It was five years ago this month that COVID-19-fueled incidents against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders became so frequent that a reporting center was formed. Stop AAPI Hate legitimized fears of a concurrent pandemic of xenophobia. Their data contributed to key legislation including the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act. That time was also a turning point that galvanized groups and young people to engage in more activism within the Asian American community. Now, supporters of fighting anti-Asian hate are worried it will only intensify in a political climate of anti-immigrant policies, English-only laws and DEI rollbacks. So Stop AAPI Hate has expanded its focus beyond being a data hub to become a source of education on these issues.

Vice President Kamala Harris is viewed more favorably by Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander voters than former President Donald Trump. That's according to a new poll, with more AAPI voters also saying that she is the candidate who better represents their background and policy views. Harris is both Black and South Asian American, and has worked to rally AAPI voters in swing states like Georgia where their numbers are growing. The new survey from AAPI Data and APIAVote finds that around 6 in 10 AAPI voters have a very or somewhat favorable opinion of Harris, while about one-third have a somewhat or very unfavorable view. In comparison, 3 in 10 AAPI voters have a positive view of Trump and around two-thirds view him negatively.