Lucien Dao

March 13, 2020 – the President of the United States announced that the COVID-19 outbreak was officially declared a national emergency. With Donald Trump’s announcement also came many remarks about the virus, including calling it the “Chinese Virus” and “Kung Flu.” This announcement planted seeds of doubt, uncertainty, and mistrust into the minds of people all over the world. Flash forward two years, more than 10,000 confirmed anti-Asian incidents have happened, not even counting all the crimes that were not reported. Covid-19 was first found in Wuhan, China, and quickly spread across the world; however, particularly in America, the virus itself has been directly associated with Asian Americans and anti-virus sentiment mixed with political views of China, resulting in a rise in anti-Asian violence. In a survey done by over 5,000 adults of every race, 32% of Asian adults feared threats or physical assault, a greater amount than any other racial and ethnic group (Ruiz et al.). Furthermore, around four out of five people also say that violence against them is increasing, eclipsing the national value of 56%. When asked about the reasons why anti-Asian violence was rising, one in five answered Donald Trump. Due to the media and government’s portrayal of the virus as something inherently tied to Asians, the U.S. mixes its views of countries like China and their hate of the virus. 

Aaron Chang

On May 25, 2020, a police officer kneeled on a man’s neck for 8 minutes and 46 seconds with the belief that the man used a counterfeit $20 bill. Consequently, the man died of asphyxiation from sustained pressure. The man, George Floyd, has since become a symbol to fight against racial injustice and police reform, while the police officer who murdered Floyd, Minneapolis Police officer Derek Chauvin, put a target on the back of every police officer across the country.

Stella (Xingchen) Liu

It was right after spring break. The sleep routine I wrecked during spring break made me listless. The sunny day of the amber bosom seemed to be the only thing that could sustain me through the rest of the day, but I was also anticipating the site visit with nervous excitement. I ran straight to the cab right after school. Sitting in the car, the R&B from my headphones did not smooth my restlessness. I practiced the question I wrote down on a sticky note. The rush hour made the car get stuck in a traffic jam on the way to downtown Portland. After 15 minutes late to the scheduled time, the car finally crawled its way out from the bad traffic. The notification tone from GPS dragged me back from my own world I immersed myself in. The advertising board gave me a sense that the building I was looking at was a church. Passing by that building, my eye were caught by a high yellow building. This was my destination: Asian Health Care Center. The building was enclosed by a citrine steel skeleton with a small proportion of glass unveiled outside. The modern style and the bright color made it stand out from all buildings abreast of it. The office was locked when I tried to push it, and the cleaner inside seemed to be surprised by my arrival. I dialed the number that I contacted a couple of days before. A young lady with shoulder-length cut immediately came down the stairs and opened the door for me. Jennie Shen, the community health worker at Asian Health Care Center. Due to her proficiency in Chinese, English, and Cantonese, she assisted and supported clients in navigating community resources and receiving resources in their native language, mainly Chinese immigrants.

Pun Siripun

Riding on the back of the Trimet 56 into Beaverton, I scroll through my mind for dishes that I have had in Thailand in an attempt to decide on one that I could order. Walking into the Thai restaurant for the first time after being back in Portland, my mind still slid between a concoction of dishes that I could faintly smell in its sophisticated atmosphere. In Thailand, it is perfectly normal for a restaurant to focus on one dish – and do it really well. The concept of an extended menu still continues to baffle me to this day.