by Hao Zou
Hao Zou is a freelance writer based in San Francisco. His research interests include Asian American history, immigration history, race and ethnicity, and the history of the American West.
Portsmouth Square, San Francisco, 1851
Amid surging incidents of discrimination, bigotry, and violence against Asian Americans during the COVID-19 pandemic, the deadly shootings at three Atlanta-area spas heightened outrage and fear across the country. The shock waves reverberated through the Asian American community, galvanizing nation-wide vigils and protests against anti-Asian racism. Reminiscent of the pan-Asian unity coalesced by the killing of Vincent Chin in 1982, this level of solidarity among Asian Americans in the early response to the attacks is unparalleled in the Asian American history.