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Talking With Youth About Anti-Asian American and Pacific Islander Hate

January 11, 2024

As a caregiver, you have multiple conversations with youth each day, especially if they are your own children. You might ask, “How was your day?” “Did you do your homework?” “How was practice?”. So how do you ask the tough questions about things like race, violence, and discrimination? Discussing these topics with another adult is hard enough, but to have them with youth may seem daunting.

Although having these conversations may be hard, they are important. These conversations let youth know that if the, or a peer, are experiencing discrimination it is okay and safe for them to talk about it with a trusted adult. Having these conversations also creates a space where youth can understand, respect, and appreciate the differences between themselves and their peers, while also growing their capacity for empathy and compassion for others.

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, acts of hatred, prejudice, and violence targeting the Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) community have become more prevalent globally. The pandemic worsened a problem that has persisted for centuries – anti-AAPI hate. These reports of racism and discrimination may be unnerving and confusing for many. More importantly, these reports and the increase in violence may cause fear and confusion for a child who has not developed the capacity to process – or think through and make meaning for – such violent acts. It may leave older youth wondering who they can talk to about such things or confused about what they are feeling.

This resource provides an understanding of why it is important to talk to children about race-based hate, how to recognize signs of traumatic stress and its impact, how to begin a conversation with youth about anti-AAPI hate, and what can be done in response.

Population of Focus: Asian American and Pacific Islander Youth

Links to Resources:

  • Read the resource guide
  • Download the brief, Rise of Anti-Asian American and Pacific Islander Hate: Brief on Historical Trauma in AAPI Communities and How We Got Here

Date: 2024

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