The recent events of 2021 bring light to another topic of widespread discussion: racism between communities of color. As we continue to observe Black History Month, the tension reaches new heights as the Black community and the Asian American community face a new dilemma. With the Lunar New Year also having taken place this past week, its celebration has also gained a new perspective with respect to both the pandemic and the news.
In January, footage is shown of a teenager named Antoine Watson running and violently pushing an 84-year-old man in a neighborhood in San Francisco, whose name is Vicha Ratanapakdee, making his head hit the pavement. Ratanapakdee died a few days later.
Another video shows a 91-year-old man being shoved to the pavement in Oakland’s Chinatown in an unprovoked attack. Following that, the same suspect proceeded to attack two more victims, a 60-year-old man, and a 55-year-old woman, by pushing them as they were walking along a street.
However, the attacks did not stop there. Carl Chan, the president of the Oakland Chinatown Chamber of Commerce, reported over 20 incidents of small business theft and assaults against owners and customers in the area.
Over the past year, both the Asian American and Black communities have been affected by a fair share of racial injustice.
Since the introduction of COVID-19, Asian Americans have faced countless anti-Asian attacks, getting blamed for supposedly “bringing” the virus over from China. The assaults have since gained momentum after former President Trump addressed it as the “Chinese virus”.
The Black Lives Matter movement has also been in. Following the deaths of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and Breonna Taylor, countless protests have been made to advocate against systemic racism and violence towards Black people.
As an Asian American myself, the way these events have affected me is beyond words. However, I will continue to stand alongside both the Asian American and Black communities in the fight for justice.
The truth is that the world we live in today is experiencing all different kinds of struggles. Day by day, people are dying from COVID-19, losing their jobs, and feeling hopeless from the socially distanced environment. On top of that, many people of color are suffering from hate just because of their racial identity.
The only way we can reduce the struggle is to recognize that we are all facing these challenges together. Once we hold on to this unified viewpoint, we can work together to build a better future. It may not be accomplished within a single day, but at least we can make progress by starting from the bottom.
A few ways you can help include speaking out on social media, signing petitions, and reading books about racial justice. As we continue to observe Black History Month, I hope you can join us in the fight against racism.
To learn more about Black History Month, click here.