Collaborating to confront Anti-Blackness and Anti-Asian hate

It's been a strange week. I've never had people check on me because I'm Asian, and never in my lifetime has there been such a spotlight on anti-Asian violence and hate, or on the experiences of Asian or Asian American women at the hands of white supremacy.

Contrary to my socialization, which was to blend in and be as white as possible to be safe, I have become used to speaking up as a British born Asian American woman of color. I have marveled at and appreciated being handed the mic and given a platform and the support to be heard.

This current "woke wave" though is not something I had anticipated. And for all that it is a double-edged sword that brings its own exhaustion, I do see it as progress that we are having these conversations, and this would undoubtedly not have been possible without centuries of work by Black civil rights leaders and activists, and the Asian and Asian American leaders and activists that worked in solidarity with them.

If you're on Clubhouse (I just joined yesterday!) join us today at 1pm EDT for a conversation on Cultural collaborations to confronting Anti-Blackness and Anti-Asian hate in our communities.

I believe that Asian lives won’t matter unless Black Lives Matter (and in fact no lives will).

And yes, there is anti-Asianess in Black communities and anti-Blackness in Asian communities - this is by design, and by the design of white supremacy.

It all has to go and we have to work together to make it so.

(If you need a Clubhouse invitation, let me know.)

Banner photo by Alethea Cheng Fitzpatrick - sign seen in Prospect Park.

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