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Good morning 
Asian diaspora in North America.
Asian diaspora in North America.
Lots of conversations happening about incidents of violence against Asian elders. Community organizers & activists have offered thoughts & suggestions on actions.
For my part I want to encourage us to simultaneously start or continue 1) IRL organizing and 2) political education
For my part I want to encourage us to simultaneously start or continue 1) IRL organizing and 2) political education
I say this as someone who did on the ground activism for climate and transit justice for years without having larger systemic awareness.
I operated from a liberal framework focused on the choices and wellbeing of the individual as tantamount to environmental health.
I operated from a liberal framework focused on the choices and wellbeing of the individual as tantamount to environmental health.
On the other hand, I have seen people who understand systems and theory but have never organized IRL, so they've never had to confront the actual material conditions otg and made decisions based on them.
For example, when explaining to Viet elders why the city's homeless sweeps are violent, I can't talk about how houselessness is a legacy of Reagan cutting the budget of Dept of Housing and Urban Development’s by 40%.
When explaining to them why I'm against a big luxury hotel being built in Chinatown, I can't talk about how the Reagan budget cuts resulted in gentrification, bc cities have to get rich people to move in and move out poor people – in the name of "economic growth & development."
So the work otg is responding to the needs of the people. Do they need translation? Grocery delivery? Do they need to feel safe? Ok, let's address that within community. For example, there's a community patrol ran entirely by volunteers in the Seattle CID: https://crosscut.com/2020/06/neighborhood-safety-patrols-reemerge-seattles-chinatown-international-district
And *then* the work for organizers is to continue to understand:
1. Economic systems - global corporate interests, neoliberal policies, etc.
and
2. Systems of oppression – racism, ableism, patriarchy, etc.
1. Economic systems - global corporate interests, neoliberal policies, etc.
and
2. Systems of oppression – racism, ableism, patriarchy, etc.
We need to understand how systems of oppression and economic systems intersect. And we need to understand how they show up and reinforce each other:
✦ Ideologically
✦ Institutionally
✦ Interpersonally
✦ Internally
✦ Ideologically
✦ Institutionally
✦ Interpersonally
✦ Internally
We also need to show up for our communities in whatever capacity we can. Not to mention building coalition & international solidarity.
This is a LOT of work. That's why we need *so many more* of us.
As Mariame Kaba said "Let this radicalize you rather than lead you to despair"
This is a LOT of work. That's why we need *so many more* of us.
As Mariame Kaba said "Let this radicalize you rather than lead you to despair"
In addition, let’s be really weary of some seemingly helpful or well-intentioned call to actions out there, such as the call to get corporate media to cover these stories.
In the summer of last year a group of us were approached by CNN to cover some work we had done on solidarity with BLM.
After meeting with them, we declined. Even if the reporter is 100% well-intentioned, they do not have all editing control and final say on what gets aired.
After meeting with them, we declined. Even if the reporter is 100% well-intentioned, they do not have all editing control and final say on what gets aired.
Do not provide anything to corporate media where we and our communities do not get to control the narrative.
Asian people, white supremacist media & entertainment institutions where 90% are owned by six multinational conglomerates will not deliver us our liberation.
Choose your fighter
