{OPINION} The Rise of COVID Related Anti-Asian Hate.

A humanitarian alarm is raised. Travel borders are shut down. A novel coronavirus, by the name of 2019-nCoV, arises from mysterious whereabouts. Flashing by is only time as the virus slowly rampages the world, slowly shuttering countries and sickening those who catch it. In California, USA, the first state comes to a sudden halt as the state's governor, Gavin Newsom, orders a statewide shelter-in-place order. Schools block students from campuses as school districts implode on themselves to manage online learning, barely a week to bear ideas and implement them. Students cheer in joy for the close of schools.

Though, as a student, the fact aforementioned would soon to doomed turn to an incredibly detrimental disconnection from society and social life. Learning effectiveness caves in on itself as many students struggle to keep on going and up-to-date with schoolwork. Teachers endure similarly considering their respective activities, and frankly, so does many others in all occupations of all ages.

Now, the curtains of COVID slowly draw to a close. Yet, another problem draws more curtains open. The curtains of Anti-Asian hate.

The curtains of Anti-Asian hate open and with it brings unprecedented increase in hate crimes against Asians. Oakland's Chinatown, San Francisco's Chinatown, New York City's Chinatown, and many neighborhoods descend into the depths of property crime, as many people fall victim to violent crime, and many others go unreported. "Chinatown" becomes a place that many fear passing, exampled by Oakland Chinatown's decrease in traffic.

Throughout California, a report based on 2020 details a 107% increase in Asian hate crimes tarnished the community not even considering incidents going unreported. One after another, after another, after another. In the past few months, three such incidents of many leave a 76-year-old Asian American with 2 black eyes, a 75-year-old without their life, and a 94-year-old Anh Taylor in the hospital, crippled from stab wounds.

Now, groups have banded together to help against this rising threat. Stop AAPI Hate, based on California, raised the exposure to around 6600 incidents nationwide, around 2641 in California alone. Another group, also California-based Asians With Awareness (A.W.A.) has banded together to help patrol the most crime-ridden parts of Asian neighborhoods and escorted the elderly to help them get home safe. The group effort has only begun and as the evidence of AAPI hate shows itself, it grows increasingly important to cease the violence against the AAPI population.

And our own statement: One more rises by the name of AAπ, representative of this project's commitment to help raise awareness for many community-wide incidents and those of AAPI who deserve recognition. Join and help spread awareness by anything as easy as sharing.

Sources:

https://calmatters.org/health/coronavirus/2021/03/timeline-california-pandemic-year-key-points/

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/jul/01/california-hate-crimes-reports-anti-asian