As anti-South Asian racism continues to rise across Canada, those best positioned to challenge it may also be the ones experiencing it most directly: young people.
From university campuses to online spaces, racism targeting South Asian communities has become increasingly visible in both physical and digital environments. In response, youth-centered anti-racism initiatives have emerged not simply as awareness campaigns, but as critical tools for long-term social change.
Organizations like Heroes of South Asia demonstrate how youth led advocacy can address racism through education, peer engagement, and digital storytelling in ways that traditional institutions often struggle to achieve. Unlike larger institutions that may rely on formal campaigns or delayed policy responses, youth led organizations can respond quickly to online misinformation, create culturally relevant content, and foster peer to peer conversations that feel more authentic to younger audiences.
Research has shown that over 70 per cent of Gen Z primarily consume social and political information through social media platforms, highlighting why youth focused digital outreach can be especially impactful. The growing urgency of this issue is reflected in national data. According to recent reporting from Queen’s University Faculty of Arts and Science, hate incidents targeting South Asian communities have sharply increased across Canada.
Specifically, In the Queen’s University article “Anti-immigrant politics is fueling hate toward South Asian people in Canada,” researcher Reena Kukreja argued that anti-immigrant political rhetoric is increasingly fueling hostility toward South Asian communities in Canada.
The article emphasized how narratives surrounding immigration, housing shortages, and economic insecurity have contributed to growing resentment toward racialized groups. It also highlighted how hate incidents targeting South Asians and Muslims have increased sharply in recent years.
For many South Asian Canadians, these statistics are not abstract numbers but lived realities.
Research conducted by the Environics Institute found that approximately 40 per cent of South Asian Canadians report experiencing discrimination at least occasionally because of their ethnicity. Nearly 30 per cent also reported direct or suspected exposure to hate incidents within a given year.
These findings suggest racism is not limited to isolated incidents but is embedded within everyday experiences across workplaces, schools, and public spaces.
For students at Queen’s, these discussions are especially relevant because universities are spaces where social attitudes are continuously shaped and reproduced. Campuses are not isolated from broader political discourse. They often reflect it directly.
Online environments have further intensified these challenges.
Analysis by the Institute for Strategic Dialogue identified a dramatic rise in online hate speech targeting South Asian communities. Between 2019 and 2023, police-reported hate crimes against South Asians in Canada increased by more than 200 per cent, while online posts containing anti-South Asian slurs rose by over 1,350 per cent between 2023 and 2024.
These findings illustrate how online platforms have increasingly become environments for the spread of xenophobia and racial bias.
Social media has also accelerated the spread of misinformation surrounding immigration, employment, and economic insecurity. These narratives often disproportionately target racialized communities and shape public perceptions long before meaningful dialogue can occur.
A recent academic study titled Exposing Hate — Understanding Anti-Immigration Sentiment Spreading on Twitter found that anti-immigration content spreads significantly faster online than pro-immigration messaging, contributing to broader polarization and reinforcing xenophobic narratives.
In this context, youth-centered organizations have proven particularly effective.
These groups operate directly within the environments where attitudes are formed and reproduced, including schools, universities, and online communities. Their approaches are often grounded in peer-to-peer engagement strategies, which research suggests are more effective in shifting long-term perspectives over time.
The work associated with Heroes of South Asia reflects this model through measurable outreach and engagement. The initiative has facilitated more than 6,300 interactions through workshops, campaigns, and digital advocacy efforts. It has also conducted more than 50 student outreach initiatives within educational settings.
These efforts are designed not only to raise awareness but also to normalize important discourse among younger populations in environments where the effects of racism are often avoided or minimized.
Partnerships have also played a major role in expanding the organization’s reach.
Collaborations with Kiva at the University of Calgary connected anti-racism work with conversations surrounding economic empowerment and equity. Additional outreach involving UNICEF, The Knowledge Society, and Youth of Canada collectively engaged more than 3,700 young people through workshops and programming.
These collaborations demonstrate how youth-led anti-racism initiatives are not isolated efforts. Instead, they function within broader institutional and community networks that allow advocacy efforts to become more accessible and scalable.
In fact, youth-led organizations are also often more adaptable to the realities of digital communication than larger institutions.
While online platforms have accelerated the spread of xenophobia and misinformation, they also provide opportunities for counter-narratives, education, and community-building. Student and youth advocates increasingly use digital storytelling, social media campaigns, and peer engagement strategies to challenge stereotypes and amplify underrepresented voices.
Beyond immediate advocacy, youth-centered anti-racism initiatives contribute to long-term cultural change.
Engaging young people early in discussions of race, inclusion, and equity can shape how future professionals, policymakers, and community leaders understand social responsibility. These experiences encourage critical thinking and empathy while helping young people recognize the broader societal consequences of discrimination.
Research has also shown that young people are more likely to engage with content shared by peers rather than institutions, particularly on issues involving identity, discrimination, and belonging. In contrast, traditional institutions may struggle to adapt quickly to evolving online narratives, particularly on platforms where misinformation and discriminatory content can spread rapidly.
In a rapidly evolving information landscape, this adaptability has become essential.
The Government of Canada’s Anti-Racism Strategy has also highlighted the significant social and mental health impacts of racism and online hate including increased stress, exclusion, and barriers to opportunity.
Addressing racism early and proactively therefore becomes not only a social issue but also a public health priority.
Organizations like Heroes of South Asia represent only one part of a much larger anti-racism ecosystem. However, their structure and outcomes reveal an important insight: the success of anti-racism efforts is closely connected to the extent to which young people are directly involved in shaping them.
In a country where anti-South Asian racism continues to evolve across both physical and digital spaces, youth-centered initiatives provide a dynamic and scalable approach to fostering inclusion and accountability.
Ultimately, youth led organizations demonstrate that combating racism requires more than broad institutional statements. Their ability to combine lived experience, rapid digital outreach, and culturally relevant education allows them to engage young people in ways that are often more personal and immediate.
Research from the Aspen Institute found that nearly one in three young people are more likely to participate in conversations about social justice issues when discussions are led by peers rather than institutions or authority figures. As misinformation and online prejudice continue to shape public attitudes, empowering youth voices will remain essential for building more inclusive and socially accountable communities.
Hassan Amir is a third-year Health Sciences Student.
Tags
Advocacy, anti-South Asian racism, social justice
All final editorial decisions are made by the Editor(s) in Chief and/or the Managing Editor. Authors should not be contacted, targeted, or harassed under any circumstances. If you have any grievances with this article, please direct your comments to journal_editors@ams.queensu.ca.