Asian American Community Study: Discrimination and Anti-Asian Sentiment in the Houston Area (Survey Snapshot)

Abstract

According to Pew Research Center, nearly 6 in 10 Asian residents across the U.S. report experiencing discrimination because of their race, ethnicity, or perceived nationality in their lifetimes. Rates of experiencing discrimination differed across ethnicities. The Houston area is home to more than 676,000 Asian residents, made up of individuals and families from many different ethnicities, giving it one of the largest and most diverse populations of Asian communities in the country. The Asian American Community Study (AACS) asked Asian residents to report on experiences of discrimination they have had in the past year related to their nationality as well as their religion, gender, and age. Residents were also asked if they had experienced any anti-Asian sentiments or symbols. Findings: About 4 in 10 Asian residents in the Houston area reported experiences with discrimination in the past year; prevalence of experiences with discrimination was similar across most Asian ethnicities, with slightly lower rates among Vietnamese and Other Asian respondents and higher rates among those identifying with two or more races; more than 1 in 5 Asian young adults reported that they and their friends or family had experienced discrimination in the past year; compared to other experiences, discrimination on the basis of national origin was more often perpetrated by a stranger; nearly 4 in 10 Asian residents reported experiences with anti-Asian sentiments or symbols in the Houston area, with some differences across ethnicities; and almost half of Asian young adults experienced anti-Asian sentiments or symbols directly, had family or friends experience them, or both