Kamala Harris: 'Asian Americans Have The Right To Be Recognized As Americans'

Vice President Kamala Harris said that Asian Americans, facing a rise in anti-Asian racism over the past year, have the right to be recognized as Americans, not as the other.

In a speech Wednesday for the virtual Asian Pacific American Heritage Month Unity Summit, Harris denounced the rise in racist attacks on Asian Americans since early 2020, often related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

I know this past year has been marked by pain when we saw the targeting, when we saw the hate, when we saw the viciousness of it all, said Harris, who is the first Asian American and Black vice president. As a member of this community, I share in that outrage and grief.

Harris cited statistics from Stop AAPI Hate, a coalition of Asian American advocacy groups, which recorded some 6,600 reports of racist violence against Asian Americans from March 2020 through March 2021. People reported being targeted with racial slurs, spat on and physically assaulted. Women made up nearly two-thirds of those reporting attacks.

Asian Americans have the right to be recognized as Americans, not as the other. Not as them, but as us, Harris said at Wednesdays event, organized by the progressive AAPI Victory Alliance. In America, a harm against any one of us is a harm against all of us.

Harris on the yearlong spike in anti-Asian violence: \"As a member of this community, I share in that outrage and grief. And I believe we have an opportunity now to turn that pain into action\" and power pic.twitter.com/WhegjKr8eP

Andrew Peng (@TheAPJournalist) May 19, 2021","type":"rich","meta":{"author":"Andrew Peng","author_url":"https://twitter.com/TheAPJournalist","cache_age":86400,"description":"Harris on the yearlong spike in anti-Asian violence: \"As a member of this community, I share in that outrage and grief. And I believe we have an opportunity now to turn that pain into action\" and power pic.twitter.com/WhegjKr8eP Andrew Peng (@TheAPJournalist) May 19, 2021\n\n","options":{"_hide_media":{"label":"Hide photos, videos, and cards","value":false},"_hide_thread":{"label":"Hide previous Tweet in conversation thread","value":true},"_maxwidth":{"label":"Adjust width","placeholder":"220-550, in px","value":""},"_theme":{"value":"","values":{"dark":"Use dark theme"}}},"provider_name":"Twitter","thumbnail_height":1080,"thumbnail_url":"https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E1yLPtjVkAAOGra.jpg:large","thumbnail_width":1920,"title":"Andrew Peng on Twitter","type":"rich","url":"https://twitter.com/TheAPJournalist/status/1395143142597283840","version":"1.0"},"flags":[],"enhancements":{"fonts":{"primary":{},"accent":{},"caption":{}}},"fullBleed":false,"options":{"theme":"news","device":"mobile","editionInfo":{"id":"us","name":"U.S.","link":"https://action.news","locale":"en_US"},"originalEdition":"us","isMapi":false,"isAmp":false,"isVideoEntry":false,"isEntry":true,"isMt":false,"entryId":"60a5969de4b0d56a83e50c88","entryPermalink":"https://action.news/entry/kamala-harris-anti-asian-hate-racism_n_60a5969de4b0d56a83e50c88","entryTagsList":"racism,kamala-harris,asian-americans,voting-rights,anti-asian-racism","sectionSlug":"politics","deptSlug":"politics-news","sectionRedirectUrl":null,"subcategories":"asian-voices,women,black-voices,us-news","isWide":false,"headerOverride":null,"noVideoAds":false,"disableFloat":false,"isNative":false,"commercialVideo":{"provider":"custom","site_and_category":"us.politics","package":null},"isHighline":false,"vidibleConfigValues":{"cid":"60afc111dcf87c2cd2f5d8bf","overrides":{"front_page_top_videos":{"desktop":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d","mobileweb":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d"},"top_media":{"desktop":"60b8e6bdc5449357a7ada147","mobile":"60b8e701c5449357a7ada2ee","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"},"anthology":{"desktop":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","mobile":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"},"content":{"desktop":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","mobile":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"}},"playerUpdates":{"5668ae6ee4b0b5e26955d6a6":"60d2472d9340d7032ad7e443","56aa41bae4b091744c0440d8":"60e869dc7c5f3b17b6741b81","5841b2b5cc52c716ec6e5a7f":"60b8e355cdd90620331ba185","58b5e2b8d85a10302feee895":"60b64316b171b7444beafdb2","58b74698f78ced31417819ae":"60b8e5bec5449357a7ad9b52","58b74ccecebcea57e2c3a3d1":"60b8e5eac5449357a7ad9ca5","58cff690d85a100b9992bc39":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","58cffb3fb6d9b972a49a3c9d":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","58cffdd74d96935d7d6ec180":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","58d03a84f78ced6518eb2fa7":"60b643c82e76be41f112735c","592edf20e0fa177b0c26f7fd":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","5b35266b158f855373e28256":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d","5c116f29f79c4171d82b7c2a":"60b64440b171b7444beb040b","5c1170fc600c9a697bf0c6b9":"60b646102e76be41f1127ffc","5c47791afa1b317df8ae0c4f":"60b8e6bdc5449357a7ada147","5c477987a6b48b35f164773d":"60b8e701c5449357a7ada2ee","5c4779ee943c3c2a64f28371":"60b8e747cdd90620331bb861","5c477a26fcd67b26879bc7c2":"60b8e788c5449357a7ada67b","5d8921a78c3ae845f366c9b6":"60ae7be5f3a7c13a30417ff9","58b98b00ba82aa39a6534321":"60d0de7c9340d7032ad1146c","58b9d14cb6d9b96c9ec32af3":"60d0dec19340d7032ad115a0","58cff8eccebcea42931e0436":"60d0e005b627221e9d819d44","592edf5de0fa177b0c26f95b":"60d0e38fb627221e9d81adcf","58cff72fd85a100b9992c112":"60d0e447b627221e9d81b0da","56b4d34fe4b022697697c400":"60d2472d9340d7032ad7e443","60b8e4c0c5449357a7ad957d":"60e869dc7c5f3b17b6741b81"}},"connatixConfigValues":{"defaultPlayer":"ff7fdddc-5441-4253-abc4-f12a33fad58b","clickToPlayPlayer":"d014396e-b366-4c17-aeac-3ce906fa3fd0","videoPagePlayer":"f010447b-d244-4111-a314-7b4542ae4145","verticalPlayer":"e58cb05a-0bc8-4210-9108-fea82726c065","stickyPlayerControl":"52ea1755-d601-4ad1-bccc-d8cce3f0e5da","stickyPlayerON":"8055e9e5-3bda-4933-8d45-9ad814fb6e22"},"topConnatixThumnbailSrc":"https://img.connatix.com/e88e50b3-61a5-4757-bd6f-6a3ade2a1913/1_th.jpg?crop=480:270,smart&width=480&height=270&format=jpeg&quality=60&fit=crop","customAmpComponents":[],"ampAssetsUrl":"https://amp.assets.huffpost.com","videoTraits":null,"positionInUnitCounts":{"buzz_head":{"count":0},"buzz_body":{"count":0},"buzz_bottom":{"count":0}},"positionInSubUnitCounts":{"article_body":{"count":11},"blog_summary":{"count":0},"before_you_go_content":{"count":0}},"connatixCountsHelper":{"count":1},"buzzfeedTracking":{"context_page_id":"60a5969de4b0d56a83e50c88","context_page_type":"buzz","destination":"huffpost","mode":"mobile","page_edition":"en-us"},"tags":[{"name":"Racism","slug":"racism","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/racism","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/racism","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/racism"},"relegenceSubjectId":6425097,"department":{"name":"Voices","slug":"voices"},"section":{"title":"Black Voices","slug":"black-voices"},"topic":{"title":"Racism","slug":"racism","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/voices/topic/racism"},{"name":"kamala harris","slug":"kamala-harris","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/kamala-harris","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/kamala-harris","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/kamala-harris"},"department":{"name":"Latest News","slug":"politics-news"},"section":{"title":"Politics","slug":"politics"},"topic":{"title":"Kamala Harris","slug":"kamala-harris","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/news/topic/kamala-harris"},{"name":"Asian Americans","slug":"asian-americans","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/asian-americans","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/asian-americans","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/asian-americans"},"department":{"name":"Voices","slug":"voices"},"section":{"title":"Asian Voices","slug":"asian-voices"},"topic":{"title":"Asian Voices","slug":"asian-voices","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/voices/topic/asian-voices"},{"name":"Voting Rights","slug":"voting-rights","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/voting-rights","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/voting-rights","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/voting-rights"},"department":{"name":"Latest News","slug":"politics-news"},"section":{"title":"Politics","slug":"politics"},"topic":{"title":"Voting Rights","slug":"voting-rights","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/news/topic/voting-rights"},{"name":"anti-asian racism","slug":"anti-asian-racism","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/anti-asian-racism","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/anti-asian-racism","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/anti-asian-racism"},"url":"https://action.news/topic/anti-asian-racism"}],"isLiveblogLive":null,"isLiveblog":false,"cetUnit":"buzz_body","bodyAds":["

