Emmy award-winning journalist and 6ABC news anchor Nydia Han led the Cabrini community in an online discussion of “Xenophobia in America” on Oct. 7. She told an audience of students, faculty, staff, and alumni of how a spontaneous altercation on a Philadelphia street in September 2017 launched her journey to investigate race, racism, and the diverse American experience.
Han had entered a cross walk with a green light when a car suddenly turned into the road, coming inches from hitting her, forcing her to an abrupt halt. But what truly stopped Han in her tracks was what the driver called out to her.
“This is America!” the driver yelled, taking off after a brief, terse exchange of words.
“I assumed she said that to me because she didn’t think a face like mine could belong to that of an American,” said Han, a first generation Korean American.
Han’s response to the driver—a live Facebook video in which she emphatically explained why she is an American—went viral. Han set out to discover why the video generated such a range of reactions. The ensuing conversations resulted in a three-part docuseries, #ThisIsAmerica.
Sponsored by the Black Student Union, Pura Vida, and the Office of University Diversity Initiatives, Han’s Xenophobia in America discussion highlighted recent hate expressed toward Asian Americans, which she attributed to blame for COVID-19’s first detection in China, along with the historical and persistent racism that all immigrant groups have faced.
“Xenophobia,” she said, “is a word we don’t offer hear.” Defining it as “the fear or hatred of that which is perceived to be foreign or strange,” she said her message is that xenophobia is detrimental to everyone in the United States.
“The key here is that this is not just about Asians,” Han said. “History has shown that racism bubbles up from the waters of these kinds of health crises and eventually comes to a boil and burns us all.”
Chief Diversity Officer José Rodriguez aligns Han’s message on xenophobia with the pledge to social justice in Cabrini’s mission.
“Part of one’s commitment to being or becoming a social justice-minded person is the importance and understanding of how xenophobia plays in our lives and politics,” he said.
Han acknowledged that “so many communities of color are hurting right now” and suggested that people move out of their comfort zones to interact with individuals in different communities and truly learn about each other.
“While no one community can overcome racism on its own, we have a shot if we show allyship and do it together,” she said. “I think so strongly that we need to lift each other up if we want to reach our goals of making this country an inclusive and truly equitable place. And especially, we really need people in positions of power and privilege to give us a boost, too.”
At the end of Han’s presentation, attendees had the opportunity to engage with her. A student asked how college students could lessen the presence of xenophobia.
“When you’re in a room, and there isn’t a person of color, and you think something should be called out, call it out,” Han advised. “Use that privilege and power. Use where you are to make a difference.”
In addition to being named Outstanding Ally of Diversity and Inclusion by The Philadelphia Inquirer, Han received the 2019 Pearl S. Buck International Woman of Influence award, NAAAP Inspire Award, and World Woman Summit Global Voice award.
“I think my call to action is very simple: to be anti-racist,” she said. “To me, there’s no bias in that.”
