The death of George Floyd, and the seeming indifference and approval of an Asian American police officer has raised the question of where do Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders stand in this country's quest for freedom and justice for all. In the days after Floyd's death, a strong cry is emerging from Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders to recognize that (to quote the Rev. Martin Luther King) "an injustice to one is an injustice to all." It is time that AAPI assert that we will no longer be the wedge to divide People of Color; It is time to align ourselves with the oppressed, those whose cries go unheard, those mothers whose children are being beaten and killed, those children who will never know their parents because they have been killed or imprisoned; It is time we put aside our own fears and biases to join our black brothers and sisters to demand equal treatment in the eyes of the judicial system, from the highest court in the land to the cop on the beat; It is time we acknowledge the deep debt that immigrants owe to the Black community for the blood they have shed and the lives that have been lost in their centuries-long battle for equality; It is time that health-care-for-all, education-for-all, opportunities-for-all and justice-for-all are recognized as inalienable rights in our country's "pursuit of happiness;" It is time AAPI stand side-by-side with Blacks, Latinos and immigrants from other lands in the courts, in the capitols, in our neighborhoods and in the city streets; It is time for the history of America being taught in our schools to include the important roles and contributions of all Americans; It is time that we continue the task our Founders put before us -- "to strive for a more perfect union."
It is time, we demand that America become America!
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) held a virtual summit on Thursday (May 28) to discuss escalating anti-Asian sentiment and provide information on hate crimes and bias-related incidents.
“The purpose of having a hate crime summit is to bring attention to this subject of hate in our community and how we can work together to address the issue and make the community safer for all residents, no matter their race, religion, sexual orientation, physical disability, mental disability, or any gender,” L.A.County Sheriff Alex Villanueva said.
Since the initial outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, the pandemic has largely been personified as Chinese, with President Trump and his administration referring to COVID 19 as the “Chinese Virus,” “Wuhan Virus,” and the “Kung Flu”.
Villanueva shared that “COVID-19 has brought new challenges to law enforcement and unfortunately, some members of the community want to lay blame on our Asian American community after China was reported to be the epicenter.”
Captain Eddie Hernandez of the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department’s Major Crime Bureau emphasized the importance of reporting all discriminatory acts, saying that “bias-motivated crimes are particularly unsettling because they represent a heinous form of violence in which our members of our communities are actually targeted for characteristics they have no control over.”
“It’s super important that these crimes get reported for a couple of reasons,” Hernandez said. “One, it gives us the ability to keep accurate stats and to investigate these incidents in a timely fashion….secondly, we can identify trends and patterns so we can adjust to the emerging threats…and lastly, but just as important, it says that as a society, we are not going to tolerate these hate crimes and we’re actually going to take action against them.”
According to data from the Los Angeles Police Department, there has been a general yearly uptick in reported hate crimes, reports the Los Angeles Times. In 2019, reported hate crimes increased 10.3% over the year before, reaching their highest level since 2002.
The L.A. Police Department has reportedly investigated 10 hate crimes in the first four months of this year – three of them “COVID-driven,” Dominic Choi, an LAPD deputy chief said in a previous virtual summit. Choi added that “city residents probably had suffered more hate crimes than the numbers reflected because such encounters often go unreported,” according to the Los Angeles Times.
Villanueva also commented on the issue of underreporting hate crimes or bias related incidents, speaking particularly to challenges facing undocumented communities.
“The underreporting of crimes is a big subject of concern of ours,” Sheriff Villanueva said. “Several have identified that when we got local law enforcement involved in immigration enforcement, local undocumented communities have a tendency not to report crimes for obvious reasons…And that’s why we continue to make sure we keep an arm’s distance away from federal immigration enforcement. Whatever your immigration status is, we are here to serve and we will take any report of any crime or incident, and we will not involve federal immigration as a result of that.”
FBI Special Agent Salvador Tamburrino weighed on the FBI’s commitment to making “civil rights a top priority” and “developing an incredible partnership with the local police department” in Los Angeles.
“We want our agents and our intelligence analysts working with the Los Angeles Police Department who are charged with investigating these crimes…We are going to be working together as a team, sharing information, sharing intelligence, and engaging in protecting our community,” Tamburrino said.
“We talked about civil rights. It’s a shared responsibility. This responsibility starts with the individual and the community….all of us working toward a common goal,” Tamburrino added.
AAPI protestors in Seattle Saturday night before violence broke out.
