California is making historic investments to fight racial inequalities and curb rising hate incidents against Asian communities in the state.

The way lawmakers have framed the importance of checking the Chinese government has raised concerns from activists and foreign policy experts who worry that the rhetoric and tone of such efforts will further stoke already high anti-Asian sentiment.

"For California's 7 million non-English speaking residents, EDD continues to provide a critical economic lifeline amid the coronavirus pandemic," said Chinese for Affirmative Action economic justice manager Sally Chen.

The Asian Pacific Islander Equity budget, approved Monday by Gov. Gavin Newsom, gives $156 million to community groups to tackle the root causes of racism.

CHICAGO – Amid a dramatic rise in hate crimes against Asian Americans during the COVID-19 pandemic, the governor of Illinois signed a law Friday requiring public schools to teach a unit of Asian American history – a move education experts said is the first of its kind nationwide.

Attorney General Rob Bonda described the year as an “epidemic of hate” against the AAPI community as reports of hate crimes targeting Asian Americans increased 107%.The wave peaked in March and April, at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a report from his office.

In addition to concerns for physical safety, Asian Americans are saying rising incidents of anti-Asian hate during the pandemic are having a lasting impact on their mental health, well-being and future careers.

An investor-backed media group laid claim to the moniker of S.F.’s long-running Hyphen magazine, a part of CAA's AACRE coalition, sparking a conversation about writing over community history.

While news reports and social media have perpetuated the idea that anti-Asian violence is committed mostly by people of color, a new analysis shows the majority of attackers are white.

Stop AAPI Hate, a California-based coalition, has recorded nearly 7,000 hate incidents involving Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders nationwide since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic. It’s become a key source of information for the media and for advocates looking to stop the surge of racist attacks.

The allure of standardized metrics for college admissions is understandable. A truly objective way for students to showcase their potential regardless of race or class would be a powerful equalizer. Sadly, the SAT and ACT are just the opposite -- they obfuscate students’ ability while amplifying entrenched power structures.

A center tracking reports of racism and discrimination against Asian Americans says it has received 6,603 firsthand complaints since last year. There were at least 2,410 anti-Asian hate incidents in the first three months of this year, according to Stop AAPI Hate's latest report, released Thursday.