Fighting anti-Asian racism at the ballot box | NHK WORLD-JAPAN News - NHKニュース

Fighting anti-Asian racism at the ballot box With the US midterms just days away, diversity has emerged as a key issue. Many see this election as a battle against discrimination. That is also true for California's Asian American population, who are hoping to fight back at the voting booth.

In a suburb of Los Angeles with a sizable Asian American population, many in the area say they are concerned about politics in the US. As a result, groups representing them have been stepping up their activities ahead of the midterm elections.The National Asian American Civil Liberties and Anti-Defamation Association, also known as NAACLA, has been going door-to-door to speak with voters. One of the group's top priorities is tackling anti-Asian discrimination and its volunteers are trying to garner support for candidates who address the issue.

NAACLA Executive Director and Co-founder Lwin Kyu Hwee says: "We had Asian hate crimes at the height of media. It's still happening right now, it's just not in the media."These groups are hoping Asian voters can band together to make their voices heard.One Indian-American resident says: "The community should be together. That's how people can show strength. If they have an issue, then it can be addressed. That's only possible if communities are together."Hwee agrees, noting: "Voting is the next form of power besides policy change. We will be visible if we speak up when we are wronged, when we are not heard, when we are erased."

Many Asian Americans in the community say the situation is urgent and they fear anti-Asian racism is on the rise.

For 73-year-old Aki Maehara, he has experienced it first-hand. While biking home last April, a car struck him from behind. He recalls, "I tried to get up on the curb when I got hit."

The incident left Maehara with serious injuries to his arms, face and neck. He says the driver shouted racist insults at him before driving off. He notes: "The hatred isn't directed at me. It's directed at a whole group of people that I happen to be part of."For Maehara, a professor who teaches about the history of racism, the incident further strengthened his sense of purpose.

"Right after it happened, I was glad to be alive because I understood," he explains. "As soon as they did it, they're trying to shut me up. They're trying to stop me from teaching. I'm still alive, and so I'm going to continue teaching. They didn't stop me, and so in that sense, I felt like there was a small victory that I'm still alive."

Although these are not new issues, advocacy groups say they are getting worse. Immigration crackdowns and anti-foreigner sentiment have grown in recent years, which they say is driving prejudice.

Hwee stresses that it is critical Asian Americans choose candidates who will help protect their communities."We need someone to understand who we are as cultural people and to be able to assist and protect us," she says. "We need to continue to fight for, and maybe even step it up, because we're not there."For activists like Hwee, they hope to reach more voters before Election Day because for them it is not just a vote, it is a fight against discrimination -- one their community needs to win to survive.