Black people are disproportionately affected, more so than any other minority group, by racism and its structural effects. As long as black people continue to be treated this way, as long as these structures remain and the violence of racism, poverty, and economic inequalities continue to persist and be maintained, then nobody will ever actually be safe and society will never improve. In the end, it affects everybody and will only continue to get worse if nothing changes. No matter who you are or where you come from, we have to stand together so that one day, we may create a future unlike anything ever seen before. It takes one person to change the world. How powerful would we be if we all mobilized as one?
I(Grace) wrote a section about Asian American activism and included things that I felt were important for our community as it embarks on a new era. Many of our parents grew up in societies where politics was kept out of the domestic sphere, where speaking out resulted in death. Dealing with this intergenerational trauma and political inactivity is difficult and will take a lot of work. But as we are the new generation, we know we have the power for change, and we deserve to fight for a more equal, more kind, more welcoming life for ourselves, our parents, and future generations to come.
At the bottom there are LOTS of language resources, esp geared toward Chinese communities, but there is a link to resources for almost EVERY language! Just go straight down to check them out.
I(Grace) wrote a section about Asian American activism and included things that I felt were important for our community as it embarks on a new era. Many of our parents grew up in societies where politics was kept out of the domestic sphere, where speaking out resulted in death. Dealing with this intergenerational trauma and political inactivity is difficult and will take a lot of work. But as we are the new generation, we know we have the power for change, and we deserve to fight for a more equal, more kind, more welcoming life for ourselves, our parents, and future generations to come.
At the bottom there are LOTS of language resources, esp geared toward Chinese communities, but there is a link to resources for almost EVERY language! Just go straight down to check them out.
Topics on this Page:
I. Allyship
II. Asian American Allyship
III. Language Resources (translations)
I. Allyship
II. Asian American Allyship
III. Language Resources (translations)
I. Allyship
REMEMBER..Image taken from @courtneyahndesign on Instagram
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:) Sustainably Support!
Photos taken from @allies4blm on Instagram
We do want to mention that although this graphic names the Black Lives Matter organization, at this current point in time (June 2020) they have not yet shown where the money is going exactly, and many similar large organizations behaved the same way, so we encourage donations to smaller, grassroots organizations that ensure direct spending towards the community.
How to talk to others about Racism
"💓Save for later if your feeling slightly overwhelmed at the moment. I know I touched on the importance on having these conversations. Here’s a guide on how you can get started! It’s important to lean into the uncomfortable conversation with your friends and family."
Images taken from @angelarutura on Instagram
White Allyship
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"I must make two honest confessions to you, my Christian and Jewish brothers. First, I must confess that over the past few years I have been gravely disappointed with the white moderate. I have almost reached the regrettable conclusion that the Negro's great stumbling block in his stride toward freedom is not the White Citizen's Counciler or the Ku Klux Klanner, but the white moderate, who is more devoted to "order" than to justice; who prefers a negative peace which is the absence of tension to a positive peace which is the presence of justice; who constantly says: "I agree with you in the goal you seek, but I cannot agree with your methods of direct action"; who paternalistically believes he can set the timetable for another man's freedom; who lives by a mythical concept of time and who constantly advises the Negro to wait for a "more convenient season." Shallow understanding from people of good will is more frustrating than absolute misunderstanding from people of ill will. Lukewarm acceptance is much more bewildering than outright rejection."
-"Letter from a Birmingham Jail [King, Jr.]" |
Click HERE to read the full letter, including further expansions on MLK's thoughts on the white moderate
Why Hearing The Term "White People" Makes You Uncomfortable
Photos taken from @allegedlymari on Instagram
Use Your Privledge!
"There’s only so much black people can do to influence change. Remember we can’t dismantle a system built by white people to put us at a disadvantage. It’s so important you continue to educate yourself and speak up about this issue."
