through the blog, it becomes quite clear that a number of trends have played a key role towards worsening the situation for more Asian Americans. First, the above analysis has revealed that a greater percentage of the country’s population remains unaware of the predicaments members of this community have to go through in their lives. The shouted message to Huang after going to New York became a wake-up call for more Asian Americans to understand that the times were becoming complicated for them (Huang, 2021). Second, the blog goes further to indicate that majority of the American citizens believe that the existing level of abuse or discrimination against members of this population is extremely low. The emerging message is that people should never be concerned since the recorded cases are not serious or capable of affecting the overall experiences and outcomes of most of the members of the wider AAPI population.
Following the ongoing pandemic, more American citizens appear to have become agitated than ever before. Some of these individuals appear to be keen to question the position and role of their counterparts in China towards the nature of this medical health problem. Majority of them appear to identify Asians as the reason why the global society continues to encounter a wide range of mental, medical, and emotional challenges due to the ongoing pandemic. These issues appear to have compelled majority of the Americans to launch a new wave of attack against members of the Asian American community (Huang, 2021). The emerging views are also compelling more Americans to start questioning the cultural practices of members of this population and how they could be linked to this pandemic. The author tries to dig deeper in an effort to understand a unique area that researchers appear to have ignored in the past. Specifically, he has done a great job of presenting additional meanings to the American understanding, view, and expectations from the Asian culture.
The nature of these problems is systemic due to the ideals the American community appears to promote. The studied blog indicates clearly that Asian Americans are facing numerous predicaments. The wider society has also been observed to encourage and encourage Asian Americans to remain quiet and avoid disclosing most of the problems they encounter while in the county. Some leaders have argued that the move to challenge the established race relations could affect their survival and effectiveness of their neighborhoods (Huang, 2021). This reality or situation has continued to worsen the experiences and outcomes of the greatest number of Asian Americans. Consequently, the nation is recording an increasing wave of injustices, criminal acts, and acts of violence against members of this community.
The lessons of 2020 appear critical and capable of presenting a renewed effort towards addressing most of the challenges members of the wider AAPI community have to go through. Huang (2021) appears to be convinced that any attempt to remain silent has the potential to destroy the society even further. People need to join hands and explore the nature of this predicament. While these problems exist in this country, other citizens have been relying on the available opportunities to transform their lives while recording meaning social mobilities.
Recommendations
Huang’s blog is an integrative piece work that presents a unique perspective and approach to the predicaments most of the Asian Americans continue to encounter in the American society. It challenges the notion that the U.S. is a progressive nation that seeks to maximize the overall experiences and outcomes of the greatest percentage of citizens. The affected individuals are unable to voice their concerns since any move to challenge the status could become recipe for increasing wave of attacks (Huang, 2021). The government has failed to present and implement progressive policies that have the potential to improve the overall experiences of all marginalized groups. The emerging outcome is that majority of them are finding it hard to record meaningful social mobilities. A culture of discrimination could exist in this country since more Americans associate COVID-19 with these members of the society. These issues, therefore, call for a renewed approach and action that could help transform the experiences and social gains of more Asian Americans.
Having examined the plight of the AAPI community in the U.S., Huang has presented his version of recommendations that could help advocate for more people. The intended result is to empower these individuals and make it easier for them to have contented lives. It is agreeable that numerous causes have emerged intended to empower Asian Americans. The author offers this article “71 Ways to Donate in Support of Asian Communities” to identify some of the agencies and activities aimed at supporting the goals of the AAPI community. The idea of providing donations to these actions and cause will ensure that timely goals are realized within the next few years (Huang, 2021). The pioneers of most of these activities appear to understand the challenges Americans continue to encounter in the country. They also appreciate some of the actions and approaches that can work effectively to deliver the much needed results. The provision of additional resources and finances would help improve the situation and eventually empower more Asian Americans to realize their maximum potential.
The second recommendation that is practical and capable of promoting a paradigm shift in the country is the support of an enabling environment. Huang (2021) indicates that such an idea will result in the establishment of a new society that reduces chances of prejudice or abuse. Most of the people who subscribe to such a course will remain actively engaged and consider better ways of making the country more prosperous. The presence of additional support from different actors will eventually ensure that timely results are recorded, thereby taking more people closer to their goals.
The author of the blog is also convinced that unconscious bias existing in the country could be directly linked to this problem. In the corporate world, Huang (2021) is convinced that new strategies for hiring workers and providing reviews could help empower more Asian Americans. The provision of progressive working and learning environments will help meet the needs of most of these individuals. They could also be guided to join different teams or peer groups and learn how they can pursue their personal and career initiatives. This starting point appears engaging, practical, and capable of attracting more Asian Americans to be part of the process (Huang, 2021). Such efforts will encourage other members of the society to appreciate the challenges the AAPI community has experienced in the past. The emerging action plans will remain transformative and eventually take more Asian Americans closer to their social and financial goals.
Conclusions
The analysis of Huang’s blog stands out as an evidence-based approach for learning more about the predicaments Asian Americans face in the U.S. Many scholars have ignored most of these issues in the past. The article presents a new way of learning about the experiences of these people and how the government has failed to implement the relevant support mechanisms. The blog is informative and capable of guiding activists to introduce new initiatives to empower members of this marginalized community. Through the lens of this blog, the world can understand the relationship between COVID-19 and the new wave of attacks against Asian Americans and propose workable strategies to address them.
Reference
Huang, K. (2021). My Asian American experience: A journey during the pandemic. Prove. Web.