Asian American reporter Nydia Han has responded to a racist driver who told her “this is America”.
In a video uploaded to her Facebook profile, the 6ABC reporter said the incident occurred on Friday when a driver turned around and almost hit her.
The Korean American journalist said the driver missed her by about “half a foot” before shouting “this is America“ and driving away.
Philly Voice reports that Han is an award winning reporter who joined 6ABC’s Action News in 2002, with a career in the industry that spans over 20 years. Through her assignments, her coverage includes incidences around the country such as Hurricane Katrina and the Columbia shuttle disaster.
In the four minute video, Han records a message directed to the driver. “I know America in ways you probably won’t and never will,” she says.
“I have seen America at its best and at its worst,” she said. “I know my U.S. history. I can name every cabinet member. I can name every state capital. Can you? Yet you have the audacity and the ignorance to yell at me that ‘This is America?’ Are you kidding me? You see this face and you think this face belongs to an outsider or a foreigner?
“Did you think that this face would not stand up against you? Against racism? Against ignorance? Well, you were wrong.”
“Do not ever, ever see a face like this and make a mistake that it does not belong to an American,” she said. “Americans like us that make this country strong and make this country what it is.”
“This is America. I am American. I am proud of it. This is 2017, and you need to get with the program.”
Han’s video has garnered over 35,000 reactions and over 20,000 shares since its upload on Sunday.
