Statement on Asian and AAPI COVID-19 Related Harassment and Resources [Updated 11/4/21]

March 24, 2020

[Updated November 4, 2021]

Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic--and even now, over a year later--xenophobic and racist incidents targeting members of the Asian, Asian American and Pacific Islander community have risen in the U.S. and around the world. According to https://anti-asianviolenceresources.carrd.co/, 40% of U.S. adults believe "it has become more common for people to express racist views toward Asians since the pandemic began" (Source: Pew Research). In addition, the Stop AAPI Hate National Report (March 19, 2020 - February 28, 2021) has received a staggering 3,795 reports of anti-Asian hate incidents (Source: Stop AAPI Hate). The Department of East Asian Languages and Civilizations denounces all forms of violence and racism against Asians and AAPI individuals.

Below is a compilation of legal, social, and mental health resources for Asian and AAPI students who have experienced, or worry that they may experience, COVID-19 related harassment and discrimination. This list is not comprehensive. If you are aware of further resources not included here, please contact naia_poyer@fas.harvard.edu with suggestions for updates.

Please note that Harvard University is not affiliated with, nor does it explicitly endorse, any of the advocacy groups, hotlines, or organizations listed here. This list is intended only to inform students of resources available to them in the broader community.

How should I respond if I am harassed on the street?

We hope this never happens to you, but the unfortunate truth is that for many AAPIs, it has probably happened already. Being targeted by racist harassment is shocking and frightening, so you may not be able to respond as thoughtfully as you would like to in the moment. Please always keep these points in mind: A.) Your safety always comes first, B.) It is not your responsibility to educate or admonish a harasser if you don’t feel safe doing so, and C.) Be kind to yourself, even if you wish after the fact that you had reacted differently.

There is no single “right way” to respond to verbal harassment. However, you may want to prepare by considering how you might respond to a potential harasser. The articles below offer suggestions and examples.

➜ General guidelines for responding to verbal harassment and addressing the emotional repercussions: https://www.ihollaback.org/responding-to-harassers/

➜ Suggestions for dealing with and processing racist behavior both in person and online: https://www.creativespirits.info/aboriginalculture/people/how-to-deal-with-racist-people#fnref3

➜ A Muslim and Sikh man talk about their experiences, outlook on, and responses to hate speech (content warning: explicit hate speech): https://slate.com/human-interest/2019/06/how-to-respond-to-racist-harassment-man-up.html

Though not emphasized in these articles, another way to respond to verbal attacks is to film the encounter with your phone. HDS alumna Tanny Jiraprapasuke, for example, used her viral video of a man directing a racist tirade at her on the subway, along with the hashtag #iamnotavirus, to help bring attention to the recent increase in hate incidents targeting Asian Americans. At times, the filming itself is enough to discourage a harasser. In addition, it secures evidence you might later show to law enforcement or legal advisors. However, as the first article advises, “trust your instincts.” Depending on the context and the other person, filming has the potential to either escalate or de-escalate the situation. Your safety should be your first priority.

In the case of threats or actual physical violence, call 911 or find a nearby law enforcement officer right away. In the meantime, appeal to bystanders for help and draw their attention to the harasser. If you wish to carry pepper spray, make sure to check first if it’s legal in your state or country (it is legal to carry in Massachusetts). You can also download one of these apps which record audio/video if you find yourself in a dangerous situation, and will alert either 911 or your trusted friends/family members to your location.

What constitutes a “hate crime”?

➜ A hate crime is defined by the FBI as:

“[. . .] when a person or group of persons commits a criminal act, such as an assault or vandalism, with the added element of bias against the victim's actual or perceived membership in a protected class.

Under federal law, a hate crime is when a person willfully causes bodily injury, or attempts to do so using a dangerous weapon, because of the victim’s actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability of any person. See 18 U.S.C. 249. The bias motivation does not need to be the primary motivation for the crime.

Federal law also protects interference with housing rights, damage to religious property or interference with the exercise of religion, and the exercise of a federally protected activity or other right granted by law or the Constitution. See 42 U.S.C. 3631; 18 U.S.C. 241, 245, 247.”

What immediate steps should I take if I am the victim of, or witness to, a hate crime?

(If on campus) call HUPD at 617-495-1212 or the local police immediately and make sure a report is taken. See HUPD’s hate crimes information page for more information.
If there are injuries, call 911 and request paramedics immediately.
Leave all evidence in place. Do not touch or remove anything. Record photo or video evidence if doing so is safe/possible. If not, write down everything that happened as soon as possible after the event.
Inform the police that you were a victim of a hate crime.
If the police hesitate to report the incident, insist on it. Ask for a copy of the police report for your personal records, and note the reporting officer’s name and badge number.
If you do not feel comfortable reporting to law enforcement, or if they do not take adequate steps to resolve your case, consider contacting a victim advocacy organization or contacting your regional FBI office.
(If on campus) inform school administrators about the hate crime and utilize victim’s support resources offered by Harvard. Inform civil rights organizations (such as the ACLU) about the incident.

