News
VinePair: Anti-Asian Hate and Why I'll Never Pair Chinese Food With Riesling
VinePair - As an immigrant who came to the United States from Hong Kong more than 20 years ago, one thing I always remind myself to do is to pursue the American dream. What is my American dream? I have a decent job in corporate America, raise my family in a safe neighborhood, run a few marathons to fight the mid-life crisis — and, of course, enjoy a fair share of American fast food. Life is good! . . .
The attacks against Asian Americans have increased steadily since the onset of the pandemic. Unfortunately, these events skyrocketed at the beginning of 2021. I stopped by a few Chinese merchants in Chinatown in Manhattan in early June and experienced firsthand the fear brought by the surge of random violence and economic devastation due to Covid-19. . .
Despite the distress and economic turmoil brought by the recent hate crimes and pandemic, the resiliency and agility of these businesses are evident. Community support is available from organizations such as Asian American Legal Defense Education Fund and Stop AAPI Hate to help residents resume normalcy, minimizing the debilitating impacts of hate crimes. A great team of volunteers has formed a free service called Safewalks to escort Chinatown residents from subways, buses, or other public areas to their destinations. . .