The silver linings of COVID-19 and racism pandemics?

Abstract

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has brought health and social disparities to the fore, and intensified bias and racism in the U.S. and globally. In the context of discriminatory rhetoric and anti-Asian sentiments voiced by prominent political figures, Asian Americans have been disproportionately targeted with injustice, scapegoating, and overt racism. Amid heightened sociocultural stress and national divisiveness, the present study explored whether "silver linings" might be found in the form of increased ethnic-racial identity exploration, ethnic-racial socialization, and civic engagement. Survey data from 200 Asian American parents of adolescents (58% mothers;63% foreign born, 37% U.S. born) suggest that awareness of discrimination against Asian Americans post-COVID-19 was associated with greater identity exploration and fewer socialization messages that minimize the importance of race. Awareness of discrimination against other minoritized groups (i.e., Native and Black Americans, Latinxs) was associated with greater post-COVID-19 activism. Additional socialization messages (i.e., promotion of equality, cultural pluralism) were associated with lifetime discrimination experiences and parent gender. Although negative consequences of the pandemic are indisputable, our results offer a small glimmer of hope in terms of building resistance and momentum. What is the public significance of this article? In the face of ethnic-racial bias and racism post-coronavirus disease (COVID-19), Asian American parents of adolescents explore their ethnic-racial identities, communicate positive ethnic-racial socialization messages to their children, and engage in community activism. Although negative consequences of the pandemic are indisputable, there do appear to be "silver linings" that can build resistance and civic engagement.