Anti-East Asian Racism

Person holding portable music player. text on image says, tuning into k-pop, but tuning out the hate? Anti-East Asian racism is not new. It is woven through our shared history and entrenched in our systems. Racial harassment and discrimination against East Asians can take shape through stereotyping and overt prejudice, or in more subconscious, subtle ways. Throughout their long history in Toronto and Canada, systemic racism has manifested through discriminatory voting and immigration policies and legislation, as well as forced relocation and internment. More recently, the COVID-19 pandemic saw a rise in racist incidents targeting these communities.

Torontonians of East Asian descent contribute to the economic and cultural fabric of our city. Diverse cultures and communities such as these have helped create Toronto’s identity as a vibrant, global city. Silence and inaction help perpetrate racism and discrimination.

Here are some ways you can combat Anti-East Asian racism:

Learn about the diversity and unique identities within East Asian communities
Explore the history of East Asians in Toronto and Canada
Abandon harmful myths and stereotypes, such as the model minority or perpetual foreigner
Call out and challenge racism when you see it

This campaign was created in partnership with the Chinese Canadian National Council for Social Justice and with guidance from:

Butterfly
Centre for Immigrant and Community Services
Kababayan Multicultural Centre
Chinese Canadian National Council
Asian Community AIDS Services
National Association of Japanese Canadians Toronto Chapter
Chinese and Southeast Asian Legal Clinic
Chinese Professionals Association of Canada
Yee Hong Centre for Geriatric Care
Korean Canadian Scholarship Foundation (KCSF)

History

Project 1907 – A grassroots initiative that draws on histories and lived experience to advocate for political, racial and social inclusion and justice (Project 1907)
360 Riot Walk – A digital tour of the 1907 anti-Asian riots in Vancouver (360 Riot Walk)
A Brief of Chronology or Chinese Canadian History – A history of Chinatowns across Canada (Simon Fraser University)
The Ties that Bind- A history and timeline of the Canadian Pacific Railway (Multicultural History Society of Ontario)
The Paper Trail to the 1923 Chinese Exclusion Act – A digital exhibit of Canadian Immigration certificates issued to Chinese immigrants (Chinese Canadian Military Museum)
1923: Challenging Racisms Past and Present – A research project that looks at the origins of the Chinese Exclusion Act and its legacy for social movements today (University of Victoria)
Road to Justice – An account of the historical use of law by governments to exclude and restrict people of Chinese descent in Canada (Metro Toronto Chinese and Southeast Asian Legal Clinic)
Guide on Anti-Asian Racism: Asian Canadian History – A guide on the histories and experiences of Asians in Canada since the late 1700s (University of Toronto)
Chinese History in Toronto – An archival guide to Chinese history in Toronto (Toronto Archives)
The Secret Life of Canada: Chinatown – A podcast looking at the historic Chinatown in British Columbia that predates confederation (CBC)

Resources

Let’s Talk – A series of videos that counter disinformation and misinformation that has fueled anti-East Asian sentiment (Act2endracism Network)
Fight COVID-19 Racism – A platform for sharing and tracking experiences of anti-East Asian racism (Chinese Canadian National Council – Toronto Chapter)
Underrepresentation of Chinese Canadian Leadership in the GTA – A study on representation of Chinese Canadians in senior leadership positions in eight major sectors in the GTA (CPAC)
Unpacking the Model Minority Myth – A collection of anti-racism and solidarity resources (Hua Foundation)
Queer and Trans Asian Youth (QTAY) – Programming and resources by, for and with queer and trans Asian youth communities (Asian Community AIDS Services)
My Name is 張麟發 Tommy Lan Phat Truong – YouTube. A short animated documentary on the anglicization of Asian names (CBC Short Docs Original)

For Educators

Addressing Anti-Asian Racism: A Resource for Educators – A resource created by educators of Asian descent (Toronto District School Board and Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario)
Addressing Anti-East Asian Racism: Student Voice – YouTube. Students speaking about their experiences with racism and the pandemic (York Region District School Board)
Live Well, Take Action: Ambassador Program for East Asian Youth – A collection of student projects focusing on issues particular to Asian communities in Canada (Live Well, Take Action)
Bamboo Shoots: Chinese Canadian Legacies in BC – Educational resources for teachers of grades 5 and 9 (Government of British Colombia)
Fight Racism in Canada – A video series developed in collaboration with teachers, students and families from Asian Canadian communities across the GTA (Chinese Canadian National Council for Social Justice)
150 Years and Counting – History Series retold from the perspective of marginalized communities, with teacher resources (Challenging Racist BC)
Educational resources on anti-Asian racism – A collection of webinars, reports and tools (Canadian Centre for Diversity and Inclusion)
Anti-Asian Racism: What can we learn from our past? – A collection of educational films from the National Film Board’s collection (NFB)
Asian Canadian Educators Network – Advocating for educational issues and concerns related to Asian Canadians (ACENET)

Guides & Toolkits

Act2EndRacism.ca – A collection of resources to combat anti-East Asian racism (ACCT Foundation)
#EradicateHate – A toolkit dedicated to building capacity through digital literacy to effectively combat racialized online hate (Council of Agencies Serving South Asians)
Responding to Hate – A toolkit for responding to hate activity (Toronto Metropolitan University)
Addressing anti-Asian racism – A collection of anti-racism resources and information (Government of Canada)

Celebrate

Bookshelf

Asian Heritage Reading List for Adults, for Teens and for Children (Toronto Public Library)
Stop Asian Hate: Recommended Reading (Toronto Public Library)

Multimedia

Cold Tea Collective – A media platform sharing stories, perspectives and experiences of the Asian diaspora
Longing Belonging – 100 years 100 stories – A community engagement project and exhibition marking the 100th anniversary of the Chinese Exclusion Act (Long Time No See Collective)
Stop Asian Hate – A campaign series opposing anti-East Asian hate (StopAsianHate.ca)
Tangled Threads: Queer Tales of an Asian Diaspora – A podcast created by and for queer and trans Asian youth (Queer and Trans Asian Youth)
The Secret Life of Canada: Shout out to Gay Asians of Toronto – A podcast on the first 2SLGBTQ+ group for non-white people in Canada (CBC)
Elimin8Hate – The advocacy arm of the Vancouver Asian Film Festival, working to eliminate anti-Asian racism through arts, film and media (VAFF)

Posters

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