PERFORMATIVE ACTIVISM IS BAD
Being an Ally Means Doing the WORK
(and it isn't always sexy or trendy)
Seeing all of the resources and links for petitions, readings, fundraisers, and the large outcry of support going around on social media can be simultaneously exciting and disheartening to see especially when the phrase "white silence is violence" has also become a popular sentiment. While your friends, coworkers, favorite celebrities, and more speaking out may seem like a massive step towards progress, we must begin to question how social media has changed the landscape of activism and our expectations of what modern-day activism should look like. A post with information and a cute graphic is nice, and the sentiment is there, but that in and of itself is not activism; it must go beyond that because too often do we see that people are willing to make a quick and easy post, but not to speak out when those around them are actively racist or to accept and understand that some of their own behavior may need to be checked. That being said, not all activism has to be seen online or proven with pictures to be real or effective. This article from 2018 by Katherine Dario, though written primarily with social media activism during the Women's March in mind, discusses how exactly a lot of online activism can and has become performative and why this can be harmful to the movements you're trying to support. |
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A LOT OF YOU DO THIS ACTUALLY:
MICROAGGRESSIONS
Photos taken from @daftorg on Instagram
STOP DOING IT
WE REMEMBER IT ALL
No White Saviors
" Follow @nowhitesaviors !! I put the book/film/article recommendations in the last slide of the post, if you have any questions feel free to dm me! "
Photos taken from @michaelabalogun on Instagram
Using your Privilege to Spread Information....
Photos from @kararoselles on Instagram
You Can Effectively Distribute it to All Types of People!
goes without saying but...
STOP SAYING THE N-WORD IF YOU'RE NONBLACK
STOP ALLOWING THOSE AROUND YOU TO SAY THE N-WORD IF THEY'RE NONBLACK
you are quite literally doing a terrible job if you do not fulfill these basic requirements
Photos taken from @itsim0n on Instagram.
Graphic taken from @izzyholtz on Instagram
This Includes Black LGBTQ+ Lives
Giant Anti-Racism Resource Packet
Click here to access
There are more masterlists in the How to Help section!
There are more masterlists in the How to Help section!
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Written by Jasmine Mitchell
@smooth_jas on Instagram
@smooth_jasmine on Twitter
Jasmine Mitchell on Facebook
@smoothjasmine on Venmo
$smoothjas on Cash App
jasmitche@gmail.com on PayPal
@smooth_jas on Instagram
@smooth_jasmine on Twitter
Jasmine Mitchell on Facebook
@smoothjasmine on Venmo
$smoothjas on Cash App
jasmitche@gmail.com on PayPal
FREE COPIES OF BLACK REVOLUTIONARY TEXTS
get educated
The first link doesn't seem to work anymore, but the second still does, so
click HERE to access
DOZENS of works by some of the greatest thinkers of our time
click HERE to access
DOZENS of works by some of the greatest thinkers of our time
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Photos and caption taken from @tatakpilipino
"Read and educate yourself. Stop asking Black people to teach you and relive their traumas as if it’s something to glorify. True allyship is doing the work and being proactive about being uncomfortable and critically thinking about your own behaviors and thoughts. SHARE SHARE SHARE ‼️‼️‼️
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Free online PDF copies of several Black revolutionary texts by Black writers and activists. Links on the second slide! 🧡✊🏾
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If you are able to buy the physical book, do not purchase from Amazon. Support Black writers as directly as you can. Support Black owned bookstores."
"Read and educate yourself. Stop asking Black people to teach you and relive their traumas as if it’s something to glorify. True allyship is doing the work and being proactive about being uncomfortable and critically thinking about your own behaviors and thoughts. SHARE SHARE SHARE ‼️‼️‼️
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Free online PDF copies of several Black revolutionary texts by Black writers and activists. Links on the second slide! 🧡✊🏾
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If you are able to buy the physical book, do not purchase from Amazon. Support Black writers as directly as you can. Support Black owned bookstores."
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Films Currently Free on Criterion CollectionHead to criterionchannel.com/browse to watch
Included here:
THE WATERMELON WOMAN (1996) MY BROTHER'S WEDDING (1983) BLACK MOTHER (2018) PORTRAIT OF JASON (1967) SYMBIOPSYCHOTAXIPLASM TAKE ONE (1968) LOSING GROUND (1982) BLACK PANTHERS (1970) DOWN IN THE DELTA (1998) CANE RIVER (1982) DAUGHTERS OF THE DUST (1991) BODY AND SOUL (1925) |
II. Asian American Activism
Since 3/4 of this organization is run by non-black people, and all three of us are Asian American, we wanted to specially include some resources regarding being an activist and being Asian American, trying to provide aid in facing the specific and unique challenges that come from talking about race with our families scattered across the Asian diaspora, all suffering from different generational traumas and historically ingrained political silences but all grouped as one monolith by the American society.
How to Take Action
Justice should matter to all of us, and the urgency of this week's events demands all of us with platforms to speak out. As we close out Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, I wanted to share a thing I made with (hopefully useful) information for my fellow AAPI. Swipe right to read.
To those of you who feel conflicted about sharing too much / not sharing enough— I get you. My heart has been heavy all week and every time I've tried to think about posting something that would adequately reflect how I feel, it just felt like it wouldn’t be enough. What can words possibly do to heal pain? Just add to the noise?
