WHAT A COUNTRY

Can You Name Just One Asian American? Almost Half of Us Can’t.

Out of 2,766 adults surveyed, 42 percent answered “don’t know” when asked if they could name a prominent Asian American.

When researchers surveyed 2,766 adults in the U.S., a staggering 42 percent couldn’t name a single well-known Asian American. Almost half answered “don’t know” when asked if they could name a famous Asian American. Of those who could answer the question, about 11 percent said Jackie Chan, 9 percent said Bruce Lee, and 2 percent said Kamala Harris. The purpose of the study, by nonprofit group Leading Asian Americans to Unite for Change, was to gain a better understanding of the root causes of racism and discrimination towards Asian Americans. The study also found that 25 percent of Republicans believe terms coined by the Trump administration like “China Virus,” “Wuhan Virus,” and “Kung Flu” were acceptable terms for COVID-19. Additionally, 24 percent of U.S. residents believed that anti-Asian American racism was not an issue that should be addressed.