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2023

Attitudes towards Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders

Now in its third year, the 2023 STAATUS Index survey continues to serve as the leading national study of American attitudes towards the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community.

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Explore the survey data below and compare the results by race, age, gender, education, region and other measures. Screenshot and share widely. Keep scrolling to explore some of the key takeaways from the 2023 STAATUS Index.

STAATUS Index 2023

Key Takeaways

We surveyed 5,235 Americans across racial/ethnic groups, demographic characteristics, and geographies to uncover the most pressing issues AAPIs are facing in today’s social, political, and cultural landscape. Key results include:

  • Of all the racial groups surveyed, Asian Americans—especially young, Asian American women— are the least likely to feel they completely belong and are accepted in the U.S. The top reason cited was racial discrimination, followed by the lack of representation of Asian American leaders in the workplace.
  • While Americans see China as a threat from a national security and economic perspective, Americans view Asian Americans in different (and sometimes contradictory) ways. The continuing relevance of tropes and stereotypes portraying Asian Americans as the yellow peril, perpetual foreigner, and model minority are evident in American society today.
  • Many Americans across the country are open to more opportunities to interact with AAPIs, support AAPI businesses, and learn more about AAPI stories and history.

At TAAF, we are committed to working with our partners, community-based organizations, policy makers, academic leaders, and cross-racial allies to improve the status of AAPIs.

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Belonging and Safety

Asian Americans were among the least likely racial groups to feel that they belonged and were accepted in the United States.

Only 22% of Asian Americans said they completely agree to a statement that they belong and are accepted in the U.S., along with Black and Hispanic Americans.

Among Asian Americans who did not feel like they belong:

  • Spaces where they felt they didn’t belong included the workplace (39%); in online spaces (39%); in their own neighborhoods (33%); and in schools (32%).
  • Main factors for not feeling a sense of belonging include experiencing discrimination because of their race (57%) and not seeing others like themselves in positions of power (43%).

Belonging and Safety

More than half of Asian Americans feel unsafe in at least one type of public space.

Nearly three in ten Asian Americans feel/felt unsafe on public transportation, more than any other racial group.

A bubble chart with circles representing the locations in which Asian Americans feel unsafe, sized by the share of respondents who feel unsafe there. The largest circle is 29% on public transportation and the smallest is 12% where they vote.A bubble chart with circles representing the locations in which Asian Americans feel unsafe, sized by the share of respondents who feel unsafe there. The largest circle is 29% on public transportation and the smallest is 12% where they vote.

Visibility and Awareness

People’s familiarity with key moments in AAPI history varies dramatically.

Over 52% of Americans claimed they were at least moderately familiar with the incarceration of the Japanese American community during World War II. Other historical events — like the murder of Vincent Chin or the overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom — were not nearly as well-known.

Perceptions of AAPIs

79% of Americans do not see people of Chinese descent who live in the U.S. as a threat.

Although over three-fourths of Americans (78%) reported believing that China poses a threat to the U.S., Americans generally don’t see people of Chinese descent as a threat.

Future Directions

Most respondents felt that they shared at least something in common with Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.

People were most likely to note economic interests and core values as the things they shared with both groups.

Future Directions

Respondents felt that more interaction with and more education about AAPIs would go a long way towards supporting the community.

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Academic Advisory Committee

The STAATUS Index is advised by our esteemed Academic Advisory Committee members listed below:

Professor of Political Science and Director of the Institute for Asian American Studies, University of Massachusetts, Boston

Paul Watanabe

Professor of Political Science and Director of the Institute for Asian American Studies, University of Massachusetts, Boston

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Professor of Asian American Studies, San Francisco State University

Russell Jeung

Professor of Asian American Studies, San Francisco State University

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Regents Professor of History and Asian American Studies, University of Minnesota

Erika Lee

Regents Professor of History and Asian American Studies, University of Minnesota

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Julian Clarence Levi Professor of Social Sciences, Columbia University

Jennifer Lee

Julian Clarence Levi Professor of Social Sciences, Columbia University

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Bae Family Professor of Government, Harvard University, Professor Emeritus, University of California, Berkeley

Taeku Lee

Bae Family Professor of Government, Harvard University, Professor Emeritus, University of California, Berkeley

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Professor, Department of Political Science, University of California, Santa Barbara

Pei-Te Lien

Professor, Department of Political Science, University of California, Santa Barbara

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Assistant Professor of Education, New York University

Mike Hoa Nguyen

Assistant Professor of Education, New York University

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Helen and Morgan Chu Chair and Director, Asian American Studies Center, Professor of Urban Planning and Asian American Studies, University of California, Los Angeles

Karen Umemoto

Helen and Morgan Chu Chair and Director, Asian American Studies Center, Professor of Urban Planning and Asian American Studies, University of California, Los Angeles

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Acknowledgements

The STAATUS Index research team thanks the following scholars for their inputs, insights, and guidance on issues and survey questions related to the NHPI community:

  • ‘Inoke Hafoka, PhD, Assistant Professor, Brigham Young University, Hawaii
  • Natasha Saelua, PhD, Researcher, McREL International
  • Kēhaulani Vaughn, PhD, Assistant Professor, Education, Culture & Society and Pacific Islands Studies, University of Utah, College of Education

Additionally, we are grateful to those listed below for supporting the study and analysis:

Baileigh Allen
Edelman
Savanta Research
The DataFace

Our Partners

We are also delighted to collaborate with the following initiatives: