From the Committee of 100 newsletter on 9/25/24
Joint research by Committee of 100 and NORC shows the U.S. – China relationship, along with political and media rhetoric impacts how Chinese Americans are treated by strangers, acquaintances and coworkers
New York, NY (September 25, 2024) — Committee of 100, a non-profit membership organization of prominent Chinese Americans, and NORC at the University of Chicago, one of the largest independent social research organizations in the United States, today unveiled its ‘State of Chinese Americans’ study, a survey focused on areas of mental health, political preferences, discrimination, and diversity of the Chinese American population.
In the survey, two-thirds of Chinese Americans (68%) stated they face at least one form of discrimination in an average month, with a large percentage of the Chinese American community stating they continue to struggle with mental health. 43% of those surveyed say they felt depressed and 39% reporting having felt worthless. 61% say that the language and rhetoric used by the U.S. news media when reporting on U.S. – China relations negatively affects how strangers treat them; and about a quarter of the respondents say their relationship with acquaintances (26%) and coworkers (25%) has also been negatively impacted by the relationship. On the U.S. – China relationship overall, nearly ninety percent (89%) of Chinese Americans view the current U.S. China relationship as negative.
With a lack of data specifically on Chinese Americans, the Committee of 100 and NORC study was conducted to help address the insufficient data necessary to inform and address ongoing discrimination, stereotypes, and misperceptions about Chinese Americans, and the many gaps in knowledge that remain about Chinese Americans’ political attitudes and behaviors.
“Understanding the mental health, discrimination and political perspectives of Chinese Americans is essential to create inclusive and informed policies,” said Cindy Tsai, Interim President, Committee of 100. “These insights not only enrich political dialogue but also foster a more equitable society. Partnering with NORC at the University of Chicago, Dr. Nathan Chan and Dr. Vivien Leung on this project has been exciting, and we hope the data will help shape policy decisions that help improve the lives of Chinese Americans nationwide.”
