While Chloe Kim wasn’t always proud of her Asian heritage, these days she’s happy to be Korean American — but she’s also scared. In a 2021 interview with ESPN, she shared her experience with anti-Asian hate, writing about the harassment and racism she has dealt with as well as the rise in anti-Asian hate crimes in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Per Stop AAPI Hate, more than 9,000 incidents were reported to the organization from March 19, 2020, to June 30, 2021. “My dad gets verbally harassed, but my mom gets fetishized,” wrote Kim in the heartfelt piece. She added, “Am I fearful for my parents? All the time. This fear didn’t start because of the recent attacks. This is not new. It’s old news, but now we see the attacks and hear the stories.”
Kim outlined the racism she has experienced throughout her life, as well as the fear she has for her parents. While it has been a difficult journey for her, she thinks it’s important to use her platform to speak out. “I was nervous to share my experiences with racism, but we need to hear more of these conversations,” she said.
If you or a loved one has experienced a hate crime, contact the VictimConnect Hotline by phone at 1-855-4-VICTIM or by chat for more information or assistance in locating services to help. If you or a loved one are in immediate danger, call 911.
