It has been incredibly frustrating and disheartening as of late to see the Black and Asian community grow further apart in light of anti-Asian hate crimes.

We must come together to combat the ultimate underlying issue: white supremacy.

Why white supremacy? The model minority myth has ALWAYS been used as a racial wedge between Asians and Black people. Interminority prejudice exists solely because of white supremacy and our nation’s racist history. Here’s how:

- The Model Minority Myth lumps Asian American success with white Americans and is used to negate the struggles of Black Americans. But socially, Asian Americans have always been seen as part of minority culture.

This division is known as the “Middle Man Theory”, which is used to describe the Western view that Asian Americans “link” Black Americans and White Americans. As a result, Asian Americans are incorrectly seen as profiting off BOTH minority groups.

“The Middleman Theory” fueled by the Model Minority Myth undoubtedly furthers the tension between the Asian and Black community. And soon when this tension created by white supremacy reaches a certain point, it BOILS. OVER.

Let’s look at the Rodney King Riots.

As Koreans migrated to predominantly Black neighborhoods in LA after the Korean war, tensions between the two groups grew as cultural differences became apparent (pt 1).

The tipping point: a Korean grocer fired at a Black teen but received a LIGHTER sentence compared to sentences given to Black Americans.

As a result, 2,200 protest hit small Korean businesses.

Black people felt cheated, while Koreans felt attacked. (pt 2)

The Rodney King Riot is a CLEAR example of racial tensions between Black Americans and Asian Americans as a result of white supremacy.

We CANNOT let history repeat itself.

Black and Asian communities need to stand together in solidarity.