Zoya Hasan and Anusha Bayya

Asian business owners saw one of the greatest hits in sales through 2020. Xenophobia, which became increasingly evident during the pandemic, played a large role. Nearly 2 million businesses in the United States are Asian-owned, but we can do more to recognize the role the community plays in this country. The flood of hate crimes against the Asian community since the start of the pandemic has reached the level of a full-blown crisis: data from the nonprofit organization Stop AAPI Hate shows approximately 3,800 crimes against Asian Americans were reported between March 2020 and February 2021. The violence has also affected Asian-owned businesses, which saw a drastic decline through 2020 as owners had to close shop due to dismal sales. This Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, we are highlighting the resilience of AAPI women everywhere and sharing eight stories of their efforts to to widen access to birth control, avert future water crises and increase the number of female executives. Editor's note: This post has been updated. It was originally published May 20, 2021.

Zoya Hasan and Anusha Bayya

Posts by Zoya Hasan and Anusha Bayya

The Story Exchange

Zoya Hasan and Anusha Bayya

Posts by Zoya Hasan and Anusha Bayya

8 Inspiring Asian Women-Owned Businesses To Support This AAPI Heritage Month

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