Catalyst for Change

Yesterday, Tennessee Republicans expelled Reps Justin Jones and Justin Pearson, the only two young, Black lawmakers, from the state Legislature for supporting a youth-led protest that called for gun control after a deadly shooting in a Nashville elementary school. (How many of us reading this know exactly where we’re suppose to hide and check where the exit doors are when we enter classrooms? Yes, that’s how messed up school shootings are on us youth in schools.) Reps Jones and Pearson are part of the “Tennessee Three” (the third Rep. Gloria Johnson, a white female retired special education teacher was not expelled) that joined thousands of peaceful protesters, mostly students, calling for action against gun violence. Last week, my family and I did the same. We visited the Capitol with over 300 youths across the state (I missed school first time since we moved here), held our rally on the Capitol floor and met with policymakers on the human rights that have been taken away or under attack: reproductive rights, LGTBQIA+ healthcare and autonomy, voting rights,  gun violence, criminal justice, and educational justice (including ethnic studies and Asian American Studies). What happened to Reps Jones and Pearson and what is happening in my state and our country is an attack on us – the youth, particularly those of us who are multiply marginalized.  You all know how quiet I am in person, and I am reminding myself and y’all out there that we need to be loud now more than ever. We can not (and will not be) the model minority. We cannot be silent.

Model Minority Myth (The Need to Be Invisible)

Image from FARIHA RÓISÍN’s Jugganaut article titled “The Not-so Model Minority” that talks about the roots of the myth in American immigration and naturalization.

 

I struggle with how people see me (and how I see myself). The need to be silent, to be obedient, to have still bodies and minds – yes, the Model Minority Myth.  The Model Minority seems positive, like a compliment (I spent most of my life trying to live up to it): We work hard. We don’t complain. We’re good at math (AND my mom is a math educator). You are always successful. The myth shows up with Asian Americans in media as all of crushing school and becoming super rich (we are not all “crazy rich Asians”) or the photos and videos of violence on our elderly and women (assuming we’re all meek and victims) attacked in the streets by men of color (even though data will show that the lead perpetrators are white men). I see this perpetuated in our community now as a high school student on acceleration (taking every AP class possible and joining every club to compete for college admissions) and assimilation (the fear to speak up and show up in marches, rallies, and school and city board meetings even on issues that impact us directly). We are not taught about the low rates of graduation for Southeast Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders or the disproportionate suicide rates among Asian American youths and young adults. The Model Minority Myth rewards this false narrative of “excellence” through individualism and competition. I hear it in my Asian American friends at school struggling with the internalized oppression to be something no one can be. 

 This myth has become a definition to create the one-size-fits all Asian, erasing the disparities between the 40+ ethnic groups that fall under the “Asian American” umbrella, further marginalizes those whose bodies and lives just won’t allow us to live up to it, and silences those who speak out against it. It’s also anti-Black at its core, and has long been weaponized against Black and Brown communities labeled “problem minorities” for fighting back against racism.  

___________________________________________________________

Saving Face (Double Invisibility) 丢脸 

I have never talked explicitly about this but I want to also name out the double invisibility that exists as a disabled Asian American. Nearly 1.3 million Asian Americans  (about 1 in 10 Asian Americans) identify as having a disability. Notice how Asian Americans have the lowest disability rate and under-diagnosed. I was diagnosed early in elementary school and it took a long time before I felt okay telling others. When I tell others, the most common response is “I’m sorry.” They feel sorry for me for who I am?!? In the Asian culture, the worst thing you can do is to cause your family to lose face. Within the Chinese and Southeast Asian community, a child born with a disability is considered a curse brought to the family from prior wrongdoings. I have had other Asian American classmates tell me about their disability but how it is not shared openly with teachers at the school from this fear of shame so accommodations and medical and social supports are not made. Even for me, while I share my disability status with my teachers and friends, I don’t think I’ve ever asked for accommodations when my teachers forget about them. This idea of “losing” face for our families and our community keeps us hiding and feeling ashamed. ___________________________________________________________

