This evening in the Oklahoma Memorial Unionâs Meacham Auditorium, the Asian American Student Association will crown the winners of its 30th Annual Mr. and Miss Asian OU Scholarship Pageant.
What would typically be a festive night to showcase and celebrate the universityâs diverse Asian community has been underscored by months of hate and fear unlike anything the United States has seen in recent years.Â
As hate crimes against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have risen 149 percent between 2019 and 2020, participants in this yearâs pageant said they are aware of the newfound significance the title holds, should they win. Some were even inspired to participate by the adversity their community faces.