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I think the mistake is thinking we need a unique perspective to speak out. Saying something basic is still better than saying nothing at all. So I urge you to publish that draft on your phone, to sit with the discomfort, to continue sharing and amplifying the voices that need to be heard, and most importantly to do what you need to do outside of social media. Apathy is dangerous. Donate. Protest. Let’s show up for our Black brothers and sisters.
To those of you who feel conflicted about sharing too much / not sharing enough— I get you. My heart has been heavy all week and every time I've tried to think about posting something that would adequately reflect how I feel, it just felt like it wouldn’t be enough. What can words possibly do to heal pain? Just add to the noise?
.
I think the mistake is thinking we need a unique perspective to speak out. Saying something basic is still better than saying nothing at all. So I urge you to publish that draft on your phone, to sit with the discomfort, to continue sharing and amplifying the voices that need to be heard, and most importantly to do what you need to do outside of social media. Apathy is dangerous. Donate. Protest. Let’s show up for our Black brothers and sisters.
Photos taken from @hannah__chia on Instagram
The Model Minority Myth
I’ve gotten a lot of questions and messages about the Model Minority Myth lately. And so I put together this short resource to explain and clarify, while also drawing the connection to why this narrative has continued to weaponize the Asian American community against the Black community. The Model Minority Myth is deeply harmful & was created to maintain the racial hierarchy in America which keeps Whiteness at the top and Blackness at the bottom.
Asian Americans, many of us & our families have bought into the Model Minority Myth. But as long as we believe this narrative to be true, White Supremacy will continue to perpetuate anti-blackness in our communities, to pit us against other people of color, and keep us distracted from the larger system which is crushing all of us. We must ruthlessly uproot the lies we’ve been told & have believed at the expense of the Black community.⠀
I’m not a historian or an expert on race, I’m a follower of Jesus & graphic designer in full-time ministry, just sharing what I’ve learned and studied over the years. I hope this is helpful, leads to identifying lies & will lead to greater understanding of how pervasive White Supremacy and Anti-Blackness are in the history of our communities.
Asian Americans, many of us & our families have bought into the Model Minority Myth. But as long as we believe this narrative to be true, White Supremacy will continue to perpetuate anti-blackness in our communities, to pit us against other people of color, and keep us distracted from the larger system which is crushing all of us. We must ruthlessly uproot the lies we’ve been told & have believed at the expense of the Black community.⠀
I’m not a historian or an expert on race, I’m a follower of Jesus & graphic designer in full-time ministry, just sharing what I’ve learned and studied over the years. I hope this is helpful, leads to identifying lies & will lead to greater understanding of how pervasive White Supremacy and Anti-Blackness are in the history of our communities.
Inforgraphic taken from @jocekittyllama
This digital resource is available for download in the link her bio. Please consider purchasing for a small fee. Anti-racist work and content is not created without cost. Thank you!!
More Articles on Model Minority Myth
I think many people only like to say we work hard and deserve our positions and are welcome in America when it’s convenient for them to defend themselves and act like privilege isn’t real. It’s very apparent in current times that we aren’t as welcome anymore, because it doesn’t benefit them to welcome us and they need a scapegoat. They are not on our side or for us. That’s how I feel. I think the model minority myth is a harmful but convenient stereotype for white people to continue to assert their dominance in America over minorities.
"Anti-Asian Racism Exposes the Model Minority Myth" from Yale Insights
Click here to read
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'Model Minority' Myth Again Used As A Racial Wedge Between Asians And Blacks by Kat Chow on NPR
Click here to access
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An Asian American Guide to Dismantling Anti-Blackness
A nice article that I think contains good advice for working on becoming an activist!
click HERE to read
"Having experienced pushback on my past sharing on race and racism, I’ve long desired for more Asian Americans to proactively engage in anti-racism work, including expanding Black and Asian solidarity. It has felt quite lonely at times. But the recent increase in Asian Americans’ and Asian American Christians’ engagement has been encouraging.
I began receiving messages from people wanting to talk, asking questions about what to do and where to even begin. Once they saw how deeply and widely racism, specifically anti-Black racism, is rooted in our society, they couldn’t unsee it.
So, where do we go from here? What do we need to keep in mind as Asian Americans who want to embark on the lifelong journey to being anti-racist and fighting racism, especially when it comes to anti-Blackness?
Here are some things I have learned and continue to practice"
I began receiving messages from people wanting to talk, asking questions about what to do and where to even begin. Once they saw how deeply and widely racism, specifically anti-Black racism, is rooted in our society, they couldn’t unsee it.