Mo(ve)ments

Since our move to Texas, I notice more, maybe because everything is so different. I notice moments like what happened in the Tennessee Legislation with Reps Jones and Pearson (and their bravery despite losing something they had fought so hard for). Jones’ words about how moments of revelation and self and collective empowerment are not stoppable; these moments are central to starting movements. These moments can range from the Oscars to marginalized stories. I also think of Sandra Oh at the Golden Globes and Michelle Yeoh at the Grammys.  These moments start and contribute to movements for change in film, in our local and state leadership, but also in reminding us all to be louder, to take up space, and to make our presence known. Other moments, such as stories of people I am about to share, start movements that intentionally center on resistance and strength.

___________________________________________________________

My Moment

“I think I spent most of my life trying to be the model minority but I couldn’t (and now wouldn’t).”

OMG. This image looks so Asian. Origami has become my way of stimming (in ways that is kinda acceptable for others) in class, in cars, in restaurants, during debate rounds. If I don’t, one of the things I end up doing so that my body isn’t always swaying is that I pick my skin– even when it’s bleeding. My body has to move, like my mind. My body defies the model minority myth. My body refuses to be still, refuses to comply, refuses to be complacent.                 

___________________________________________________________

Ableism

 

I think my need to find socially acceptable ways of stemming relates to ableism. Ableism impacts all of us.  In this zine, I intentionally focus on badass disabled AsAm female activists (those multiply marginalized) to challenge ableism and challenge the Model Minority Myth. Not all Asian Americans fit the one-size-fits-all mold of the myth; not all Asian Americans are meek and quiet. We are not a monolith.

___________________________________________________________

Moment: Alice Wong

Alice Wong, on her Disability Visibility website, self-describes as a disabled activist, writer, editor, media maker, and consultant. Alice’s voice is loud and impactful and she utilizes it to uplift others through spaces such as the Disability Visibility Project and book with the similar title, Disability Visibility. I met her three years ago when I was first learning about Asian American activists and changemakers. Alice herself is a moment.  What I admire most about Alice is her dedication to amplifying disabled voices to create more moments. These stories – counterstories to the idea of disability as something other than beautiful – are a powerful form of resistance. These counterstories/ourstories center on moments that start mo(ve)ments. Alice exemplifies the need to take up space, bold leadership, and advocacy for what she and our communities need and deserve. 

___________________________________________________________

Moment: Mia Mingus

Mia Mingus self-identifies as a queer, physically disabled, transnational adoptee and activist. The intersectionalities of her identities contribute to her work on collective access. Collective access has been a powerful new idea for me. Collective access is the idea that accessibility needs to be created with others. “Access is a constant process that doesn’t stop.” quote source Every person has access needs. This process needs to occur as a collective, with intentional commitment. I feel like structures (every kind of structure from stairway access to the way my high school runs) are often designed without attention to equity and accessibility and then access is thrown in as an afterthought. Mia, being a disabled feminist, queer, anti-racist, and an adoptee, the access needs of each identity are intertwined. There is no full access for Mia without LGBTQIA+ inclusion, healthcare for all, racial justice, as well as attention to protection for sexual assault as a survivor. Solidarity between all of these movements is vital. I am so inspired by Mia because her words (here I linked her amazing blog, Leaving Evidence) and actions are deeply rooted in togetherness. Togetherness challenges the model minority myth. We are not weak, meek, complacent, or perfect. It’s about the strength of who we are together. 

_______________________________________________________

The Movement

I have been trying to identify how Mia and Alice are similar in their movement building. They are all part of so many things. We shouldn’t have to limit ourselves to one thing, one identity, one movement.

This past week, the Senate and the House of Representatives passed a bill to establish Juneteenth as a federal holiday. I am extremely excited and proud that Juneteenth has become a national holiday because it highlights an important moment in U.S. history, is not known to most people, and can help us learn how to solve modern problems.

