By: Animesh, Connor, and Ondrea The Power of Conversation and ActivismNow that we’ve discussed some of the factors that influence anti-blackness in Asian communities, our next step is tackling these problems through some different solutions. We’ve just brainstormed a couple, so we urge you to continue this process on your own. The first step you can take is starting a conversation. It may not sound as flashy as other things, but when it comes to internalized racism, this is an important part to any meaningful change. Activism of other kinds is obviously good, but there also need to be specific conversations that engage with how anti-blackness exists, and persists, in our communities. These conversations are often hard to have – for all the reasons illustrated above – and are especially difficult with family members. But we cannot stress how important it is to initiate them. Consider these strategies
Start small. If a family member is lamenting police brutality and the criminal justice system, agree with the person and offer more information. When approaching the conversation, start with breaking down the purpose of the Black Lives Matter movement. This means carefully explaining it in terms and ways which they would understand--something one of our interns tried. The approach can also be beneficial for the conversation to develop since it allows everyone to clarify any misconceptions the other party has. Educate. Bring up statistics about rates of police shootings and incarceration (make sure you get your information from trustworthy sources.) This information can often become a springboard for future conversations that continue to problematize anti-blackness. Challenge assumptions by offering different opinions. Maybe a passing comment is made about looting being bad. This can become an opportunity to voice your own views. Maybe you can qualify the initial comment by agreeing that looting in a vacuum is bad, but it becomes an alternative action when peaceful forms of protest are being dismissed. Emphasize that a lot of the wanton destruction hasn’t been perpetrated by protestors, but by opportunists. Use history as your ally. Reference how peaceful demonstrations haven’t always worked and bouts of violence have often led to legislative reform. One of us connected it back to Indian history and independence to prove the point to our parents. Mahatma Gandhi is known to be a champion of non-violence, but history often ignores the concurrent violence of Subhash Chandra Bose, Bhagat Singh, and others that also put pressure on the British to leave India. Finally, start picking holes at specific anti-black tropes Asians have internalized. This can be anything from the Model Minority Myth to racial hierarchies. Call them out for what they are – racism – and disprove them. These are all different ways you can spark meaningful conversations in your own families. Obviously, you don’t have to go around convincing every relative. But there can be real change that you create in your inner circle of family and family friends. Overall, we would recommend not jumping into the deep end. Another one of our interns wasn’t as successful when discussing with their parents. While conversations were initially productive, they ultimately stalled on topics such as the validity of protests and violence as an impetus for change. Still, it was important to begin these discussions and start breaking down our assumptions. The process of reversing internalized racism is a long one, and we have to start slowly and pick up the pace as we go along. There are tiny things you all can do that will eventually culminate in longer and impactful conversations. This grassroots-type work can also translate to your larger community. The goal of these protests isn’t to be a one-time thing that we all forget about when the immediate furor subsides: it is to create lasting change. Work with Black-led organizations to spread awareness and help the material situations of people in need. As Asians, we can set up networks with our own social justice organizations and connect them with Black ones. This community building is just as important as interpersonal conversations. Another conversation to have in your community is addressing the anti-black language around you. Racism is not only perpetuated by racial acts but also by our words. One such example is the use of the N-word. For people who grew up listening to songs by many Black artists, hearing the N-word (or its derivatives) has become customary. We encourage you to examine and understand this term, originally used to dehumanize black bodies, reclaimed for empowerment by African-Americans and co-opted or used to disempower by others. Another phrase commonly used to justify racial slurs is “I have Black friends” or “my Black friends gave me the permission to say it.” Just because one Black friend says it's okay doesn’t mean that other Black people are okay with non-Black people using it. When you come across a person using racial slurs – casually or as an insult – we urge you to call them out. For many of us, confronting people about racism may seem like a difficult conversation because you “don’t want to make everything about race” or they are family members whom you want to enlighten, but by calling them out, you can make your stance clear over how you feel about anti-blackness in the Asian community. Along with that, it allows people around to become educated and sparks conversations on anti-blackness. Another way to call out the use of racial slurs is to be a supportive bystander by amplifying the voice of the person doing the calling-out; your action is likely to create allyship with people you didn't even know shared your philosophies. Lastly, an important component to remember is that we should not homogenize experiences as people of color with the experiences of African Americans. A part of dismantling anti-blackness is knowing that the histories of oppressions differ, and lumping them together undermines the disparate experiences of violence targeted at Black and Brown bodies. In addition to educating yourselves on racism, oppression and privilege, continue conversations in your family and community and become an activist through social media, news articles, meetings with your school officials and local leaders, and joining anti-racism movements. Throughout history, it is evident that intentional activism can bring about major changes. Think about the Boston Tea Party, women’s suffrage, and the Civil Rights movement. They all promoted solidarity by bringing together both people who were affected and those not affected. Thus, there are a plethora of ways for us to take a stand against anti-blackness in Asian communities. At a time when the world seems to be in chaos, including faced by a pandemic onslaught, in reality, there are ample opportunities for us to make changes. Stand up for what is right. The road to deconstructing these stereotypes and stigmas is a long one, but if we acknowledge our privileges and work to better our communities, progress is a sure thing.
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Year ARchive
February 2023
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