In the midst of a global pandemic, our country has seen a disturbingly sharp rise in anti-Asian attacks, harassment, and rhetoric. As President Karol V. Mason pointed out in her letter to the John Jay community, “Hate is deadly and we cannot be silent when we see it. Instead, we must stand together and confront the rising anti-Asian racism our country is witnessing.” In support of our Asian-American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community, we recently brought together a group of AAPI students and faculty to express their feelings, thoughts, and concerns in a safe space. With their permission, our “Stop Asian Hate” article series reflects elements of that gathering in an effort to educate the entire John Jay community about AAPI culture, experiences, and history. We hope that their pride in their heritage, and their determination to fight hatred and bigotry, inspires us all to confront anti-Asian racism.

The recent rise in anti-Asian harassment hasn’t deterred Keith Nunez ’23, a Criminal Justice major from Queens, New York, from saying how proud he is to be part of the AAPI community and of his Filipino heritage. Instead, the anti-Asian sentiment has only fortified and strengthened the love for his homeland and community. “I was born in the Philippines and lived there for the first 10 years of my life. No matter what’s going on in the world or where life takes me, I have Filipino blood running through my veins and feel a great honor in being Filipino,” says Nunez, who hopes to one day become a police officer with the NYPD. “There’s a belief that Filipinos are always nice and helpful, and those are traits I see in myself. All my life, I’ve always wanted to help others as much as I can. For me, the goal is always to be a nice person, and to treat anyone you’re interacting with as fair as possible without passing any judgments.”

There are so many different areas of New York represented in this group. Can you share a little about what life was like for you growing up in your neighborhood?
I moved to the U.S. when I was 10 years old. Before moving to Queens, New York a few years ago, I lived in predominantly white neighborhoods. There were just a few Filipino stores sprinkled throughout, and fewer Filipino people to connect with. One neighborhood I lived in was mostly Hispanic, and it was there where I found a safe haven. I could speak to my mom in our language, and no one would look at us funny because they spoke their own native language. Over the years, I thought I would adapt and feel more American, but I don’t feel American or “Americanized.” What I have realized is that I’m very proud to be Filipino. Every day, I have greater pride in my Filipino heritage and there’s a deep desire to connect with my roots. I’m so thankful for technology because it makes it easy to connect with my Filipino culture and other AAPI community members. From the comfort of our own homes, we can still connect to our people.

The pandemic has been extremely challenging for everyone to withstand, especially the AAPI community. What has living through the pandemic been like for you?
Before the lockdown happened and we went virtual, I traveled to and from school wearing a mask. For me, that’s always been the norm. When you’re sick, you wear a mask. But when Asians started to get blamed for the virus, that really affected me. I find it so messed up and wrong that the coronavirus is called the “China virus” by some people. If a similar virus broke out here, would they call it the ‘American virus’? I don’t think so. It’s also been worrying on a personal level. At the start of the pandemic, it was fear for my mom’s health. She works at a hotel and local nurses and doctors who are working on the frontlines of the pandemic are staying at her hotel. There’s always this underlying fear of her being exposed. I wonder, could she get the virus because of the people coming to stay at the hotel?  Now, I’m more worried about her safety, especially when she’s traveling to and from work. I always call her to ask when she’s leaving work and coming home. It worries me because Asian women are the ones that seem to be most targeted in these anti-Asian attacks. My mom takes the train alone. I worry something may happen to her. I’m hoping things get better soon and that the anti-Asian violence stops.

What can people outside of the AAPI community do to be a true ally?
Education is key to becoming a true AAPI ally. The first step people who want to be allies can take is to educate themselves on the AAPI community. Racism, discrimination, and anti-Asian attacks are not new in this country. Learning about the AAPI community is the first step to understanding and appreciating our community. Don’t be racist. Educate yourself. I think a big part of the problem is that Asian history or Asian studies is rarely taught in school. When thinking about my own high school experience, I can remember that there was zero focus on the Asian experience. The AAPI experience is something that should be taught and discussed. Conversations like this one are so important to creating an open, united, and more caring society.

Please finish this sentence for me: I’m proud to be Filipino because…
I’m proud to be Filipino because of our culture, our food, and our integrity. We are always going to stand up and fight for what’s right. I truly believe that the AAPI community as a whole will come back stronger.