Leting "Leo" Cai was hanging out at a playground near his home in the New York City borough of Queens earlier this month with his Asian-American friends when five teenagers approached, called them "ching chong", cursed at them and started to attack one of his classmates.

When Cai, 15, jumped in to defend his buddy, the gang turned on him. Cai initially fought back but they were big. They punched and kicked him, leaving him dizzy and bleeding with a swollen face before he ran away. They followed him into a nearby apartment building where a family took him in and blocked the door. After the attackers left, he called the police and accompanied them to the playground. Cai identified three of them, who were arrested, before heading to the hospital.

"I'm aware of all the news about Asians being attacked, but I didn't imagine this would happen to me," said Cai, a high school honours student. Since then, he has started a support group for other Asian teens who have been physically and verbally attacked. "I think people my age want to speak with people my age that understand their situation, rather than their parents," he said.

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The attack on Cai is one of thousands of hate incidents against Asians recorded in the United States in recent months.

In something of a sea change, however, Cai and many in the Asian-American community are no longer willing to take it in relative silence. Cai said his initial reaction was to keep quiet about what happened, in keeping with Chinese and many other Asian cultures that place a premium on being understated, avoiding a fuss, not drawing attention to yourself.

"At the beginning, I thought that getting beaten up was pretty embarrassing. My first decision was to let it pass and not let anyone know," he said.

After talking it over with his mother, however, Cai changed his mind, recognising the importance of standing up and being counted in a community that is increasingly fighting back. "I realised it was not just about me. If you're silent, it will happen over and over again and never end."

Factors leading to the spike in recent attacks, sociologists and political scientists say, include: racism and Asians' appearance, which make it tougher to blend in and appear stereotypically "American" long after their families arrive; scapegoating linked to pandemic-related social stress; and a toxic political environment fuelled by ex-president Donald Trump, whose use of such dog-whistle terms as "Chinese virus" and "kung flu" fanned social distrust.

The stiffening of resolve among Asian-Americans is taking several forms. It starts with a growing willingness among victims to report attacks and related prejudice, garner publicity, demand accountability. In something of a cause and effect, this has seen police departments increasingly taking such incidents more seriously.

Officers, particularly in large cities, often have not made prejudice against Asians a top priority, given political pressure to solve high-profile murder cases, compounded by reporting shortfalls. Recently, however, especially after six Asian women were killed in Atlanta in March by a mass shooter targeting spas, cities with sizeable Asian populations are strengthening their law enforcement response. The New York Police Department has announced plans to patrol Asian neighbourhoods with counterterrorism units even as police chiefs and mayors in Seattle, Oakland and San Francisco have outlined similar plans.

"I learned a lot from this experience," Cai said. "I feel like the community was very friendly. The police officers, hospital staff were all very supportive."

Another response has been an increased focus on compiling data to illustrate the extent of the problem. The civic group Stop AAPI Hate has become a clearing house, finding that 6,603 hate incidents against Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders were reported during the year ended March 2021.

And a study by the Centre for the Study of Hate and Extremism at California State University, San Bernardino, found that across 15 major cities, hate crimes against Asian-Americans surged 169 per cent in the first quarter compared to the first quarter of 2020.

That said, most believe these statistics still significantly understate the extent of the problem given language barriers and shame. Other impediments include inertia and lingering cultural wariness within Asian-American communities of police and other government officials. Recently, however, there's been more effort to improve reporting and sensitise police forces.

This month, the president signed bipartisan legislation creating a position at the Department of Justice specifically to review and report to police forces hate crimes against Asian-Americans related to Covid-19. The law also compels state and local law enforcement agencies to report hate crimes online in multiple languages, and provide guidance for police agencies to expand culturally sensitive, linguistically appropriate public education campaigns, data collection and public reporting.

"By passing this bill, we say to the Asian-American community that their government is paying attention to them, has heard their concerns and will respond to protect them," said Chuck Schumer of New York, the Senate Democratic leader.

Asian-Americans are also shedding the stereotype of a model minority that doesn't make trouble. Communities that for decades have been among the least likely racial or ethnic group in America to join advocacy movements or vote are now flexing their political muscles.

"There is a Chinese phrase that the loudest duck is shot first by the hunter," said Frank Wu, president of Queens College and an expert on race issues. "Compare that to the American adage: the squeaky wheel gets the grease. We have rights and responsibilities. If we're just quiet and try to ignore it, it will become worse. It won't go away."