First, let’s discuss the origins and history of Juneteenth. During the Civil War, slavery had continued in Texas. Due to the state being minimally affected by the war, many enslavers moved there, viewing it as a safe haven for slavery.  When General Gorgon Granger arrived in Texas, he informed enslavers that all enslaved people must be freed; finally putting the Emancipation Proclamation* into effect. However, changes did not occur immediately. On plantations, enslavers were allowed to decide when and how to announce the news of emancipation; often delaying the news until after harvest. When the news was finally announced, enslaved people acted upon the news at their own risk. In Leon Litwack’s book Been in the Storm For So Long: The Aftermath of Slavery, former slave Susan Merritt recalled, “You could see lots of niggers hangin’ to trees in Sabine bottom right after freedom, ’cause they cotch ’em swimmin’ ‘cross Sabine River and shoot ’em.” (PBS). Accounts such as these display how extraordinary the story of Juneteenth is. 

As a national holiday, Juneteenth can help educate people on the history of emancipation. Highlighting the liberation of slaves, Juneteenth is one of the most important moments in American history. However, I, and many others, were unaware of its existence. According to a poll conducted by Gallup, “More than 60 percent of Americans know “nothing at all” or only “a little bit” about Juneteenth.” (New York Times). Despite the importance of this date, over half of the population don’t know about Juneteenth.  As a national holiday,  Juneteenth can now gain more national attention, leading to instruction on the history of the holiday.

Juneteenth is an important holiday that can help teach Americans about the history of racism in our country. Racism is deeply rooted in slavery. According to UCLA professor and historian of African American history, Brenda E. Stevenson, enslavers forced beliefs of white superiority on their children from a young age, “they sent them away to school to remove them from the companionship of Black (slave) children. They had to teach them their ‘friends’ on the plantation were inferior, and someday you’re going to be their master,” (LA Times). Beliefs learned as children are hard to unlearn. As we can see, 155 years later, some of these views are still present in our modern society. Understanding the past histories of racism helps us understand the racist problems in our present, allowing us to move to find solutions. 

Today is the first year that Juneteenth is a federal holiday. I am extremely grateful for the steps taken by Congress and President Biden to honor the importance of Juneteenth at a national level. Juneteenth’s new status is an opportunity for all Americans to educate themselves on the institution and history of slavery.

 

In my school district and districts across the country, so many are pushing for ethnic studies to be integrated into the K-12 curriculum. I hear so much anger from neighbors and parents about it. People say ethnic studies is anti-white and anti-American. These are lies. I’ve been doing my research and let me share with you what I’ve learned…. grounded in facts.  

Ethnic Studies, defined by UC Berkeley, is “the critical and interdisciplinary study of race, ethnicity, and indigeneity with a focus on the experiences and perspectives of people of color within and beyond the United States.” Last year, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed a bill making Ethnic Studies a requirement for California State Universities. The bill goes into effect in 2021-2022. In addition to college courses, Ethnic Studies curriculum just passed in California for K-12 classrooms.

Let’s begin challenging the myth around Ethnic Studies on it weakening school curriculum. Ethnic Studies has been shown to improve grades and prevent stereotype threat while allowing curriculum and pedagogy to reflect the diverse student body of California.

 Ethnic Studies is proven to positively influence grades and attendance rates. According to a study conducted at the Stanford Graduate School of Education, students at risk of dropping out or with a GPA below 2.0 were encouraged to enroll in Ethnic Studies. In this study, researchers discovered students enrolled in Ethnic Studies gained in attendance rates “by 21 percentage points, and GPA by 1.4 grade points” (Stanford News). As well, the study demonstrated improvement in “male, female, Asian and Hispanic students… particularly concentrated among boys and Hispanic students.” The improvements made among these students were not only a result of the Ethnic Studies classes but specifically the curriculum of these classes. The curriculum of these courses aligns with a student’s individual experiences, aiding in increasing student’s engagement, and thus improving their grades and leading them to the path of academic success. Building from students’ lived experiences and daily lives kinda makes sense. School curriculum that connects to student’s life is just good curriculum. 

