Recent reports indicate that members of the American Asian Pacific Islander community still harbor immense safety concerns due to anti-Asian sentiment, even during a time when the culture should be celebrated. The month of May serves as AAPI Heritage Month, and Qing Guo, an advocate for Make Us Visible New Jersey, joined NJ Spotlight News to speak on the importance of this month and what can be done to uplift these communities in the Garden State.
“One month out of the year is better than none,” Guo said. “There’s such a rich history.” But with that, she explained that AAPI history is difficult to teach, with disparities creating vast cultural and socioeconomic differences within the country.
In the U.S., Guo said she still feels the anti-Asian sentiment that was exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. “I usually take the bus,” Guo said. “But then, during the pandemic, I actually took a pause. I’m like, wait a minute. I don’t feel safe taking public transportation as an Asian, not even just as a female, but as an Asian.”
