FEATURING MANJUSHA KULKARNI – In late January, an 84-year old Thai man named Vicha Ratnapakdee was viciously assaulted while on his daily neighborhood walk. A man ran across the street and without provocation slammed the elder Thai down onto the sidewalk, killing him. Family members insist that his killing was part of a disturbing pattern of anti-Asian hate spreading across the United States since last year when then-President Donald Trump began referring to Covid-19 as the “China virus.” 

 More recently Denny Kim, an Air Force veteran, was attacked and beaten badly in Koreatown, Los Angeles as his assailants hurled racist insults at him including the words “Chinese virus.” Mr. Kim survived but has facial injuries. Although President Joe Biden has signed an executive order condemning anti-Asian hate, there appears to be little end in sight to the spate of attacks.

Manjusha Kulkarni, Co-Founder of Stop AAPI Hate and Executive Director of Asian Pacific Policy and Planning Council.