|
Since the start of the pandemic, incidents of anti-Asian hate have been increasing in frequency and severity. Violent acts of racism and xenophobia on the bus, while grocery shopping, while walking down the street, while sitting in a walker, and recently and devastatingly while working have become almost commonplace. Sadly, their public nature demonstrates the vulnerability of our brothers and sisters in the Asian community to harm and trauma – and we know this is especially true for women and seniors. While the context of COVID-19 and white nationalism has shone a glaring light on this issue, it is vital to remember that anti-Asian racism has existed in the US and Canada since the 18th and 19th Centuries, respectively. What we see today is a snapshot in a long history of otherness, exclusion and the denial of citizenship.
The conversation has started, but the work has only just begun. After last month's Atlanta spa shootings, I have struggled to find words that capture the depth of my empathy and sorrow at the community's pain. Instead, I am yielding this space to share the story of Mary Zhu, who reflects on her identity, sense of safety and trauma in the aftermath of a racist attack in this CBC Short Doc. Her narrative reveals the everyday effects of racism and its fundamentally destabilizing nature. Since Boldly Inclusive often works with stories to build understanding and promote anti-racism, hearing Mary's experience in her own words is particularly powerful. At Boldly Inclusive, we stand with East/Southeast Asian and Pacific Islander communities. We condemn racism and xenophobia, and we will continue striving for allyship. #StopAsianHate. Comments are closed.
|
RSS Feed