The incremental changes in race relations that have occurred since Rodney King was beaten in Los Angeles are barely noticeable. Not much has changed since Eric Garner gasped, "I can't breathe!" the same words uttered six years later in Minnesota when George Floyd was pinned to the ground with a knee to his neck. If we had smart phones around during the Jim Crow era when lynchings of black men were commonplace, cities would have been burnt to the ground. Black and AAPI groups are quietly forging an alliance even though the convergence is barely reported in mainstream media that prefers to focus on the more sensational differences between the communities. When video of Floyd's last breath was splattered all over social media, AAPI organizations were quick to condemn the police tactics that resulted in the black Minnesotan's death. Filipino American author Carlos Bulosan recognized the link between the black Americans' struggle for equality and the unbreachable wall of discrimination Asian Americans encounter while seeking economic and social opportunities, when he wrote in his classic novel "America Is In the Heart:"
Marchers wear Hawaiian leis crossing the Edmund Pettis Bridge in Selma.
"America is ... the nameless
foreigner, the homeless refugee, the
hungry boy begging for a job and the
black body dangling from a tree. America
is the illiterate immigrant who is ashamed
that the world of books and intellectual
opportunities is closed to him. We are
that nameless foreigner, that homeless
refugee, that hungry boy, that illiterate
immigrant and that lynched black body.
All of us, from the first Adams to the
last Filipino, native born or alien,
educated or illiterate — We are America!" Since Floyd's death, the wheels of justice moved too slowly before Eric Chauvin, the officer who put the full weight of his body with a knee to Floyd's neck, was arrested. Even after his arrest, he was only charged with 3rd degree murder, or manslaughter.
In a YouGov poll of 5,600 Americans taken before Eric Chauvin's arrest found 60% of Asian Americans used excessive force resulting in Floyd's death. In the same survey, 80% of black Americans say too much force was used; Latino Americans (58%), mixed-race Americans (57% and 54% of Native Americans agreed. In contrast, only 46% of white Americans say that police officers tend to use too much force. The fact that almost two-thirds of AAPI agreed with black respondents is noteworthy. The historically socially conservative Asian Americans have been used as a wedge to shame other minorities. The stereotype of the "model minority"myth which characterizes Asian Americans as a polite, law-abiding group who have achieved a higher level of economic success than the general population through some combination of innate talent and pull-yourselves-up-by-your-bootstraps immigrant initiative.
CAPAC
Congressional caucuses support each other in Washington, DC.
Asian Americans have been held up by the dominant culture as an example what a racial minority can accomplish inspite of the racism that is deeply embedded in US institutions. In other words, to other people of color, the model minority myth is used to minimize the reality of racism in American culture. The Minnesota flashpoint was quickly condemned by Asian Americans as AAPI organizations began issuing statements placing their sympathies with the Floyd family and the black community. The Minneapolis-based Coalition of Asian American Leaders said, "Today and every day we support #BlackLivesMatter and stand with George Floyd's family and community to demand justice." Other AAPI groups across the nation joined in support of those demanding justice in the Floyd homicide. The unequivocal reaction supporting justice for Floyd from AAPI advocacy organizations and politicians is in contrast to perceived reluctance to whole-heartedly join the #BlackLivesMatter movement as painted by mainstream media. In reality, away from the parachuting journalists making quick analyses, bridges were being built by activists who knew that they could be more effective if they were joined in a common cause. As far back as Bloody Sunday, as black civil rights activists were marching across the Edmund Pettis Bridge In Selma, Ala., some of them in the front line were wore Hawaiian leis sent to them by the Rev. Abraham Akaka, the brother of future U.S. Sen. Daniel Akaka. For the reverend, it was a symbolic gesture that affirmed Asian American support for the civil rights movement.
Even before Selma, Detroit's Grace Lee Boggs and Los Angeles' Yuri Kochciyama were working with black activists for social justice and for human rights.
Asian American student organizations were in the middle of the organizing of the Third World Liberation Front in the late 1960s and 1970s at San Francisco State University uniting with black and Latino organizations for an unprecedented student strike that ultimately leading to the creation of ethnic studies departments across the nation.
Asians4BlackLives began in Oakland, CA in late 2014 after the non-indictment of the police officer who killed Eric Garner. The advocacy group recognizes that AAPI activism was greatly influenced by Black struggles for liberation, A4BL returns to the roots of the Asian American social formation and its debt to Black liberation movements.
In 2016, over 100 AAPI civil rights advocates made it clear to #BlackLivesMatter where they stood in a joint statement: "While words cannot bring back Alton Sterling, Philando Castile, Sandra Bland, Freddie Gray, Rekia Boyd, Eric Garner, Michael Brown, Renisha McBride, Akai Gurley and many more whose stories go unrecognized, we join together with Black organizers in a movement ignited to fight for Black liberation, human dignity and transformative justice. We, as Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, stand firmly with #BlackLivesMatter and the movement for Black lives."