The second myth around Ethnic Studies is the portrayal of communities of Color as weak. Ethnic Studies prevents stereotype threat. Stereotype threat is defined as “the risk of confirming negative stereotypes about an individual’s racial, ethnic, gender, or cultural group” (Ed Glossary). There are certain stereotypes about racial/ethnic groups. As an Asian American, the stereotype that we are bad drivers, have accents, and are submissive/passive and seemingly positive ones (e.g. we’re all good at math) are dangerous. Right now, the rise in Asian American hate, particularly against Asian American women connect to these myths of us being forever foreigners, passive (easy to beat up), and a threat (since we’re seen as highly successful).  Ethnic Studies aids in preventing stereotype threat by including stories, perspectives, and contributions of communities of Color and highlighting how no ethnic/racial group is a monolithic group (Stanford News). Stories are the pathway to empathy, understanding, and challenging fear of the unknown.

The last and most pervasive myth is that Ethnic Studies is anti-White. Ethnic Studies allows curriculum to reflect the diverse student population. It is the complete history of our community. California is home to the largest and most diverse student population in the nation. Students of color account for 77.13 percent of the population in California public schools (DataQuest). Yet, school curriculum seldom reflects that diversity. Every student benefits from learning about the ethnic and racial groups of their classmates and our shared American identity as a collective. As students gain understanding of other cultures, it allows them to understand themselves better. We see how our lives are connected and impact one another. Ethnic studies is about building solidarity and community across racial and ethnic groups. White folx are part of this movement too; collectively, we make the world a kinder place. 

Ethnic Studies, defined by UC Berkeley, is “the critical and interdisciplinary study of race, ethnicity, and indigeneity with a focus on the experiences and perspectives of people of color within and beyond the United States.” Ethnic Studies is a course that positively impacts students. The curriculum in classes today focus heavily on a Eurocentric world views. Ethnic studies not only increases student engagement and grades; its prevent stereotype threat for students of Color by bringing student experiences, histories, and perspective to the spotlight. Ethnic Studies will benefit students, community, and the future.

Works Cited:

Data Quest– “2017-18 Enrollment by Ethnicity and Grade.” Enrollment by Ethnicity and Grade – State (CA Dept of Education), CA Dept of Education, 2018, dq.cde.ca.gov/dataquest/dqcensus/EnrEthGrd.aspx?cds=00&agglevel=state&year=2017-18                      

Stanford News– Donald, Brooke. “Stanford study suggests academic benefits to Ethnic Studies courses.” Stanford News. Stanford University, 12 Jan. 2016. news.stanford.edu/2016/01/12/ethnic-studies-benefits-011216/. Accessed 5 Mar. 2021.

Ed Glossary– “Stereotype Threat.” The Glossary of Education Reform. Great Schools Partnership, 29 Aug. 2013. www.edglossary.org/stereotype-threat/. Accessed 5 Mar. 2021.

American Psychological Association– “Stereotype Threat Widens Achievement Gap.” American Psychological Association. American Psychological Association, 15 Jul. 2006. www.apa.org/research/action/stereotype. Accessed 5 Mar. 2021.

Eighteen million rising, the Asian American community composes of the fastest growing demographic. When we vote, we serve as a political force.

Election Day- the race is beginning to come to an end. Few days remain. In the final days to vote, each and every ballot counts. This post is my plea to the adults in my life and in the world: my aunties and uncles (In the Asian American culture, everyone is family and everyone is an auntie or an uncle), PLEASE VOTE.  For too long, the Asian American community has remained silent. This is a call for OUR CIVIC ENGAGEMENT! Asian American vote is critical- we can be the deciding factor. 

