Help fight racism against Asian neighbors
Hate crimes not recognized due to the invisibility of Asians and discrimination against them
The suspect in the murders in Atlanta, and others in the police department, news outlets and countless other places, deny these murders were hate crimes motivated by racism. We believe they cannot see this racism because of the invisibility of Asians and discrimination against Asians in the United States, and the accepted normalization of Asian womxn as objects in our society. The suspect’s belief the eradication of Asian womxn would “remove the temptation” of sex addiction is a direct result of a society that hypersexualizes Asian womxn. Sexual objectification is the lived experience of Asian womxn in social and professional settings in this country. At the same time any sex educator will note our remarkable absence in literature and resources on body positive, healthy sexuality. This duality is the Asian American experience of being defined only as it serves the dominant white culture: hypersexualized, but not sexual for ourselves; smart and hard-working, but not leaders; the “model” minority used to criticize other minorities but disqualified as minorities in affirmative action.
The murders in Atlanta were carried out by one person, but they were cultivated and supported by societal racism and misogyny that specifically targets Asian womxn. For more information, please find below ways to support our community from the New Mexico Asian Family Center. Here is how you can help:
■ Support community-based solutions that do not call for more policing as we know that this perpetuates anti-Blackness and targets Black communities, sex workers, undocumented and unsheltered people.
■ Support language access for our community. Often our community members are harassed due to speaking languages other than English. Speak up if you see someone refusing to comply or provide service due to a language barrier.
■ Educate yourself and your peers on the history of anti-Asian violence and xenophobia.
■ Share and tap into local community resources such as the Asian Business Collaborative, the National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum-ABQ Chapter and the New Mexico Asian Family Center.
■ If you witness harassment, discrimination or a situation that is escalating, the first priority should be to make sure the victim/target of those crimes is okay and then to step in if it is safe and possible.
Consider donating to N.M.-based organizations:
■ @napawfabq
■ @asianamericanassoc-iationnm
■ @asianbusinesscollaborative
■ @nm_asian_family_center Or national organizations:
■ @advancingjustice_aajc
■ @stopaapihate
■ @napawf
■ @redcanarysong