Person holding portable music player. text on image says, tuning into k-pop, but tuning out the hate?Anti-East Asian racism is not new. It is woven through our shared history and entrenched in our systems. Racial harassment and discrimination against East Asians can take shape through stereotyping and overt prejudice, or in more subconscious, subtle ways. Throughout their long history in Toronto and Canada, systemic racism has manifested through discriminatory voting and immigration policies and legislation, as well as forced relocation and internment. More recently, the COVID-19 pandemic saw a rise in racist incidents targeting these communities.  

Torontonians of East Asian descent contribute to the economic and cultural fabric of our city. Diverse cultures and communities such as these have helped create Toronto’s identity as a vibrant, global city. Silence and inaction help perpetrate racism and discrimination. 

Here are some ways you can combat Anti-East Asian racism:

  • Learn about the diversity and unique identities within East Asian communities  
  • Explore the history of East Asians in Toronto and Canada 
  • Abandon harmful myths and stereotypes, such as the model minority or perpetual foreigner 
  • Call out and challenge racism when you see it 

This campaign was created in partnership with the Chinese Canadian National Council for Social Justice and with guidance from: 

  • Butterfly 
  • Centre for Immigrant and Community Services 
  • Kababayan Multicultural Centre 
  • Chinese Canadian National Council 
  • Asian Community AIDS Services 
  • National Association of Japanese Canadians Toronto Chapter
  • Chinese and Southeast Asian Legal Clinic 
  • Chinese Professionals Association of Canada 
  • Yee Hong Centre for Geriatric Care 
  • Korean Canadian Scholarship Foundation (KCSF)

 For Educators

Guides & Toolkits

  • Act2EndRacism.caA collection of resources to combat anti-East Asian racism (ACCT Foundation) 
  • #EradicateHate – A toolkit dedicated to building capacity through digital literacy to effectively combat racialized online hate (Council of Agencies Serving South Asians) 
  • Responding to HateA toolkit for responding to hate activity (Toronto Metropolitan University) 
  • Addressing anti-Asian racismA collection of anti-racism resources and information (Government of Canada) 

 Bookshelf

Multimedia

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