 

We silence ourselves.

Historically, the Asian American community has the lowest voter turnout of any demographic! In the 2016 election, Asian American voting rates remain strikingly low, at 49%. When we don’t vote, we’re ignored! Republican and Democratic Parties continuously overlook Asian Americans. It’s sad to say but the dominant thought, “Why focus on AAPI needs if they don’t vote?” According to the 2016 National Asian American Survey, “70 percent of Asian American registered voters surveyed … have not been contacted by one of the political parties.” Right now, think about how often you have been contacted for this election? Should one’s social identity impact your value to politicians?  

“I don’t vote because I feel like it won’t make a difference.” 

We need to challenge the myth that our vote does not count. All votes count. Asian Americans must vote, no matter what state you live in. In the 2000 election, the winner, George Bush,  came down to a matter of 537 votes. If 600 more voters came out for the election in Al Gore’s favor, our elected president might have been different. In the 2016 presidential election, Hillary Clinton lost the electoral vote but won the popular vote. Imagine if every AAPI voted, the result would have been quite different. In every area, our vote matters. We make decisions not only for who our next president will be but also critical decisions for our local government and local policies from affirmative action to stem cell research to voting rights for those who have served their time and 17 year old voting rights (Yes on Prop 18!!!)

Vote, vote, vote! I am thirteen years old. It will be EIGHT LOOOOONG years until the presidential election in which I will be able to vote. My civic engagement looks like this- this post. Please vote for those of us who cannot.

Know your rights!

• Need to register to vote? Check your voting registration status at Can I Vote. If you are not yet registered, go to http://vote.gov. Many states allow in-person registration day of election!

• Need to find your polling place Find your polling place or vote center and its hours of operation. Bring an ID and documents to show your residency, just in case!

• General Voting Rights

• If the polls close while you are in line, stay in line. You have the right to vote.

• Under federal law, voters with disabilities and voters who have difficulty reading or writing English have the right to receive in-person help at the polls from the person of their choice, this includes a translator.

• You can bring a family member, friend, or another person of your choice to assist you at the polls. That also means I can go with an elder to help with translations! If you do bring someone, let the poll workers know that when you check in.

• If you face any challenges in voting privately and independently or are unable to cast your vote, report the problem to the Election Protection hotline at 1-866-OUR-VOTE. Trained attorneys can assist you and make sure that other voters do not experience the same problem.

Yuri Kochiyama is one of my favorite activists. Her life reminds us that each part of our lives build up to create who we are. Activism isn’t just what we are born with- it is something that we actively choose to perform. Yuri’s actions remind us to fight for the rights of all- strength lies in unity.

Born in San Pedro, California, 1915 with the name Mary Yuriko Kochiyama, Yuri was the daughter of Seiichi and Tsuyako Nakahara. As an Issei (a first-generation Japanese immigrant), Yuri’s father immigrated to the United States in 1907. In 1908, the Gentlemen’s Agreement closed immigration to Japanese laborers. A loophole in this act was discovered,  opening back up immigration to women. These women were called picture brides; Yuri’s mother was one of these picture brides. Yuri’s father owned a successful fishing business; as such, Yuri and her family were able to live in an upper-middle-class white neighborhood. Like most Nissei (a second-generation Japanese immigrant), Yuri took on her American name, Mary. I think of how often we as folx of color take on an American name as opposed to the name of our ethnic origin.  It is one example of how even folks of color can white-wash themselves. Yuri described her upbringing as “colorblind”- she had never noticed the racial inequities interwoven into society. She believed in the false myth of meritocracy, the idea that anyone living in America could be successful with hard work and perseverance. 

