Nearly half of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) adults in California experienced some form of hate in 2024, according to a new statewide report released this month by the nonprofit Stop AAPI Hate.
The study, conducted by the National Opinion Research Center (NORC) at the University of Chicago, found that 48% of respondents reported being targeted because of their race, ethnicity or nationality.
Incidents ranged from verbal harassment and discrimination to physical attacks and property damage.
Many respondents said the hate was fueled by anti-immigrant rhetoric, with some being told to “go back” to where they came from.
Despite these experiences, only 28% of those targeted filed a formal report and nearly a third said they didn’t share the incident with anyone—not even family or friends.
Matt Pennon, manager of the City of San Luis Obispo’s Diversity Equity and Inclusion Office said these incidents can have lasting impacts.
“They are experiencing what we would consider micro-agressions on a regular basis,” Pennon said. “And those types of things compiled over time really do have an impact on their lives, whether it is their weekly or daily lives or long-term.”
Pennon emphasized the importance of community reporting.
“We really encourage community members to report hate crimes or hate incidents regardless of whether they feel like they are significant or insignificant,” he said. “The more you say, the more that we can do to help make sure that these incidents are not happening — or if they are happening, that they are addressed.”
The City of San Luis Obispo has a hate incident and hate crime reporting page on its website.
The report also found that more than half of those surveyed expect conditions for immigrant communities to worsen under a second Trump Administration. Still, two-thirds of AAPI Californians say they are actively working to combat racism by supporting affected community members or by participating in policy efforts.
The full report is available at stopaapihate.org.
