August 31, 2020 to September 4, 2020
Tonight I am thinking about Jacob Blake, his family, and of those who have been and continued to be harmed and killed by police violence.
Growing up, like many others, I was taught to trust the police and trust that they were there to protect us. But as I grew older, I began to see for myself the realities of how police use their power in ways to oppress us. Whether it was the unwarranted entry into my own home, the profiling and death of my father, or seeing my fellow community members detained and deported; I learned that my experience with policing was not a unique one within Asian American communities. The reality is that as Asian Americans, the police haven’t been there to protect us either.
It’s important to note that our experiences as Asian Americans however, are not the same experiences that Black people face in America. I’ll never know what it’s like to experience the trauma of seeing people who look like me shot and murdered on the streets at the hands of those who are supposed to keep us safe. I’ll never know what it’s like to have my ancestors brought over in chains and forced to build the industry we know today as the United States of America. I’ll never know what it’s like for my identity to be constantly seen as criminal to our society.
What I do know is that I’m here to build a different world alongside my Black friends, family, and community. We’re working to build a world that is rooted in care for each other, a world free from violence, a world where we are all thriving; and despite what seems to be deep division in society and constant setbacks, we are actually inching closer to this world. Because of the many organizers, activists and movement builders, we can see and feel this shift happening right now beneath our feet, in the streets, on the news, and in our living rooms. Public opinion, local policies, and the larger narrative is moving to our side. Our moment is now. We must not let up.
As Asian Americans, our stake has always been clear. Here are some ways to take action right now.
- Donate to the Milwaukee Freedom Fund
- Donate to the family of Jacob Blake
- Join Black Lives Activist of Kenosha (BLAK) in the fight for justice
- Continue to do your own work. Have conversations with your friends and family, talk to them about anti-blackness, about policing, and about the type of world you want to live in.
In solidarity,
Nick Kor
Senior Manager of Movement Building
CAAL ACTIVITIES & EVENTS
Submit your completed application to us no later than Friday, September 25, 2020 at 5:00 PM CT by completing this online form. Please make sure all requested information is complete. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed.
For general questions, technical assistance, and accessibility needs, please contact Kara Carmosino at kara@caalmn.org. If you would rather be interviewed for this application rather than complete it, please contact Kara.
State of Asian Minnesotans: Fired Up and Ready to Take Action
Thursday, September 24 (3:00 PM to 4:30 PM)
The State of Asian Minnesotans Series takes a critical look at the state and progress of Asian/Asian Americans in Minnesota, and consider what else we can do to tap into the assets of, and ensure inclusion of this community. In this session, speakers will discuss the growing civic power of Asian Minnesotans and what Asian Minnesotan communities are doing to build power during this election cycle and beyond.
We invite subject experts, researchers, community members, and thought leaders that increase audience knowledge, challenge and allow audiences to dive deeper into their understandings of this population, and provide new thinking and tools for audiences to consider as they work with Asian Minnesotan communities. You can register here.
ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES & EVENTS
Call for Submissions: An Anthology
Ode to George: Reflections on George Floyd’s Memorial Site at 38th & Chicago
In the same way that Emmet Till’s lynching on August 28, 1955, sparked the Civil Rights Movement, George Floyd’s lynching on May 25, 2020, reinvigorated calls for justice, systemic racial transformation, and #BlackLivesMatter.
While local and national news media fed us images of looting and destruction to property, the South Minneapolis community was focused on a) making sure that George’s life was centered and b) making sure that the Black community had a place that centered their grief and pain. The memorial site for George Floyd on 38th and Chicago accomplishes both.
In an effort to celebrate, honor, and preserve this space that has sprouted and flourished under the care of community, this call for submissions seeks PERSONAL ESSAYS, POEMS, AND VISUAL ART that reflects on the significance of this space. Please check out the larger call for submissions for more information about this anthology and how to submit your piece.
Report Discrimination and Bias
If you experience or witness discrimination based on race, where you come from, your immigration status, or anything else, call Minnesota’s Discrimination Helpline at 1-833-454-0148 or submit this online form. The helpline is staffed by investigators from the Minnesota Department of Human Rights. Translation/interpretation services are available.