So, where do we go from here? What do we need to keep in mind as Asian Americans who want to embark on the lifelong journey to being anti-racist and fighting racism, especially when it comes to anti-Blackness?
Here are some things I have learned and continue to practice"
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Thoughts on
"Yellow Peril Supports Black Lives Matter"
Images taken from @kaignos on Instagram
Let's talk about it
There's some parts of this that I don't completely agree with, but this infographic makes really good points. I won't disclose my full thoughts as I don't want to influence anyone, but I will say that it is important to consider that the issue of Asian American activism is very complicated. We don't have a long or strong history of it (SERIOUSLY we do NOT I realize that a lot of history was erased but just look at how many politicians are Asian in 2020...the most powerful Asian politician we have is Andrew Yang....) and seem to be just figuring out how exactly we can rally our community. We barely rally for OURSELVES, it's unbelievably hard to rally for a different community. Those who are not bigoted just do not care at all. I would suspect that most feel they do not have to participate in politics. So I believe that small but beginning efforts are HONESTLY better than nothing. There is a difference between centering yourself and acknowledging where you stand, and I think we are still struggling with that distinction as a community. Keep in mind that we are all just figuring things out and as you are thinking about this infographic, know that me and the creator are two young people just trying to make the world a better place and everything you read online should be taken with a grain of salt.
However, as long as you are genuinely trying to help the BLM movement and trying to be better, that's already a really big step forward, and I think that's just fine. You're doing great, but there's always room for improvement.
Some really good points made by this infographic:
- Asians should not stand in solidarity with Black Americans JUST because we benefitted from their struggle. It's
definitely an important part of American history, but guilt tripping doesn't set the right tone for our activism.
Historically Asians have failed to show up for the Black community in America. In this new era, our solidarity should be
unconditional and unwavering, and we should be in solidarity not because we owe anything, but because it is the right thing to do.
- Not all Asians are yellow! (World doesn't revolve around East Asians/light skinned South East/South Asians/PI)
- It is not about us at all! This one is not about us at all. At ALL! All of our parents went through UNSPEAKABLE things in America as immigrants. The generational trauma is real, and America will have to come to a reckoning with the way
they treated our parents, our ancestors, and us one day. But this movement is not about that, so it's important to realize
that supporting their voice is not our silencing. Our time will come. But if we allow racism to persist, nobody's
time will ever come and we will all perish into silence. We have to ALL go up for change to happen.
- THERE IS SO MUCH YOU CAN DO! YOU ARE A VESSEL FOR CHANGE!
There's some parts of this that I don't completely agree with, but this infographic makes really good points. I won't disclose my full thoughts as I don't want to influence anyone, but I will say that it is important to consider that the issue of Asian American activism is very complicated. We don't have a long or strong history of it (SERIOUSLY we do NOT I realize that a lot of history was erased but just look at how many politicians are Asian in 2020...the most powerful Asian politician we have is Andrew Yang....) and seem to be just figuring out how exactly we can rally our community. We barely rally for OURSELVES, it's unbelievably hard to rally for a different community. Those who are not bigoted just do not care at all. I would suspect that most feel they do not have to participate in politics. So I believe that small but beginning efforts are HONESTLY better than nothing. There is a difference between centering yourself and acknowledging where you stand, and I think we are still struggling with that distinction as a community. Keep in mind that we are all just figuring things out and as you are thinking about this infographic, know that me and the creator are two young people just trying to make the world a better place and everything you read online should be taken with a grain of salt.
However, as long as you are genuinely trying to help the BLM movement and trying to be better, that's already a really big step forward, and I think that's just fine. You're doing great, but there's always room for improvement.
Some really good points made by this infographic:
- Asians should not stand in solidarity with Black Americans JUST because we benefitted from their struggle. It's
definitely an important part of American history, but guilt tripping doesn't set the right tone for our activism.
Historically Asians have failed to show up for the Black community in America. In this new era, our solidarity should be
unconditional and unwavering, and we should be in solidarity not because we owe anything, but because it is the right thing to do.
- Not all Asians are yellow! (World doesn't revolve around East Asians/light skinned South East/South Asians/PI)
- It is not about us at all! This one is not about us at all. At ALL! All of our parents went through UNSPEAKABLE things in America as immigrants. The generational trauma is real, and America will have to come to a reckoning with the way
they treated our parents, our ancestors, and us one day. But this movement is not about that, so it's important to realize
that supporting their voice is not our silencing. Our time will come. But if we allow racism to persist, nobody's
time will ever come and we will all perish into silence. We have to ALL go up for change to happen.
