Dear Ohio interviews Vinay Harpalani: Celebrating AAPI Heritage Month and highlighting the rise of violence against Asian Americans

This year's celebration of AAPI Heritage Month comes at a time of unprecedented pain and promise for Asian Americans in Ohio and across the country. An increase in violence against Asian Americans is being driven by xenophobia and the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic. In this episode of Dear Ohio, state Sen. Tina Maharath, the first Asian American woman elected to the Ohio Senate, and University of New Mexico law professor Vinay Harpalani, detail the challenges facing the AAPI community before and since the pandemic started.