To mark National Hate Crime Awareness Week, China Exchange is publishing “No Place for Hate: Post-Pandemic Actions for London’s Chinatown” its report into Chinatown’s recovery with a particular emphasis on COVID-19 racism. The report marks a significant moment in a 12-month project focused on understanding and supporting London’s Chinatown in its response to an increase in hate towards people of East and Southeast Asian (ESEA) heritage.
The report summarises the insights taken from workshops, interviews, and coordinated community consultations focused on people’s lived experiences of hate and COVID-related racism within Chinatown. The material used in the report was prepared by a team of dedicated volunteers who have committed hours of training, research and community building time since January 2021.
The recommendations for the report include:
- Encouraging a more nuanced understanding of Chinatown, particularly in national media and narratives
- Normalising conversations about hate and racism within Chinatown and using creative ways to encourage people to participate in these important conversations
- Recognising and accommodating significant cultural, generational and linguistic barriers to discussing racism within Chinatown
- Appreciating the impact of hierarchies of Chinatown’s business community and those who are included and excluded from participating in civic life in the area
- Raising awareness of community support structures and specialist services within Chinatown’s workforce
The full copy of the report is here.
The Chinatown Recovery Project was funded by the Churchill Fellowship (formerly the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust).