Professor Targeted in Racist Attack, AAPI Community Steps Up
By Romen Basu Borsellino | 29 May, 2025

The horrific attack against 71 year-old Japanese American Aki Maehara reminds us of the AAPI community's resilience in the face of adversity.

A month ago, 71 year-old Japanese American Aki Maehara was riding his bike home from work in Montebello, California when a car plowed into him, tossing him to the concrete. “Go back to Ch**kland” a voice from the car yelled before screeching away. Maehara, a Professor at East Los Angeles Community College who teaches about the history of racism of all things, was left with a concussion and injuries to his neck and face.

The numerous articles covering the attack have all had some version of the same headline: “Asian American Professor Attacked in Possible Hate Crime.”

One might immediately wonder what purpose the word “Possible” serves in the headline. If shouting the most heinous anti-Asian slur at an Asian man while plowing him down with a car doesn’t constitute a hate crime, what does?

It’s of course a matter of journalistic standards: the press reports the allegations and the local authorities investigate them. 

The problem is, according to Maehara, the authorities do not appear to be holding up their end of the bargain. 

Immediately following the attack, Professor Maehara provided key details to the police including the name of a man he believed was responsible. He says that his bike shield obscured his face so nobody just driving would have known he was Asian. This had to be pre-mediated. But when a detective later called Maehara to follow up, it became clear that key information he provided had not been included in the police report. 

One can’t help but wonder how such an investigation might have played out had the victim been a different race. 

And yet, amid the justified anger and frustration lie reasons to be hopeful. Law enforcement may have failed Maehara, but it was the Asian American community who stepped up on his behalf.

Earlier this month, community leaders from various AAPI organizations showed up to the Chinese American Museum in LA to both speak out and rally on the Professor’s behalf. The list of organizations present included Stop AAPI Hate, Asian Americans Advancing Justice, Alliance for Asian American Justice, Asian American Civil Rights League, Anti-Asian Hate Crime Coalition and others.  

The speakers decried a lack of urgency in the investigation as well as President Trump’s role in fanning the flames of anti-Asian racism, which is alive and well today. Some of these organizations may even be using their legal prowess to help get Maehara the justice he deserves.

And a GoFundMe for Maehara has raised nearly $85,000. The GoFundMe Organizer praised Maehara’s “Warrior spirit.”

Another reason for hope: Despite still experiencing physical pain and post-traumatic stress as well as visible injuries, Meahara is already back to teaching. 

"It was important for me to show up because they're trying to stop me,” Maehara said. “They’re trying to prevent my students from completing my class, and I’m not going to let that happen.”

Despite the horrific nature of this incident, when Maehara one day teaches about it, his students may very well leave his class with a sense of optimism.