It’s important to note that you don’t have to file a police report immediately in order for your report to be accepted. Depending on the severity of the crime, reports may be accepted as much as one to five years after the fact.

What about a “hate incident”?

➜ A hate incident is defined as “Acts of prejudice that are not crimes and do not involve violence, threats, or property damage.” Whether the discrimination you experienced was a hate crime or hate incident, or even if you are not sure if the person’s actions were motivated by racial prejudice, contacting your local police may still be an appropriate course of action.

The Department of Justice website has further information and examples on what constitutes hate crimes vs. hate incidents.

If you are an undergraduate who has been the victim of racial discrimination or harrassment by a Harvard affiliate:

Confidential Counseling:

Contact the designated Deans, who also serve as Hearing Officers (see Harvard College Handbook for more information).

Email reportbias@fas.harvard.edu

Anonymously report online through the Bias Incident Report Form
Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DIB) offices by school/unit: https://dib.harvard.edu/dibatharvard#schools
- Speak UP anonymous reporting hotline/form: https://reportinghotline.harvard.edu/
  
  Whether the incident occurred on or off campus, by a Harvard affiliate or non-affiliate, if you are in MA you can file a civil rights complaint with the MA attorney general’s office. The same holds for other states in the US.

If you are a member of the GSAS who has been harassed or subjected to racial discrimination by an affiliate of Harvard University, contact one or more of the following GSAS staff members:

Sheila Thomas, Dean for Academic Programs and Diversity

617-496-9909

sthomas@fas.harvard.edu

Patrick O'Brien, Assistant Dean for Student Affairs

617-495-1814

jpobrien@fas.harvard.edu

Shelby Johnson, Assistant Director of Student Affairs

617-495-1814

shelby_johnson@fas.harvard.edu

Danielle Farrell, Director of Student Services

617-495-5005

farrell@fas.harvard.edu

Cases of alleged harassment by graduate students are adjudicated by the GSAS Administrative Board or by the Student-Faculty Judicial Board.

What if I need legal advice or assistance regarding racial discrimination?

Check out these resources:

Asian Americans Advancing Justice (AAJC) has information on fair housing rights.

Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF) is a national organization that protects and promotes the civil rights of Asian Americans by combining litigation, advocacy, education and organizing. Contact AALDEF for legal assistance at 1-800-966-5946 or through their website.

The American Bar Association has compiled a database with information on COVID-19’s legal implications, as well as offering webinars for legal education.

The ACLU offers legal advice and assistance to victims of hate incidents, hate crimes, and racial discrimination. Find your local ACLU affiliate here.

National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) has a COVID-19 community health resource page as well as a page with links to resources for reporting, prosecuting, and receiving support for victims of hate crimes.

The Stop Hate Hotline offers legal and social resources and information. Call 1-844-966-4283.

The US Commission on Civil Rights can refer you to the proper official for filing a complaint at the Federal level.

Victim Connect Resource Center is a place for victims of crime to share their stories with specialists and learn about their rights and options confidentially and compassionately. They serve victims of any crime in the United States through online chat or phone. Call 1-855-4VICTIM (84-2846).

How can I access mental health resources that will address my specific needs?

First things first: what’s different about Asian mental health? (from Asian Mental Health Collective)

Check out these resources:

FOR THE HARVARD COMMUNITY

HUHS Counseling and Mental Health Services are available for telehealth or in-person visits.

Action for Students and Scholars of Asian Heritage (ASSAH) is a student group founded by graduate students in the Department of East Asian Languages and Civilizations (EALC), with the aim of providing mutual support and discussion for Asian and AAPI scholars at Harvard (with a special focus on mental health). For more information and to join future online meetings of ASSAH, please contact Jannis Jizhou Chen (jannischen@g.harvard.edu).

GENERAL MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES

Asian Counseling and Referral Services: This nonprofit promotes social justice and the well-being and empowerment of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and other underserved communities by developing, providing, and advocating for innovative, effective, and efficient community-based multilingual and multicultural services.

Asian Mental Health Collective is compiling both international and multilingual crisis hotlines and a directory of Asian therapists and mental health organizations across the U.S. and Canada.

The Asian Mental Health Project: This group empowers and educates members of the Asian American community in seeking mental health care. They maintain a therapist database, host digital summits and hold virtual check-ins with its community weekly.