"We have rights and responsibilities. If we're just quiet and try to ignore it, it will become worse," said Queens College President Frank Wu. Photo: Handout alt="We have rights and responsibilities. If we're just quiet and try to ignore it, it will become worse," said Queens College President Frank Wu. Photo: Handout

Asian-Americans are at an important point in their history. They now constitute the fastest-growing slice of the US electorate; according to Pew Research: from 2000 to 2020 eligible Asian-American voters increased 139 per cent, compared with 121 per cent for Hispanics, 33 per cent for whites and 7 per cent for blacks. Asian-Americans also saw some of the highest voter turnout of any group for the 2020 elections, according to preliminary figures, and are running for local and national office in record numbers.

The nation has its first Asian-American vice-president in Kamala Harris; Andrew Yang, a presidential candidate in 2020, is among the early leaders in the race for New York City mayor. Michelle Wu, a city councilor in Boston, is running for mayor there. Robert Bonta, a Filipino-American, recently became attorney general of California.

According to AAPI Data, 158 Asian-Americans ran for state legislatures in 2020, a 15 per cent increase over 2018.

As Asians fill the political pipeline, it's leading to calls for tougher legislation and greater focus on educating non-Asians about the community's contributions and US history, steps that advocates say are essential in achieving meaningful structural change in America.

Last month, a bill introduced in the New York State legislature would require that all public schools in the state teach students the history and social impact of Asian-Americans, part of a nationwide push.

"Most history textbooks only have a half page of AAPI history," said Vincent Wang Wen-kui, president of the civic group Asian Pacific Islander American Public Affairs. "When people are more informed, they know our presence, achievements, struggle and it's easier to have more empathy, reduce the hate and bias."

On May 11, the New York state assembly passed a bill requiring counselling and education for anyone convicted of a hate crime; it has been sent to the state senate.

The same day, State Senator Toby Ann Stavisky, the bill's sponsor representing Queens, along with state assembly member Rebecca Seawright and other New York officials, met with Cai and Lu to condemn the assault, show their support and push for change.

"As legislators we need to be doing more to prevent these acts from occurring and reoccurring," Stavisky said. "The 'fear of the other' is a tool that has been used to drive division within communities for centuries."

Andrew Yang, Democratic candidate for mayor of New York City, campaigning in Queens. Photo: Reuters alt=Andrew Yang, Democratic candidate for mayor of New York City, campaigning in Queens. Photo: Reuters

Cai moved to the US from southern China in 2016 when he was 10 with his mother, Miaoqing Lu, a human rights lawyer who got a visiting scholar position at Yale Law School. Cai spoke almost no English, but picked it up attending elementary and middle school before entering Brooklyn Technical High School last fall.

Cai said his favourite subject is biology, especially looking at cells through the microscope, a field he'd love to pursue.

The case against his assailants is working its way through New York's creaky judicial system and the family said it has not heard anything further since the arrests.

The attack sent shock waves through the community, Jing Wang, a videographer and family friend, said. "It's heart breaking to have seen him with a swollen face, and having nightmares the whole night," added Wang, whose son is being taught Mandarin by Cai. "Leo is not only an excellent student in a special high school. He also is a kind and brave young man."

Lu, who has earned a US law degree at Fordham University, said she admires the way her son weathered the attack, stuck up for his friend, sought help in the neighbourhood and called police. All countries have racism - including China, she said, adding that she doesn't hold it against the US.

"I'm proud of him, but also proud because he doesn't feel hate, doesn't hate those people who attacked him," she said. "I don't want him to hate anyone. It's not a good way to deal with it."

Leting "Leo" Cai (centre) at the playground where he was attacked, with his mother, Miaoqing Lu (third from left), and city and state representatives. Photo: Jing Wang alt=Leting "Leo" Cai (centre) at the playground where he was attacked, with his mother, Miaoqing Lu (third from left), and city and state representatives. Photo: Jing Wang

Appearing with officials in the Real Good Playground in the Rego Park section of Queens where the attack happened 10 days earlier, Cai said: "I stand here because I want to stand up for the Asian community, stand up for youth, stand up for those who have been bullied, and stand up against hatred."

"We Asians are no worse - or better - than any other ethnicity," he added. "We are just as strong - and weak - as all others. We will fight for our equal treatment that the law of this land guarantees everyone. We will fight for the dignity and respect that every human being deserves."

This article originally appeared in the South China Morning Post (SCMP), the most authoritative voice reporting on China and Asia for more than a century. For more SCMP stories, please explore the SCMP app or visit the SCMP's Facebook and Twitter pages. Copyright © 2021 South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved.

Copyright (c) 2021. South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved.