How we all need to defeat hate
By The “We Are Bruce Lee” Exhibit Team
(Photo by Janice Lee of “We Are Bruce Lee” Exhibit Team)
“Knowing is not enough. We must apply. Willing is not enough. We must do.” – Bruce Lee
The “We Are Bruce Lee” exhibition team joins social justice and racial equity organizations across the country in condemning all forms of violence against people based on the color of their skin.
The surge in blind attacks against Asian seniors — the most vulnerable in our community — must not be used to drive a wedge between communities of color, as we share histories of oppression and exclusion. We must hold individuals accountable and recognize that perpetrators and heroes come in all colors.
Chinatown Community Development Center launched the Feed + Fuel Chinatown program to provide meals for 15 weeks to Chinatown SRO residents (over 50% of residents are seniors). For more information, visit ChinatownCDC.org (Photo Courtesy of CCDC)
Within each of our own communities, we must teach our youth to respect themselves and all others, even if they might not look like them. We must encourage dialogue with our youth on a regular basis and steer them away from hateful comments on social media. Particularly during these times of a worldwide pandemic and economic recession, we must find a path to redirect their energy and give them a positive outlook.
As Americans living in a multicultural country, we must accept responsibility for educating ourselves about different cultures and people. People native to this land before colonization. People whose ancestors were once enslaved in this country. People who immigrated to this country as a labor force. People who sought refuge from the political unrest or persecution at their home country.
We must push ourselves to creatively think of solutions and be relentless about not only cultural appreciation, but fighting racism and injustice. It is not enough to celebrate cultures one month a year, or to hire just to meet your diversity goals, or to provide one cultural sensitivity training at the time of employment, or to add a few faces of color to your marketing campaigns. We must commit to constant cultural education and be prepared for change. Only by all people listening to each other, working together, exchanging resources, and sharing power will we be able to defeat institutional racism in all industries.
With all that is happening in your community, to people around you, and in our world, what are you doing to make things better?
— Jane Chin, Janice Lee, Christopher Fong, Thomas Lee, and Anthony Tsai
Some ways to get involved:
Report an incident at StopAAPIHate.org
Follow #HateIsaVirus, #StopAsianHate, #BlackLivesMatter, #Asians4BlackLives
Make a donation to AAPI Community Fund, The Lunar Project, or similar
Join the conversation on Zoom or Clubhouse with Strong Asian Lead, shades #RealTalk, or similar
Read a book on xenophobia, race and resegregation, or similar
Get some serious training at Race Forward, Born Collaborators, or similar