National Asian American Pacific Islander Mental Health Association (NAAPIMHA): NAAPIMHA’s mission is to promote the mental health and well being of the Asian American and Pacific Islander communities.

South Asian Network (SAN) offers free and low-cost individual, group, and family counseling. They will also provide referrals to other mental health professionals.

The Union of Pan Asian Communities (UPAC): A non-profit that provides mental health, addiction recovery and business development services focused on improving the overall well-being of underserved diverse populations.

CRISIS CARE

Asian American Suicide Prevention and Education: A non-profit based out of NYC that offers educational resources and support. Hotline available in Cantonese, Mandarin, Japanese, Korean, and Fujianese.

National Organization for Victim Assistance (NOVA): The national victim assistance organization that provides resources, assistance and support for victims harmed by crime and crisis. Call 1-800-TRY-NOVA (879-6682).

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is a free, confidential, 24/7 support for people in distress, as well as provides crisis resources and best practices for professionals. Call 1-800-273-TALK (8255).

SAMHSA’s National Helpline (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration): SAMHSA’s National Helpline is a free, confidential, 24/7, 365-day-a-year treatment referral and information service (in English and Spanish) for individuals and families facing mental and/or substance use disorders. Call 1-800-662-HELP (4357).

INTERSECTIONAL MENTAL HEALTH CARE

National Queer and Trans Therapists of Color Network: This organization is committed to transforming the mental health of queer and trans people of color.

Recovery Dharma: A Buddhist-inspired addiction recovery fellowship that hosts dozens of meetings online each day.

South Asian Sexual and Mental Health Alliance: This organization highlights topics such as sexual health, identity, reproductive health, sexuality, mental health, and above all, what it means to grow up in immigrant culture, balancing often-conflicting identities.

SUBSTANCE ABUSE & ADDICTION

41 AAPI Addiction and Mental Health Resources is a page explaining the rise of anti-Asian hate crimes in the time of COVID-19, and presenting a compilation of mental health, addiction recovery, and support resources.

Asian American Discrimination and Substance Abuse is a page intended to help individuals better understand how systemic racism is prevalent in substance abuse and addiction recovery. It discusses how outdated policies have created an unfair environment for people of color and proposes potential solutions for the future.

Live Another Day - Asian Americans Addiction and Mental Health Support is another site compiling mental health and crisis resources that are intended to provide Asian Americans culturally competent help regarding positive mental health practices, as well as addressing issues of addiction.

SELF CARE

Racial Trauma Toolkit from Boston College is a toolkit for managing symptoms of post-traumatic response to harassment/exposure to racially-motivated violence and hate.

Self-Care Tips For Asian Americans Dealing With Racism Amid Coronavirus: Helpful tips from therapists and clinicians for Asian Americans who may be struggling to cope with rampant racism in the wake of COVID-19.

What if I want to report my experience to an advocacy/social justice organization, or share it through social media?

Reporting is of vital importance to ensuring both the public and government organizations understand the severity of the prejudice currently being leveled at people of Asian descent in America. If you feel safe doing so, please consider reporting your experience to an organization like the ones below. Please note that Harvard is not affiliated with, nor does it explicitly endorse, any of the groups listed here. This list is intended only to inform students of resources available to them in the broader community.

Asian Americans Advancing Justice (AAJC) is calling for reports of racially-motivated hate incidents/crimes.

Asian Pacific American Advocates (OCA) records incidents of anti-AAPI hate incidents/crimes.

Report Harassment (incident report form) to Asian Pacific Policy & Planning Council

(English, Chinese, Korean, Korean, Thai, Japanese) http://www.asianpacificpolicyandplanningcouncil.org/stop-aapi-hate/

The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) is collecting and recording reports of hate incidents/crimes.

Stand Against Hatred is a website run by Asian Americans Advancing Justice.

The #IAMNOTAVIRUS campaign is a photography and storytelling series which challenges negative perceptions of AAPI individuals surrounding the COVID-19 crisis. You can request an appointment to share your story, be photographed, or report a hate incident to the campaign.

How can I maintain a sense of community while social distancing?

We Are Not A Virus (wearenotavirus.org) is a global initiative to end the social stigma against Asians and to raise awareness about the coronavirus through education, advocacy, and resources. It was started by MIT students and partners with the MIT Innovation Initiative. The organization is currently seeking leaders and student activists to help advance the movement.

The Association of Harvard Asian and Asian American Faculty and Staff (AHAAAFS) was established to provide opportunities for networking, career development, awareness, and support for Asian, Asian American, and Pacific Islander faculty and staff. It also serves as a resource for the larger Asian and Asian American community at Harvard.

