In Seattle, a family restaurant with broken windows. In San Jose, five businesses destroyed in the span of hours. In New York City, a Michelin-starred restaurant vandalized with graffiti. The common link between these crimes? All were owned by Asian-American owners. 

In February, before any cases of coronavirus were confirmed in New York City or the United States, people were already starting to avoid Asian restaurants and businesses. Lack of customers, who feared contracting the virus or had a  misinformed bias against Chinese-owned businesses, forced many restaurants to close in Sunset Park, a neighborhood known as one of Brooklyn’s Chinatowns. Though Mayor Bill de Blasio publicly visited Flushing on February 13 in an attempt to reassure the masses, his visit’s effect was only temporary as business tanked by the end of the month.

By April, the NYPD Hate Crime Task Force had documented 11 instances of xenophobic attacks  committed against Asian-Americans. On April 10, a vehicle owned by a Hmong family business in Wisconsin was vandalized with the words “COVA” spray painted across. On April 17, Manhattan restaurant Jeju Noodle Bar was vandalized with the phrase “Stop eating dogs” across the entrance. On April 23, five Asian-owned restaurants had their glass windows and doors smashed in one night. Similar stories of vandalism and window smashing began in late March, as states across the country declared states of emergency, enforcing shelter-at-home orders.  

Small businesses across the country owned by Asian-American families are being targeted as xenophobic sentiments and racially motivated crimes increase, stoked by misinformation and the the president’s administration. As President Trump continues to refer to the pandemic as the “chinese virus”, more and more people are taking the cue to scapegoat the subset of the population previously referred to as the model minority only three months prior. As stay-at-home orders are extended, tensions are increasing for those who are uncertain of what tomorrow will bring. As tensions boil over, people who feel out of control require a place to express their frustrations. Stop Asian American Pacific Island (AAPI) Hate, a reporting center founded by the Asian Pacific Policy and Planning Council, has recorded more than 1,700 reports of discrimination against Asian Americans since March 19. As many as 700 incidents were reported in the first week alone. These reports come from over 45 states, with 9 out of 10 respondents reporting that their race was the reason they were targeted. Over a third of these incidents occurred in public spaces. Reports of racial slurs, physical assault, and property damage are a common theme. 

By mid-April, up to 59% of independent Chinese restaurants have stopped operating. According to Manhattan’s Chinatown Partnership Local Development Corporation, only 40 out of 270 Chinese restaurants remain in operation in New York City Chinatown. This trend is spreading in Chinatowns of each city; only 40 out of 150 restaurants remain open in San Francisco’s Chinatown. These restaurants are those impacted the most as businesses continue to shut down around the country. In San Francisco, an estimate of half of all restaurants may not be able to reopen after the pandemic.

Though the federal government’s Paycheck Protection Program has now gone out for a second round, a CNBC survey shows that slightly less than half of those surveyed actually applied, with only one third reported receiving their payment. Of the small businesses that applied for the Economic Injury Disaster Loan Emergency Advance, only 3% were approved, while 16% were still waiting for a response. A portion will be set aside for minority run, under-served businesses, but as we saw during the first round of funding back in April, more than 25% of the $342.3 billion in funding went to less than 2% of businesses. 

For Asian-American business owners, the hurdles toward reopening seem to increase day after day. Barriers to language, access to resources, available capital, and having to overcome misinformation, discrimination, and racially-motivated violence makes carrying on the family business a daunting task. It is also not surprising to see many who feel discouraged and untrusting of the federal programs for small business relief given the track record of the previous funding. Without adequate assistance to families, a large percentage of these businesses will not survive the pandemic. Policy measures must take into account the disproportionate effect the pandemic has on the Asian American community. The long-lasting consequences of these negative stereotypes will surely follow the community on their journey towards recovery post COVID-19.  As outlined in the Asian American and Pacific Island Neighborhood Recovery Plan, we need state and federal officials to prioritize aid to these communities. Though the virus does not discriminate, people do. Without ensuring economic security, community based services, housing protection for tenants, and increased language access, the Asian American community will be devastated in a way beyond repair.

Jiaqi Situ is a senior at Hunter College pursuing a degree in Psychology and certificate in Public Policy. She is currently applying to the Schwarzman Scholars masters program at Tsinghua University, Beijing. She plans to attend law school and ultimately pursue a career in civil rights and public interest.