A community survey on Asian American and Pacific Islander online political formations
How do Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders* create social and political change in digital spaces?
This survey assesses the landscape of Asian American and Pacific Islander politics in relation to contemporary social movements and digital technologies. We asked respondents how they use technology as a place for political community and organizing and explored the role of technologies in shaping racial politics.
The aim of this survey has been to identify new ways for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders to organize online. We are committed to developing racial and class consciousness amongst Asian Americans and also leveraging the technological tools necessary to do this work. We hope this research and data will be useful to academics seeking to do community research within Asian American communities as well as for grassroots and nonprofit organizations seeking to leverage digital technologies in political mobilization.
“Asian America is an evolving construct and idea.”
“It provides us with an anchor to unify together and offers a mobilizing home politically [but] can’t hold all of our different identities and experiences in and of itself.”
-Jackie, Cultural Organizer
85% of respondents use the Internet to get involved in social movements.
Respondents use the Internet for both identity exploration and political participation. Digital culture also continues to change how people find political meaning in Asian American identity.
“The relationships have to come before the research.”
“Community-based research is often like a slow burn…the research alone shouldn’t be the sole basis of the relationships. It’s an ongoing process of building that requires alternate models of what we consider valuable and how we understand how knowledge gets produced.”
Who is Represented in this Data?
This survey reflects 475 unique responses that primarily represent self-identified Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders already engaged in some form of politics through digital platforms.
The survey was distributed over the communications channels and social media networks of 18 Million Rising, the Asian American Feminist Collective, and the Asian/Pacific/American Institute at NYU, as well as other community partners who reflect leftist and progressive politics. Over half of the respondents accessed the survey through an email list and 42% accessed the survey through a social media platform.
*A Note on Terminology and Statement on AAPI : There are fundamental differences between different Pacific Islander and Asian American groups. This distinction also recognizes the specific differences between Asian America and Indigenous Pacific Islander sovereignty, land claims, and histories of U.S. colonialism (Kehaulani Kauanui 2008) as well as maintains the potential for political coalition. In the original data collection for this report, we used AA/PI as shorthand to denote “Asian American and Pacific Islanders”. At times, we shift to “Asian American” to describe this study given the majority of respondents reflected in the results.
76.9% of respondents identify as Asian American.
9.5% of respondents identify as Pacific Islander.
68.4% of respondents identify with their diasporic and/or ethnic identities.
54.6% of respondents are between the ages of 23-35.
63.5% have attended events, workshops and/or trainings about Asian American political identity.
