On May 25th, 2020, George Floyd, an unarmed Black man, was arrested by police in Minneapolis, Minnesota. His crime, allegedly passing a counterfeit $20 bill at a nearby convenience store. Somehow this warranted Derek Chauvin, the arresting officer, to kneel on his neck for more than eight minutes.
The incident was fatal. George Floyd lost his life in another example of how law enforcement officers often use excessive force on people of color with impunity. This time, however, it was different.
George Floyd’s murder was caught on video. Then it went viral and sparked a movement that set the world on fire! People are tired of injustice. We’re ready to see changes.
The Other America
Watching the murder of George Floyd was heartbreaking in more ways than one. Like Black Americans, Asian Americans have been subject to racial prejudice and discrimination for generations, despite the contributions we’ve made to this country.
We’ve both been the victim of racist stereotyping, the butt of racist jokes, and, in many instances, the target of institutional violence.
It wasn’t too long ago that Japanese Americans were forced into internment camps by the federal government to see how Asian Americans have been persecuted.
Here’s a story of the other America: On June 19, 1982, when Detroit’s auto industry was suffering, Vincent Chin, a 27-year-old Chinese American was bludgeoned to death with a metal baseball bat by laid-off autoworkers. Chin’s killers were fined $3,000 and never received jail time.
This pushed Chinese American activists and Black civil rights leaders like Jesse Jackson to march the streets holding signs calling for an end to racial violence.
Progress, But A Long Way To Go
Although I’ve experienced everything from microaggressions to overt discrimination, I still recognize the privilege I have as an Asian American.
No one has ever made me feel like a criminal because of the color of my skin. I’ve never feared for my life when I get pulled over, nor do I expect law enforcement to get called if I linger too long at Starbucks. I can go for a jog in my neighborhood without ever raising suspicion, and I’ll never have to worry that my children will be taken out by an overzealous cop who sees them as thugs.
Black Americans spearheaded the civil rights movement, opening doors for people of color. Without their help, Asian Americans couldn’t live in White neighborhoods or apply for official citizenship. It’s why I’m proud to stand with the Black community.
Fail, Fail Again, Fail Better
I understand my privilege. No one’s on the streets right now holding up signs saying “Asian Lives Matter” because Asian Americans aren’t being victimized by extrajudicial killings by the police the same way Black Americans are. We still experience racism, but racists perceive Asians (and Asian Americans) differently than how they perceive Black Americans.
There’s an expectation for Asian Americans to be socially mobile. We’re almost expected to be the “good” minority, the one that obeys authority and doesn’t cause trouble. It’s not a compliment to who we are and our cultural and ethnic identity. Besides, upward mobility is a lot easier to achieve when the expectations are higher.
Being used as a comparison point to degrade Black Americans is vile, and I won’t allow it. I may not be marching in the streets, but as a mother, I can make an impact by planting the seeds of change in my home.
Strength in Solidarity
We will never be free of racism and bigotry unless all of us are. I know that if I don’t stand up to racism against all people of color, it’s only a matter of time before I become the target of racism. But we can’t just stand up for Black Lives Matter without fighting for the equality of everyone who’s marginalized.
Even if progress takes many lifetimes before we see real change, we can still focus our efforts and impact our communities by working together in solidarity.