\r\n\r\n","

\r\n\r\n"],"adCount":0},"isCollectionEmbed":false}">

Harris on the yearlong spike in anti-Asian violence: "As a member of this community, I share in that outrage and grief. And I believe we have an opportunity now to turn that pain into action" and power pic.twitter.com/WhegjKr8eP
Andrew Peng (@TheAPJournalist) May 19, 2021

Harris touted President Joe Bidens expected signing of the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act, legislation from Rep. Grace Meng (D-N.Y.) and Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii) that would seek to expedite the review of COVID-19-related hate crimes and improve how people report such incidents. Some Asian American groups have raised concerns, however, that by zeroing in on hate crimes, the bill does not address the root causes of anti-Asian racism and violence.

The vice president urged people to turn that pain, that righteous anger in response to the rise in anti-Asian hate into power.

Pointing to the hundreds of bills nationwide that Republicans are pushing at the state level to restrict voting rights, including voting by mail , Harris noted that Asian Americans disproportionately vote by mail-in-ballot .

We must fight against those attacks, Harris said. We must see these efforts for what they are they are an attempt to suppress the right to vote.

Your Support Has Never Been More Critical

Other news outlets have retreated behind paywalls. At HuffPost, we believe journalism should be free for everyone.

Would you help us provide essential information to our readers during this critical time? We can't do it without you.

Can't afford to contribute? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.

You've supported HuffPost before, and we'll be honest we could use your help again . We view our mission to provide free, fair news as critically important in this crucial moment, and we can't do it without you.

Whether you give once or many more times, we appreciate your contribution to keeping our journalism free for all.

Whether you give just one more time or sign up again to contribute regularly, we appreciate you playing a part in keeping our journalism free for all.

Support HuffPost

Harris then pushed for senators to pass the For The People Act, which was already passed by the Democratic-led House and would override Republicans voter restriction efforts , including by mandating that states offer no-excuse absentee voting.