Recently, a prominent YouTuber posed a provocative, rhetorical question that I haven’t been able to shake: "Why is it Black Americans are the only ...
minority group who fights against White Supremacy?"
It’s a bold claim, but one that began to remain on my mind throughout the week. Every time I log onto social media, my feed is flooded with Black friends and activists sharing videos, resources, and calls to action, standing on the front lines of a battle against systemic racism. The conviction is palpable. Black Americans are by far the most proactive minority in the fight for equity.
I’ve had conversations with Asian and Hispanic friends who readily agree that racism remains a deep seated problem in America. But the large, vocal, cross cultural coalitions seem few and far between. Where are the coordinated movements? The unified front? The public, bold stands from other communities against the same White supremacist ideologies?
Driven by this disconnect, I decided to pose the question directly to a Chinese American friend of mine. I started with a simple one: "Do you feel, as a Chinese American, that you are sometimes discriminated against?"
His answer was sharp and immediate. "Yes," he said. "Many Americans discriminate against Asians. Often White Americans, but sometimes Black Americans look down on us, too."
I acknowledged his point. I have witnessed that intra minority prejudice myself. Then came my real question. "If you feel this discrimination, why isn't there a more visible, coordinated effort from Asian Americans to stand against White supremacy?"
His response this time was just as sharp, but carried a profound and unexpected truth.
(I'm paraphrasing what he said)
"Number one," he began, "we have laws against discrimination. The way you fight it is by voting for politicians and policies that enforce fairness. And the U.S. has come a long way in that regard."
I agreed. He went on...
"But you ask why we aren’t on the front lines in the same way. Look at the statistics. Statistically, Asian Americans are the highest paid ethnic group, one of the most highly educated, and we now hold a disproportionate number of CEO positions in Fortune 500 companies. How better to fight White supremacy than with reality? The reality is, White Supremacy is just an ideology. That ideology can be dangerous, but obviously it has not stopped Asian Americans from success. We do fight White supremacy. We fight it with education, hard work, and by pushing ourselves toward perfection."
It’s a bold claim, but one that began to remain on my mind throughout the week. Every time I log onto social media, my feed is flooded with Black friends and activists sharing videos, resources, and calls to action, standing on the front lines of a battle against systemic racism. The conviction is palpable. Black Americans are by far the most proactive minority in the fight for equity.
I’ve had conversations with Asian and Hispanic friends who readily agree that racism remains a deep seated problem in America. But the large, vocal, cross cultural coalitions seem few and far between. Where are the coordinated movements? The unified front? The public, bold stands from other communities against the same White supremacist ideologies?
Driven by this disconnect, I decided to pose the question directly to a Chinese American friend of mine. I started with a simple one: "Do you feel, as a Chinese American, that you are sometimes discriminated against?"
His answer was sharp and immediate. "Yes," he said. "Many Americans discriminate against Asians. Often White Americans, but sometimes Black Americans look down on us, too."
I acknowledged his point. I have witnessed that intra minority prejudice myself. Then came my real question. "If you feel this discrimination, why isn't there a more visible, coordinated effort from Asian Americans to stand against White supremacy?"
His response this time was just as sharp, but carried a profound and unexpected truth.
(I'm paraphrasing what he said)
"Number one," he began, "we have laws against discrimination. The way you fight it is by voting for politicians and policies that enforce fairness. And the U.S. has come a long way in that regard."
I agreed. He went on...
"But you ask why we aren’t on the front lines in the same way. Look at the statistics. Statistically, Asian Americans are the highest paid ethnic group, one of the most highly educated, and we now hold a disproportionate number of CEO positions in Fortune 500 companies. How better to fight White supremacy than with reality? The reality is, White Supremacy is just an ideology. That ideology can be dangerous, but obviously it has not stopped Asian Americans from success. We do fight White supremacy. We fight it with education, hard work, and by pushing ourselves toward perfection."