This past year, the joining of the Congressional Black Caucus, the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus and Congressional Hispanic Caucus in issuing joint statements in support of anti-Asian hate resolutions and the treatment of immigrants.
Part of the problem is that in this Twitterverse and Tic Toc-crazy world, no leader of the stature of Martin Luther King has emerged in either community. With almost everybody having a smart phone and easy access to Youtube and tanyone has the ability create an online persona it is difficult for a voice to rise above the social media din.
TWITTER
Filipino Americans in Las Vegas express their sentiments Saturday night.
The quick response of AAPI organizations to the death of George Floyd could be a sign that Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders are rejecting the mainstream media belief that AAPI don't sympathize with Black issues and see the common struggles of the two groups.
"As refugees and descendants of refugees, as survivors of war and genocide, our communities also know the devastating impacts of police force.," said a statement from South East Asian Resource Action Center.
"It is incumbent on us as Southeast Asian Americans to show up for the Black community. We must acknowledge that our own paths to equity are a direct product of their historic civil rights wins and struggles, that they continue to build, as well as to endure, to this day. We must name the systems that have benefitted from having communities of color pitted against one another, and we must boldly resist them."
EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow @DioknoEd on Twitter.
Joe Biden meets with members of the AAPI Victory Fund, one of the former vice president's earliest endorsers.
Using APA Heritage Month as a backdrop, two powerful endorsements in the 2020 Presidential race bid may be an indication what direction the crucial AAPI electorate will vote for this November.
As if to counter Biden's courting of the AAPI vote, Thursday evening, the Trump campaign debuted its "Asian Americans for Trump" initiative chaired by Arizona State Treasurer Kimberly Yee and Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes.
Exit polls show Trump won just 18% of the AAPI vote in 2016, compared to Hillary Clinton's 79%. In February, a Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee survey found that AAPI voters in battleground districts favor Democratic candidates to Trump by 28 points.
AAPI who served in the Obama administration announced their endorsement a week ago of former Vice President Joe Biden, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee. Their declaration of support comes about five weeks after President Obama gave his endorsement to his former running mate.
"All of us served with Vice President Joe Biden in the Obama-Biden administration. We watched him help 20 million Americans gain health insurance through the Affordable Care Act. We watched him lift our country out of the depths of the Great Recession. And we watched him build stronger ties with our allies and stand up to our adversaries abroad," the former officials said in a joint statement. "Most importantly, all of us saw Joe Biden''s empathy, his decency, and his commitment to expanding opportunity for all Americans. He has a deep appreciation for the contributions of AAPI and a keen understanding of the challenges still facing the community," they said. "Now more than ever, we need a President who values our nation''s diversity and will fight to create a more fair and just country. That person is Joe Biden. We are proud to endorse him for President and support him in this fight to restore the soul of our nation," they said in the statement. The same day that Biden received the endorsement from former Obama appointees, another influential group of Asian Americans, ASPIRE, the political arm of Asian American and Pacific Islander Congressmembers, also announced their support for Biden on Friday. Rep. Grace Meng, D-NY, chair of the political action committee, issued the endorsement statement: “We need a president that will unite Americans, instead of taking every opportunity to divide us from one another. Joe Biden will lead us through this unprecedented crisis with science, integrity, and compassion,” “He has been a strong ally of AAPIs throughout his service in the Senate and Obama administration, and he understands that diversity makes our country great. As president, he will stand with AAPIs and ensure that Americans from all communities are treated with dignity and respect.”
More than 11 million Asian American voters will be able to cast their ballots this year, making up nearly 5% of the nation’s eligible voters. They are also the only major racial or ethnic group in which naturalized citizens – rather than the US born – make up a majority of eligible voters, according to a Pew Research Center report.
Both Democrats and Republicans have increased outreach to the Asian American communities but according to AAPI Data, the majority of the Asian American electorate leans towards the Democratic Party. Vietnamese American voters tend to trend towards the GOP.
In the 2018 election, 77 percent of AAPI voters supported a Democratic House candidate. Support of Asian American voters was critical in the 2018 midterm elections delivering traditional Republican districts to the Democrats.
For maximum impact, the key endorsements was timed to come out about the same time that Biden co-wrote a piece with Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., for NBC Think, condemning the racism and discrimination directed toward the Asian American community as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. They also slammed Trump’s use of phrases like the “Chinese virus,” writing that the language stokes xenophobia.
"Ironically, May marks Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. In the face of such intolerance, this month reminds us that it's as important as ever to honor the AAPI community's service to this country — as teachers, doctors, troops, you name it — as well as recognize the consequences of the fear-mongering and outright racism that have been on the rise throughout Trump's presidency," wrote Biden and Duckworth.