- THERE IS SO MUCH YOU CAN DO! YOU ARE A VESSEL FOR CHANGE!
III. Language Resources
Content and Translation by @michellinman on Instagram
There is also a plethora of other language resources for helpful terminology translations in her bio!
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The Links
spanish — @frutamala
korean — @soapshin vietnamese — @aphamphotos @khang_guru japanese — @sekifox @humblebeanbento cantonese — @96step @eugreenia more mandarin — @amandalhan @baby_deee @yina.wang fuzhounese — @ennaxordx @sica_xx traditional chinese w/ 注音 — @joycetriestodomusic russian — @katya.kisel tagalog — @justine.gilbuena / @jc.gilbuena tamil — @prinita.thevarajah ukrainian — @kuryleaks farsi — @sabasaghafi indonesian — @keziasetyawan greek — @agiannetos hindi — @sareenadubey |
Know Your Rights The National Lawyers Guild
Click here to access
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Know Your Rights
These pocket-sized know-your-rights (KYR) booklets are designed to be a practical resource for people dealing with law enforcement. The 16-page primer advises people of their rights when confronted by FBI agents or the Department of Homeland Security. It also includes information for noncitizens and minors. These booklets are available for free download below. Printed booklets (in English, Spanish, Arabic) can be obtained by going to nlg.org/kyrbooklets. We also have a KYR guide during COVID-19, produced in collaboration with Vision Change Win. It is a living document, and continues to be updated. Taken from The National Lawyers Guild |
Multilingual Instagram Resource Letters for Black Lives
Click HERE to access
Letters for Black Lives started in 2016 as a crowdsourced letter for Asian-American children who wanted a framework for discussing issues of anti-Blackness and police violence with their immigrant parents. It’s quickly grown into a vibrant community with more than 200 contributors, 30 translations, and many more voices being shared through words, sound, and video. The project has since expanded to include messaging for Latinx and African immigrants as well as people living in Canada and Europe.
All contributors to this project are united around one common goal: speaking empathetically, kindly, and earnestly to our elders about why Black lives matter to us. As many of us are first- and second-generation immigrants ourselves, we know firsthand that it can be difficult to find the words to talk about this complex issue, especially in the languages that resonate most with our elders. Our hope is for these letters to serve as a first step towards more difficult intergenerational conversations about race and police violence. We hope to serve as responsible allies — to educate, organize, and spread awareness in our own communities without further burdening Black activists, who are already doing so much.
All contributors to this project are united around one common goal: speaking empathetically, kindly, and earnestly to our elders about why Black lives matter to us. As many of us are first- and second-generation immigrants ourselves, we know firsthand that it can be difficult to find the words to talk about this complex issue, especially in the languages that resonate most with our elders. Our hope is for these letters to serve as a first step towards more difficult intergenerational conversations about race and police violence. We hope to serve as responsible allies — to educate, organize, and spread awareness in our own communities without further burdening Black activists, who are already doing so much.
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Chinese Resources for Combatting Anti-Blackness
Easy to Understand Illustrated Explanations about What's Happening in America
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*suspected counterfeit bill
2020年5月25日，警方在明州最大城明尼亚波利斯，因其在商店使用20美元假钞而逮捕了乔治•佛洛伊德 （George Floyd）。当佛洛伊德被一名白人警察官，德里克•沙文 （Derek Chauvin），戴上手铐和按在地上。过程中，这名警察官一直用他的膝盖压在佛洛伊德的颈部右边。沙文警官无视佛洛伊德的求助［我不能呼吸］、［请不要杀我］, 压迫佛洛伊德的颈部长达8分钟46秒。佛洛伊德不断叫着［妈妈］，血开始从他的鼻子渗出，渐渐不再挣扎。即使佛洛伊德已失去意识，沙文警官仍将膝盖压迫他的颈部。救护车到达现场时，佛洛伊德已经不治。隔天，警方发布，佛洛伊德当时激动的反抗了逮捕，但是根据监控录像显示，佛洛伊德当时非常冷静，没有任何反抗的征兆。从5月26号日开始，越来越多的人开始了解到这件事，感到愤怒，并且发起了游行示意。#blacklivesmatter #黑民无价
Here is the transcribed translation if anyone wants to post anything with this directly.
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The story of Breonna Taylor's Death
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These images were taken from @sendchinatownlove on Instagram
Korean Translation (same graphic)taken from @yerongsss on Instagram
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Arabic Translation |