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts Asian American Commission (AAC) is a permanent body dedicated to advocacy on behalf of Asian Americans throughout Massachusetts. The Commission’s goal is to recognize and highlight the vital contributions of Asian Americans to the social, cultural, economic, and political life of the Commonwealth; to identify and address the needs and challenges facing residents of Asian ancestry; and to promote the well-being of this dynamic and diverse community, thereby advancing the interests of all persons who call Massachusetts home.

The Asian American Resource Workshop (AARC) serves as a political home for pan-Asian communities in Greater Boston. It is a member-led organization committed to building grassroots power through political education, creative expression, and issue-based and neighborhood organizing.

Community Care During COVID-19: A Message To and From AAPIs (includes multi-language resources for information about COVID-19)

Students at Brown University are building an accessible archive of Asian stories that may be used for research, education, and consumption at redenvelopestories.net.

SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS TO JOIN OR FOLLOW

Subtle Asian Mental Health is a heavily moderated Facebook group intended to “reach as many Asians struggling with mental health, cultural issues, inter-generational trauma, and associated problems as possible.” The group provides a safe space for venting, discussions, and advice, and provides links to further mental health resources.

Follow on Instagram: Reflections With a Therapist, run by Aparna Sagaram, LMFT, addresses the mental health challenges that many Asian and Pacific Islander Americans go through. Also includes helpful infographics and easily digestible insights for AAPI (and general) mental health.

Asians for Mental Health: An account run by Clinical Psychologist & speaker Jenny Wang, Ph.D., highlighting health & wellness, Asian American identity, mental health, social justice, and therapy options.

The Mind Health Spot: Run by Clinical Psychology graduate Laura Lu, this Instagram page discusses mental wellness, education, and advocacy with an emphasis on Asian Americans.

How can I be an ally to Asian/AAPI people right now?

The burden of self-advocacy should not fall only on those suffering oppression. Non-Asians can and should actively participate in anti-racist efforts too. Allies can educate themselves about the history and current climate of anti-Asian racism in the U.S. and elsewhere, donate to Asian-led community and national organizations, vocally support anti-racism initiatives, and report cases of harassment.

Educate yourself (and others) on the history of anti-Asian racism and the crucial contributions of Asian Americans throughout American history.

-PBS Film Series: Asian Americans

-Film: Chinese Exclusion Act

-Films: Streamable documentaries on Japanese Internment in WWII

-Article: The Contagion of Stigmatization: Racism and Discrimination in the “Infodemic” Moment

-Article: The Rise of Anti-Asian Hate in the Wake of COVID-19
-Website: Mental Health Issues Facing the Asian American Community

Learn about and register for AAAJ (Asian Americans Advancing Justice) Bystander Intervention Training here.
Speak up when you hear anti-Asian sentiment from friends, family, coworkers, students, etc. Learning For Justice’s Addressing Anti-Asian Bias page provides talking points for educating about the history of anti-Asian racism in America.
Donate and/or volunteer to support Asian-led initiatives, such as:

Asian Pacific Environmental Network

Asian Prisoner Support Committee

Asian Law Caucus · API Women | AAPI Women Lead

Asian Americans Advancing Justice (AAJC)

Take Action — Filipino Community Center

Building transgender, non-binary, and queer API (Asian and Pacific Islander) power -

APIENC (API Equality – Northern California)

Chinese Progressive Association

More at: Asian American Community Resource and Donation Post Google Doc

Amplify Asian voices. Read and share informative content like these:

“How to Be An Ally + Help Asian Americans Fight Anti-Asian Racism” by Kim Saira

“5 Ways to Help #StopAsianHate” by Huyen Dinh

Advancing Justice Atlanta Call for Community Response to Shooting of 6 Asian Women

Report hate incidents to Stop AAPI Hate or any of the organizations mentioned in the “What If I Want to Report . . .” section above.
Include Asian/AAPI people in your anti-racism work and rhetoric.

Black and Asian Feminist Solidarities: A Reading List

The Asian American Racial Justice Toolkit

Account for Intersectionality. Consider the varied and complex needs of AAPI people who are also LGBTQ+, disabled, neurodivergent, or belong to another marginalized group.

Asian Pride Project is movement to remove the stigma of LGBTQ within the Asian American and Pacific Islander communities.
National Alliance of Multicultural Disabled Advocates is a network of organizers across the country who invest in the livelihood and leadership of POC with disabilities.
Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN) seeks to advance the principles of the disability rights movement with regard to autism.
Celebrating Representation and Inclusion of Disabled AAPI in Media: A recorded discussion with AAPI creatives working in front of and behind the camera to ensure inclusive representation moving forward.

Other Resources:

Nationwide Resource List for Undocumented Communities (Open Google Doc)

College Educated - Resources for AAPI Students