Republicans, through Fox News, Thursday brought up past flubs Biden ha had with the AAPI community.
“Joe Biden has disregarded and ridiculed the Asian Pacific American community while President Trump and Republicans continue to champion Asian Pacific Americans, build meaningful relationships, and honor their heritage, sacrifices, and accomplishments," Republican National Committee (RNC) Asian Pacific Americans (APA) media director Marina Tse told Fox News.
AAPI voters are getting the attention from Republicans and Democrats..
Meanwhile, the Trump campaign used the online event as another opportunity to blame China for the United States economic troubles and as the origin of the coronavirus. Republicans have touted its increased engagement with Asian Americans, efforts to combat hate crimes, and economic progress -- noting, for example, that Asian Americans received on average the largest amount from the GOP tax bill.
"This November, we must vote for the candidate who is actually fighting for us, not the one who using us as a political pawn," Tse, the RNC APA spokesperson, told Fox News.
Following are the Asian American and Pacific Islanders who served in the Obama administration and have endorsed Biden:
Kiran Ahuja, Executive Director, White House Initiative on Asian Americans and PacificIslanders
Gaurab Bansal, Deputy White House Cabinet Secretary
Nisha Desai Biswal, Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs
Aneesh Chopra, U.S. Chief Technology Officer
Steve Chu, Secretary of Energy
Nani Coloretti, Deputy Secretary of Housing and Urban Development
Nancy-Ann DeParle, White House Deputy Chief of Staff
Chris Kang, Deputy Counsel to the President
Esther Kia’aina, Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Insular Areas
Harold Hongju Koh, Legal Adviser, Department of State
Dr. Howard Koh, Assistant Secretary for Health
Gary Locke, Secretary of Commerce; U.S. Ambassador to China
Chris Lu, Deputy Secretary of Labor
Seema Nanda, Chief of Staff, Department of Labor
Dr. Tung Nguyen, Chair, President’s Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders
Sonal Shah, Director, White House Office of Social Innovation and Civic Participation
Rhea Suh, Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Policy, Management and Budget
Doua Thor, Executive Director, White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders
The characters in an interracial relationship in 'Insecure' are played by Andrew Hodge and Yvonne Orji
Even in 2020, HBO's Insecure showed in its Episode 7 "Lowkey Trippin'" that interracial relationships is still a minefield filled with hidden tripwires with ordinance ready to explode. Insucure's creator Issa Rae, who plays the main character in this series, created a minor blow-up a few years back when she wrote in her book that Asian men and black women should get together since both were rated "least desirable" on several online dating weibsites. She got a lot a flack, mainly from her black fans, for even suggesting dating out of their race. "Andrew," the hot Asian boyfriend of her Issa's best friend Molly, played by Yvonne Orji, could be her way as pushing back against that criticism. I mean, besides being hot (pan to shots of his shirtless torso revealing those abs) he is so in tune with the racial dynamics of the Molly/Andrew relationship in the show. Rather than skirt around the obvious, Rae chooses to confront the show in the context of a sitcom with some serious messaging. What's cool is that "Andrew," the Chinese American character played by Asian Australian actor Andrew Hodge gets to flesh out his character. He's Issa's best friend's boyfriend, dubbed "Asian BAE" by women fans of the show, has set a high standard for Asian males. Up to now, his main role was to be hot and to be the sounding board for Molly to bounce off her numerous issues. In this episode, we get to see him in action remaining oh-so-cool and sensitive to Molly's needs. In this season's episode 7, the show introduces Andrew's brother and sister-in-law. Victor and Lydia, played by Stephen Oyoung and Camille Chen, respectively. They accompany Andrew and Molly on a weekend jaunt to a Mexican resort.
SCREEN CAPTURE
A discussion on racism goes awry in 'Insecure.
An incident at the resort pool was the most interesting part of the episode when a discussion on racism gets heated. Someone splashes water that stings Lydia because she is wearing contacts. Molly gets up to get her a towel. As she waits in line to get a towel, a white couple in front of her get a whole pile of towels with no fuss. But when Molly asks for a towel, the woman asks for a room key to prove she is a guest. Despite Molly's pleas, the towel woman insists. Just as Molly is about to explode, Victor walks up behind her and shows his room key. The woman hands the towel to Victor, slighting Molly. Molly grabs the towel to give to Lydia. Back at the pool, Victor tries to brush off the racial incident. "You don’t know for sure so you could be making your life harder by assuming (its racism)," he said. "You think I haven't experienced racism," he continues, " I do. And it sucks. But how I react to it is my choice. You don''t have to give it so much power." Molly: Wow! OK. Victor: OK, She was just asking for a room key. Molly: No. No, she wasn't. Just mine. Lydia: This is what white people want. To divide us. Yeah. You just have know when to pick your battles.
