We Must Talk About This…

TW: AAPI hate crimes and violence

On Tuesday March 16th a gunman in Atlanta opened fire at three separate massage parlors, killing 8, six of whom are of Asian descent. This was no accident, with more information developing about how the gunman, Robert Aaron Long, planned and executed these horrific attacks.

The rise in Anti-Asian rhetoric amidst COVID-19 has been insurmountably overlooked and absolutely NOT OK on astronomical levels. From the rise in hate crimes, to the negative portrayals of the AAPI community by the media, to our very own U.S. politicians pedaling misogyny, racism, and xenophobia in their speeches; it is clear that we have a deeply rooted issue.

America, it is time that we address our racism problems. Enough is enough.

Yet there is no way that I, a white man, will ever be able to explain our current events without it sounding like I am “mansplaining” the serious plights of racism and oppression. That being said, there are some incredible content creators that have used the power of the internet to amplify their incredible voices. I think it’s best suited that I aid in that amplification, in hopes that my followers will read about why, right now, it is imperative this does not get overlooked.

Starting first with words from Trevor Noah

The Daily Show host has had enough too and he doesn’t mince his words. Here are some of his recent, well captured quotes. (click to expand)

violence against asian people is unacceptable.

Violence against asian people is unacceptable. It’s said best when you speak it out loud, but also well stated by the ACLU , the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation, and redline mapping courtesy of Decolonial Atlas. (click to expand)

“this is not ok”

BOOM! Mic drop. Christinaaaaaaanp is one of my favorite content creators for a reason:

Anti-Asian Hate is Killing Us

I adore Schuyler Bailar, whose platform is pinkmantaray. His boldness and professionalism is something I aspire to. There is no way I could say any of this better, so (click to expand) and read what he has to say…

How the Media’s Depiction of Asian Women Harms Them

A little Hollywood history on the depiction of Asian women in American society by diet_prada. I hope this provides some internal reflection while scrolling through what to watch next on Netflix. Upon reflection you may be surprised and saddened by the amount of racist and misogynistic stereotypes we continue to pedal in 2021. (click to expand)

So You want to be an ally?

To debunk a common misconception: being an ally not a title you hold, it is an act of support. True allyship is a consistent act of support, regardless of the current state of affairs. These resources by Kim Saira detail excellent ways to act upon your intuitions of allyship for the AAPI community…(click to expand)