Discrimination based on one's nationality has always been problem but the virus pandemic has reignited talk of xenophobia.

The Plight Of Asian American Businesses

Atlanta restaurant owner Cam Vuong revealed the struggles of reopening his business during the pandemic - and being an immigrant.

According to Vuong, the restaurant was targeted when it had to close in March. "At the time we really [thought] that's racism," Vuong said of the broken window of his restaurant.

Vuong is also worried about the anti-Asian atmosphere across the U.S. because it might make recovery difficult for the restaurant he has run for more than two decades.

The Stop AAPI Hate Reporting Center said some of the experiences of Asian American business owners since the pandemic started were ignited owing to incorrect notions about COVID-19.

Furthermore, there has been an increase in reports of racially inspired incidents against Asian Americans, the United Nations said in a recent report.

Chinese American Community Stands Up To 'Sinophobia'

In Manhattan's Chinatown, a Chinese American neighborhood came together to establish a 40-strong "block watch" group to patrol the area as incidents of racist attacks have been on the rise.

The group's main purpose is to reassure residents and business owners that they are not alone even as discrimination rises.

A similar group was formed in San Francisco's Chinatown, which has been set up to become the registered, nonprofit organization, United Peace Collaborative.

The United Peace Collaborative was brought to life following a physical attack on the president of a local family association in the San Francisco Chinatown.

U.S. Army veteran Leanna Louie, who is among the founding members of the organization, said that during the attack on the victim, "Chinatown was just watching, scared to get involved."

However, it appears that Asian American communities are learning to stand up to the discrimination as more groups are being established to protect their people.

Racism At The Heart Of Bay Area's COVID-19 Crisis

San Francisco's Bay Area has long been home for many Asian Americans. However, fears among the Asian American people residing there have been on the rise over the past months.

Aside from inadequate access to health care, Asian Americans have also been suffering from increasing anti-Asian hate crimes since COVID-19.

It is unclear just how many Asian Americans have been infected by the novel coronavirus in the Bay area but a growing number of deaths raised concerns among community analysts.

Executive director of nonprofit Association of Asian Pacific Community Health Organizations Jeffrey Caballero said that "there isn't enough testing or people are waiting far too long to get care."

There have also been reports about Asian Americans fearing discrimination if they are found to have contracted COVID-19 - making them worried about getting tested.

There are also doubts about government assistance should Asian Americans get infected. "Even if I test positive, I feel there is nothing the government will do to help me more," Xing Tam, a Chinatown resident said.