Molly: "That's easy for you to say. Y'all think of yourselves as people of color only when it benefits you." Lydia: Oh, no! Andrew: That's not true. I don't think like that Molly: You're different. Victor: Seems to me, you're picking and choosing to who you're giving the benefit of the doubt to. You have to learn to pick your battles. Molly: (exasperated) You know what? I'm done. Molly stalks off. And that folks, is an example of why its going to be a difficult conversation between Blacks and Asians.
That's the first time I've seen that conversation came up on TV, perhaps because of the explosive nature of the conversation. More likely, no one has ever thought to write about it until a show centering on a black woman, You have to watch the episode yourself to find out what the final outcome is, but suffice it to say, Andrew keeps his cool and knows how to talk to women. With the rise in anti-Asian incidents and the ongoing racial injustice faced by Blacks drawing the two communities together, as Insecure demonstrates, it is a conversation that needs to occur because even though we use the same vocabulary in addressing the issue of racism, the different perspectives demands that a more nuanced, honest respectful discussion needs to take place if we are to be allies in the fight for equality and justice. Lesson learned? An argument with a black person about racism, no matter how nuanced, is an argument you're not going to win.
Asian American Senators Kamala Harris, D-CA, Tammy Duckworth, D-IL, Mazie Hirono, D-HO, Rep. Grace Meng, D-NY and other elected officials have introduced a joint resolution condemning racism and xenophobia against Chinese Americans and Asian American Pacific Islanders.
“[Resolved, that the Senate] condemns all manifestations or expressions of racism, xenophobia, discrimination, anti-Asian sentiment, scapegoating, and ethnic or religious intolerance;” the resolution stated.
Harris, Duckworth and Hirono announced the intention to submit the resolution last month. The joint resolution highlighted Asian impact to the economy, businesses and American culture.
It also stated that since January, there has been a “dramatic increase” in reported hate crimes and harassment toward those of Asian heritage.
The resolution highlighted incidents in which two children and two adults were stabbed in Midland, Texas, attacks against a couple in Philadelphia and vandalism of businesses owned by Asian Americans.
“Inflammatory and racist rhetoric from officials at the highest level of our government has contributed to a disturbing rise in hate-crimes targeting Asian Americans,” Hirono told Fox News.
If passed, the resolution would also urge public officials across the nation to denounce anti-Asian sentiments, document and investigate reports of discrimination, collect data and promote language inclusion in governmental communication.
Some lawmakers on the local level are already acting on addressing the issues highlighted in the proposal.
“One of the first things we knew we had to do was to educate our own colleagues in the House and the Senate because I felt that they were not aware of how extensive the [anti-Asian] hate crimes and incidents have gotten,” Congressmember Judy Chu, D-CA, stated during the April 27 Facebook Live event, according to Asian Journal.
Chu, chairwoman of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, praised the Senate resolution and told Asian Journal that she has spoken with other members of Congress to abandon anti-Asian language and promote accurate information on the virus.
The article also highlights Rep. Don Beyer’s, D-VA, No Hate Act, which seeks to correct “deficiency in the FBI hate crime reporting” by providing grants for reporting crimes and funding for community-service based programs.
Another bill, co-introduced by Rep T.J. Cox,, D-21st District of CA, a Filipino American lawmaker, recommends the Department of Health and Human Services to “carry out a national awareness campaign to increase factual awareness and knowledge of COVID-19.” This includes denouncing and finding ways to counter anti-Asian sentiments.
“During the COVID-19 pandemic, getting accurate, timely information to the public isn’t just helpful; it’s a matter of life and death. Our institutions have struggled to meet this challenge, so it’s vital that we boost our awareness and education efforts, especially before we -when it is safe to do so – reopen our country,” Cox told The Hanford Sentinel. “That way we can combat misinformation and stereotypes that endanger lives and slow down this nation’s recovery.”
Minneapolis Police Officer Tou Thao stands guard as Officer Derek Chauvin keeps his knee on George Floyd's neck.
UPDATED 1:30 p.m., May 28, 2020.
George Floyd's horrible death Monday gasping for air as a policeman's knee pressed down on his neck was captured on video drawing condemnations from Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.
"This hits home for us as we close out Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, a time when so many of us reflect on our Asian American identity and how it had emerged from the Black liberation movement," said Alvina Yeh, Executive Director of the Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance.
"We’ve said this before and we’ll say it again because the work continues; we all have a role in responding to atrocious acts of violence," she said. "As Asian American and Pacific Islander working people, we commit to leveraging our power to dismantle oppressive systems, addressing anti-blackness in the AAPI community, and loving and fighting for our black siblings.”
Floyd, a 46-year old Black man, died after being violently arrested and pinned to the ground in Minneapolis, Minnesota as onlookers pleaded to the police to let him breathe. Floyd, a bouncer at a nightclub, was heard saying, "I can't breathe."
Police responded to a call that a man was trying to pass a forged check. Four officers arrived. Although the police report claimed that Floyd was resisting arrest, a security camera taping the scene didn't show any resistance by Floyd before he was thrown to the ground and his neck pinned to the ground. Officer Derek Chauvin continued to kneel into his neck, even after Floyd stopped struggling and fell unconscious.
As this was going on Officer Tou Thao stood between his fellow officer and a gathering crowd.
The Minneapolis AAPI community was quick to express their support for Black Lives Matter and to condemn Floyd's death.
"Today and every day we support #BlackLivesMatter and stand with George Floyd's family and community to demand justice," said the Coalition of Asian American Leaders in a statement.
African American adults are nearly six times as likely to be imprisoned or jailed than white adults, according to the Sentencing Project watchdog group. Minnesota law enforcement authorities have come under heavy criticism in recent years. Protests erupted in the state in 2016, after 32-year-old Philando Castile, who was black, was shot and killed by a St Anthony police officer during a traffic stop. Footage of the incident also went viral online.
The CAAL statement went on to say: "We also know our work to dismantle harmful systems and build just alternatives must include addressing anti-Blackness within our own communities. We must show up in solidarity for Black lives not only when lives are lost. but in everyday recognition that our liberation is tied together."
The remarkable admission of the Asian American leaders touches on a little-talked about topic in the AAPI community -- a bias against African Americans among many AAPI. South Asian Americans Leading Together made a similar statement confronting the anti-Black sentiment within the AAPI communities. “As South Asians and Asian Americans, we must acknowledge, confront, and dismantle anti-Blackness in our own communities,” said SAALT’s Executive Director, Lakshmi Sridaran. SAALT went a step further and created a toolkit with steps people can take to express their outrage at the poliice behavior during the arrest and death of FLoyd.
Rep. Judy Chu, D-CA, chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, California Sen. Kamala Harris spoke out against the incident, just the latest example of injustice towards members of the African American community.
“We send our deepest condolences to the family and friends of George Floyd. Deaths like Mr. Floyd’s, which remind us of the police killings of Eric Garner and other Black individuals, point to the systemic racism behind individual and structural hate crimes,” said Rita Pin Ahrens, national executive director of the OCA – Asian Pacific American Advocates.
“The fact that Hmong American Officer Tou Thao stood to defend his colleague, and antagonized the bystanders who called for compassion, is not lost upon us. Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders must stand up for Black communities by calling out institutional racism and the anti-Blackness within our own communities,” the OCA statement continued.
“We are equally enraged and ashamed to learn that an Asian American police officer, Tou Thao, just stood watch as his co-worker treated George Floyd inhumanely.," stated APALA's Yeh. "As refugees and descendants of refugees, as survivors of war and genocide, our communities also know the devastating impacts of police force.," said a statement from South East Asian Resource Action Center.
"It is incumbant on us as Southeast Asian Americans to show up for the Black community. We must acknowledge that our own paths to equity are a direct product of their historic civil rights wins and struggles, that they continue to build, as well as to endure, to this day. We must name the systems that have benefitted from having communities of color pitted against one another, and we must boldly resist them."
The four officers detaining Floyd were subsequently placed on administrative leave but before the day ended, they were fired after an outcry from politicians and community members.
“At my request, the FBI and the Department of Justice are already well into an investigation as to the very sad and tragic death in Minnesota of George Floyd,” Donald Trump tweeted late Wednesday.
“I have asked for this investigation to be expedited and greatly appreciate all of the work done by local law enforcement," Trump added. "My heart goes out to George’s family and friends. Justice will be served!”
Both Chauvin and Thao have several complaints against them for use of unreasonable force in their history, according to police records.
A peaceful protest against Floyd's death later Tuesday was broken up by police using tear gas.
Protests on Wednesday grew more violent as looting was reported and several buildings were set on fire. One person, who was shot by a pawnshop owner, died at a hospital.
“I’ve wrestled with, more than anything else over the last 36 hours, one fundamental question: Why is the man who killed George Floyd not in jail?” said Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey. Wednesday, Frey called for his District Attorney to file charges against the former police officer Chauvin.
He later added: “I saw no threat. I saw nothing that would signal that this kind of force was necessary.”
For the past several years, Views From the Edge has been proud to present the graduation ceremonies of Kahuku High School on the North Shore of Oahu, Hawaii. This year, because of the coronavirus pandemic and the social distancing mandates that came with it, the usually raucous and choreographed graduation ceremony of the Red Raiders was different -- quieter and more reflective. Because the students of Kahuku have given us so much joy, most of them Asian American and Pacific Islander, the Class of 2020 shouldn't be forgotten. Here we present their graduation drive through marked by a few speeches by class president and their valedictorian. Even though Kuhuku's 211 graduating seniors were deprived of their chance in the spotlight, they deserve no less attention and congratulations.
In case you're new to this blog, take a look at last year's graduation ceremony is an example of what each senior class has given back to their community on the less touristy, less glamorous, working class part of Oahu and Views From the Edge keeps returning year after year to enjoy the largely AAPI student body perform.
In commemoration of Asian Pacific American Heritage month, talented Asian American artists across the country are joining hands for a 2-day virtual music festival called "Fresh off the Vote," this Wednesday and Thursday. (May 27 & 28). Artists ranging from musician AJ Rafael, ALVYN and DJ Ramen will perform online over two day to blast out the importance of voting in an age of increased anti-Asian hate.
Fresh off the Vote is a livestream event which BTO Collective Twitter dubbed “more than just a festival”. Launched by the 2020 Project and Better Than One (BTO) Collective, the virtual music festival encourages Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) youth in the community to “pursue and engage in their passions.”
Andy Au Bui, performing under the artist name SATORI admits he was initially hesitant to participate because he was preoccupied with other work. Yet he understood that he “couldn’t pass up an opportunity to be a part of a cultural event to celebrate AAPI inclusion and empowerment.”
“In our current COVID-era, we [AAPI] all understand now more than ever that public policies matter, and policies in themselves have consequences,” he said. “The best way to increase our voice and influence in the political process is the vote. It’s not the end-all, but it’s a good first step!”
AsAmNews has been enlisted by the 2020 Project and the BTO Collective as a supporting organization for the festival.
The 2020 Project was created in 2016 by Jenni Huynh, who was External Vice President of Union of North American Vietnamese Students Association at the time, and Phil Chung, the Creative Director at You Offend Me You Offend My Family Network. The project aimed to register 100,000 AAPI to vote for the 2020 Presidential Elections through active voter education, collaborations with AAPI influencers, and engaging events like Fresh off the Vote.
Huynh found promoting voter registration among AAPI youth to be important because “they [AAPI] are the fastest growing minority population in the United States, yet we [AAPI] are the least represented at the polls. Whether AAPIs are apathetic towards voting, feel their voice does not matter, or feel unprepared to cast their ballot, the 2020 Project team is working to break down barriers and show how voting does make a difference for our community.”
Huynh determined the best way to do so was by engaging AAPI youth to the music world, filled with talented AAPI artists performing acoustic to electronic dance music sets.
That is why she got together with BTO Collective, a music organization comprising talented producers and DJs.
Chad Dominic Sahilan, a member and Public Relations Manager of BTO Collective, explained to AsAmNews how he actively recruited AAPI artists to participate in this event.
Sahilan said that he was more than happy to be part of an event that “advocates for and empowers our community’s voices because it is nothing short of humbling.” He emphasized how excited he was to be able to present and participate in a lineup full of Asian American talent as he “wanted to help represent a community whose voices throughout the current media and political landscape are often overshadowed and underrepresented.”
As Fresh Off the Vote is on the same month as Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, the Asian American performers also shared their words of encouragement to AAPI youth.
Chad Dominic Sahilan, who will be performing in a 30 minute DJ set with some of his favorite EDM genres said, “Don’t just follow your dreams — chase them down. Don’t let Asian American career stereotypes hinder you from chasing your dreams either. Work hard, play hard. ”
Alvin Lee, more known to the public as ALVYN said, “Pursue your passion. I’ve had so many people tell me how much they regret not pursuing their passion, but seeing me and all of my other friends in BTO Collective really inspires them, so I urge you to not be afraid, because you will clear up your doubts and find happiness in the journey!”
“Learn the history of Asian Americans, our struggles, and how we got to where are today. Go out and vote, and encourage others to do the same,” shared Satori.
Fresh Off the Vote will take place on twitch.com/btocollective on May 27-28th (Wednesday & Thursday). To view on Twitch, click here.
A rash of attacks against AAPIs in Seattle over the Memorial Day weekend has Asian Americans looking over their shoulder. Seattle police are working to identify a suspect in a May 16 incident when an Asian American couple was suddenly attacked. The suspect shoved the male victim, knocking off his glasses and his mask. Police report that he was also spat on, and the suspect allegedly told the couple, "it's all your fault."
"If you can imagine having someone spit in your face. How awful that would be. That was very egregious," said Seattle Police Chief Carmen Best.
Throughout the US reports of attacks against AAPI have risen since the arrival of the coronavirus, spurred by a stream of anti-China rhetoric coming out of the Trump administration. In January and February Trump even called Covid-19, the "Chinese virus." He has since refrained for that term.
In the absence of government intervention, Asian American and Pacific Islander civil rights groups created a website where victims can report such hate incidences. Stop AAPI Hate, is one of the websites by Asian American advocacy groups. Established with partners including SF State and Chinese for Affirmative Action, Stop the Hate has collected 1,983 accounts of anti-Asian discrimination and attacks in the US since it launched its site in mid-March.
“We think that as shelter-in-place orders are lifted, people start going back to work, when schools resume, which is where we saw some incidents happening on school yards and on public transportation, that this is likely to increase,” said Co-Executive Director of Chinese for Affirmative Action Cynthia Choi.
Most of the reports, nearly 40% come from California, which has the largest AAPI population in the US but the reports have come from all parts of the country.
While the FBI collects hate data, most cities have their own anti-hate units as part of its city structure.
The Seattle PD's Bias Crime Unit is investigating at least three separate anti-Asian bias incidents that were reported on Saturday. Besides the attack on the couple walking to their car, a few hours earlier a man began yelling AAPI at Golden Gardens Park.
On May 23 around 6:30 p.m. officers responded to Golden Gardens Park for a report of a man in the park yelling at Asian park guests and chasing a female driver as she was trying to leave.
In another incident, a man went into a restaurant and began yelling at its Asian American customers, throwing a wooden doorstop at the customer.
The description of the suspects in the three incident are similar and could be the same man, say police.
"Since March, when we first came under this COVID-19 pandemic, we've had nine incidents that we tracked that were targeted toward the Asian community," said Police Chief Carmen Best.
In New York City, 11 people have been arrested for suspected hate crimes against Asians.
The New York City Commission on Human Rights said it has received more than 300 harassment and discrimination complaints related to COVID-19 this year; 117 of which – nearly 40% – involved anti-Asian sentiments.
In one incident, a Filipino American nurse was attacked on the subway by a man who shouted at him, "You're infected China boy, you need to get off the train." The assailant then grabbed the victim and attempted to pull him out of his seat. The nurse was unharmed and didn't need any treatment, said police.
“The numbers alone are quite astonishing,” said Carmelyn Malalis, head of the commission.
Malalis said she has not personally experienced similar verbal taunts because of COVID-19, but she has heard from friends who have.
“What people have to remember is that … just because I’m a Filipino, just because someone’s Chinese, Vietnamese, what have you, does not mean they’re not going through the same kinds of challenges,” Malalis said. “Having to telework while taking care of children, having to take care of their loved ones, worrying about people in the community, experiencing loss. … Everyone is going through these exact challenges. Asian Americans should not have to go through, on top of that, be discriminated against.”
Reports have come to Stop the Hate website from across the nation. In San Luis Obispo, the Cal Poly Chinese Student Association's Zoom meeting was Zoombombed by unidentified participants who drew swastikas and filled the chat box with xenophobic comments blaming the pandemic on people of Chinese descent.
A man was arrested after using racial slurs against Asian customers in a grocery store in Stevens Point, Wisconsin. According to police “the customers were called names and harassed for wearing masks because of their race.”
In San Leandro, Calif., a city just south of Oakland, a woman is arrested for posting flyers essentially telling her Asian American neighbors that they are not welcome here and to go back to their country.
“We have a large Asian population, and we have a lot of elderly Asian population who are getting scared to death about being preyed upon by somebody who’s willing to resort to that behavior,” said Nancy O’Malley, the district attorney of Alameda County, where San Leandro is located. “You have one ethnic group that’s targeted … and ignorant people who think they can just scream at somebody because of their ethnicity. ... We cannot tolerate that.”
It does not appear that the hate attacks against AAPI will subside any time soon. Both campaigns of Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden, the presumptive Democratic nominee, have made attacks against China part of their election strategies.
The people prone to committing the hateful acts are not the type to distinguish between China and Chinese Americans and other Asian American ethnicities and nationalities. Indeed, the reports bear this out. The victims are Chinese, Korean, Filipino, Vietnaemse, Burmese and other nationalities from Asia.
NYC is committing $100,000 for an education campaign on how to report hate crimes using the city's hotline established specifically for the anti-Asian hate incidents.
"People have to understand that this is not something that we are making up and they have to see racism for what it really is," said Malallis. "They think that signaling out an entire people for a pandemic -- that’s not discrimination or racism."
