COVID-19, Racial Discrimination and Civic Engagement Among Filipino American and Korean American Young Adults

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic provoked a spike in racial discrimination and hate crimes against Asians in the U.S. Although research substantiates the harmful impact of discrimination on health and mental health, limited research has examined how it influences civic engagement among Asian American young adults. Using cross-sectional data from the Midwestern U.S., this study investigated how the experience of anti-Asian racism was associated with civic engagement among Filipino Americans ( n = 260; M age = 22) and Korean Americans ( n = 340; M age = 21) during the pandemic. Results showed that Filipino American women reported more COVID-19 related racial discrimination than Filipino American men. Women, regardless of ethnicity, exhibited more civic engagement than men. Various forms of COVID-19 discrimination were associated with more civic engagement in both groups, except that assault was associated with less civic engagement among Korean Americans. The study results underscore the importance of providing tailored resources for targeted Asian American subgroups to promote continued civic engagement.