BACKGROUND
As the first COVID-19 cases were noticed in China, many racist comments on Chinese individuals spread. As there is a huge need to better comprehend why all these targeted comments and opinions developed specifically then, this paper emerged to carefully examine racism and advocacy efforts on Twitter in the first trimester of 2020 (from January 15th to March 3rd, 2020).
OBJECTIVE
The first question aimed to understand which type of racism was displayed on Twitter during the first semester of 2020. The second question was to inquire about Twitter users' behaviors regarding advocacy and activism.
METHODS
Content analysis was utilized. Using the NCapture browser link and the NVivo software, Tweets in English and Spanish from the Twitter data stream were pulled from January 15th to March 3rd, 2020. A total of 19,150 Tweets were captured using the advanced Twitter search engine with the keywords and hashtags #nosoyunvirus, #imNotAVirus, #ChineseDon’tComeToJapan, #racism, “No soy un virus” and,” Racismo Coronavirus.”After cleaning data, a total of 402 Tweets were codified and analyzed by the research team.
RESULTS
Data confirms racism during the first months of the Coronavirus outbreak towards Chinese Individuals. Physical and verbal aggression were highly denounced as well as some forms of rejection. Advocacy efforts were huge inside and outside the Chinese community; an allyship sentiment was foster by some White members and an identification with the oppression experienced by Chinese in the Black and Muslim worldwide community. Art, Asian food sharing, and community support activities were the main forms of activism showed on Twitter during the first semester of 2020.
CONCLUSIONS
Tweets displayed individual, cultural, and institutional racism against Chinese individuals. Individual racism was the most reported form of racism—specifically, physical and verbal aggression. As a form of resistance against racism, Twitter users created spaces for advocacy and activism. The hashtag “I am not a virus” helped break stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination on Twitter. White, Black, and Muslim allyship relationships were also present to support Chinese individuals. Activism through social media manifested through art, food sharing, and community support.
Humanistic Education to Foster Altruistic Communities through Arts & Culture
