How Asian Americans encounter racism in Des Moines

• Police are still investigating if the shooting was a hate crime.

What's happening here: Aggravated assault cases against Asians in Des Moines actually decreased from 33 in 2019 to 24 in 2020, according to data from DMPD.

• Yes, but: Lovan said people in the community are hesitant to file a report — making their experiences invisible.

In the last year, Lovan said her friends shared these racist encounters with her:

• An Asian American woman was outside a carwash off Indianola Avenue when someone called her a slur and told her "go back to your own country."
• A driver threw an egg at an Asian American woman by Double Dragon in Des Moines last month.

The bottom line: Even if Asians in Iowa haven't experienced the violent assaults making headlines in larger cities, racism still exists here, Lovan said.

Plus: The model minority myth places Asian Americans on a fake pedestal that erases their struggles and is used to excuse racism against other marginalized groups.

• As in: If Asians can succeed in America, so can Black people, Latinos, etc.

• This racist thinking robs us of our humanity and makes it easier for the public to ignore acts of violence against minority groups.

The bigger picture: We can become better allies by acknowledging others' humanity and by supporting Asian-led nonprofits like the ones Lovan lists here.

Linh's take: My mom asked me a few weeks ago if she should buy mace after seeing national news about attacks. My heart feels heavy.

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