K-Pop Star Eric Nam Speaks Out About the Rise in Hate Crimes Against Asian Americans
Korean-American K-pop singer Eric Nam addressed the anti-Asian violence in the United States in his article in TIME and his appearance on CNN. Over the past 12 months, attacks on the Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) community have been on the rise. On March 16, a mass shooting in Atlanta, Georgia occurred. This act of domestic terrorism resulted in the tragic death of eight people—six of them being of Asian descent. Many celebrities have spoken out against these violent acts and Eric Nam has recently shared his experiences.
As an Atlanta native, when Nam heard about the mass shooting he wrote, “The news quite literally hit home for me—I was born and raised in Atlanta and some of the murders took place near my old stomping grounds. I was filled with shock, grief, frustration and then anger.”
In his article in TIME, Nam makes note that “As “perpetual foreigners” and subjects of the model minority myth, Asians are invited but not fully integrated, or just largely ignored under the guise of being “O.K.” in culture and politics. As AAPIs we have been excluded, interned, vilified, emasculated, fetishized and murdered.”
.@ericnamofficial: “If you’re surprised by the anti-Asian violence in Atlanta, you haven’t been listening. It’s time to hear our voices” https://t.co/dlCI4qFbLH
— TIME (@TIME) March 19, 2021
The model minority myth that Nam mentions is essentially a compilation of stereotypes of Asian-Americans, who, as a group, are often praised for apparent success across academic, economic, and cultural domains. These successes are typically offered in contrast to the perceived achievements of other racial groups. Because of this, racial violence against Asian Americans often goes overlooked due to stereotypes about the community. Considering the model minority myth suggests upward mobility, it creates a false image that Asian Americans don’t experience struggle or racial discrimination.
So proud of the AAPI community and our allies for speaking up.
— Stephanie Chang (@stephanielily) March 21, 2021
Our community is resilient.
We have been through war, refugee camps, exclusion acts, internment, hate crimes, and more. We will persevere, with the support and solidarity from BIPOC communities.#StopAAPIHate pic.twitter.com/lTsy16l3ns
Nam also spoke out about these issues on CNN via Skype and dug even deeper into his piece in TIME. Even as an idol, Nam tells CNN that he has faced moments where he felt targeted and discriminated against.
#AsianAmericans feel like “perpetual foreigners” in their own country, says Atlanta born #K-pop star Eric Nam @ericnamofficial And he says warning signs of anti Asian sentiment have been there – just not heeded.
— Michael Holmes (@holmescnn) March 22, 2021
#StopAsianHate #StopAAPIHate #EricNam pic.twitter.com/QrMJSBbRqU
In order to make a change, it is crucial to stand in solidarity with the Asian community. Nam states that “All mass change starts small—and in this case, it means empowering and supporting our local AAPI communities and businesses; it means reevaluating the parameters and punishments for “hate crime”; it means everyone committing to the grand experiment of a United States whose own face must evolve with its rapidly changing citizenry’s.”
Educating oneself and people of the community to help dismantle racist stereotypes is one step towards change. If you or someone you know witnesses or experiences anti-Asian crimes you can report them on Stop AAPI Hate’s site.