On December 7, 1941, Yuri’s life was transformed overnight. With the world at war, Japan bombed Pearl Harbor. The FBI detained Seiichi Nakahara, Yuri’s father, whisking him out of the house before Yuri even knew where he was being taken. The family was worried about his health as he was recovering from ulcer surgery. Only five weeks later did Yuri and her twin Peter finally learn their father was being kept at the federal penitentiary on Terminal Island. In captivity, Seiichi was subject to psychological torture. They would wake him up with a blinding light shone in his face and interrogate him. On top of that, they refused to give him his diabetes medication.  The six-week detention exacerbated his physical health. When they finally allowed him to go home, Yuri’s father couldn’t talk at all, only making guttural sounds. Seiichi Nakahara died the next day on January 12, 1942. Yuri believes his premature death was a consequence of a lack of medical care and abuse during his time detained.

In her diary, Yuri acknowledged the existence of white supremacy for the first time while interned. In the spring of 1942, President Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066 ordering the forced removal of Americans of any Japanese descent from the West Coast into internment camps. Internment camp is simply a kinder word for a prison- a prison for Japanese Americans who had done nothing wrong. Yuri and her family were sent to a concentration camp in Jerome, Arkansas. Through her jobs as a nurse and as a block mother in Jerome, Yuri met inspirational people that influenced her ethnic awakening. Community leader Mary Tsukamoto inspired her. Although suffering from arthritis, Mary didn’t let that deter her from organizing work with the PTA, Sunday School, teenage clubs, and USO (United States Organization) while being a young mother and wife. People like Mary helped Yuri gain cultural pride. 

Yuri’s experiences while interned were not the only events leading her down a path of activism. After the internment, Yuri moved to New York with her newly-wed husband. Struggling to make ends meet, they lived in a government-subsidized building in a predominantly black community. As Yuri looked for work, she was repeatedly turned down due to her ethnicity and finally found work as a waitress with other folx of color. People from her work and community taught her about the bias they all collectively faced daily across racial lines, laying a foundation for her activism in the Civil Rights Movement. 

Yuri began her central role in the Civil Rights Movement in her forties. At age forty-two, Yuri became involved in multiple political movements. During a demonstration for construction companies to hire Black and Puerto Rican workers, Yuri was arrested and met Malcolm X in the courthouse. Yuri and Malcolm learned deeply from each other; Yuri’s views as an integrationist and Malcolm X’s views as a Black nationalist were both adjusted and changed through each other. On June 6, 1946, three hibakushas (atomic bomb survivors) visited Yuri’s home. Malcolm X made a speech; Yuri became enthralled by his teachings, educating herself on his philosophies and listening to all his speeches. On the day of Malcolm X’s assassination, Yuri was in the audience and rushed up on stage to help the dying leader. Yuri cradled his head in her arms. 

Yuri became deeply embedded in the Movement for change. Through her friendship with Malcolm X, Yuri’s political views centered on self-determination and self-defense. Yuri’s apartment became a meeting place for the Black Panther Party, Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), Congress of Racial Equity (CORE), and Revolutionary Action Movement (RAM). As the movement grew, police and the FBI arrested more leaders with intensified assaults. The arrested individuals became known as political prisoners. Yuri formed the Nation Committee to Defend Political Prisoners (NCDPP), an important committee to Yuri due to considering herself a political prisoner from her time spent in the internment camps. Whenever someone was arrested, no matter race or gender, they called her number first. Yuri memorized everyone’s address and most people’s numbers. She made visits, campaigned, and met to benefit political prisoners. 

Yuri fought to create change for the Asian American community. When the antiwar movement began, Yuri was an avid participant. Through Asian Americans for Action (AAA), Yuri protested the Vietnam War while wearing red headbands to show they are a force to be reckoned with. With Bill, Yuri made speeches about their time interned, explaining the importance of prevention of a recurrence. 

Yuri stood in solidarity of all races, genders, and ethnicities, but did not start until her forties. Yuri reminds us that activism isn’t a natural-born talent- it is an action that we actively choose to perform. Yuri fought for the rights of all humans, not just for Japanese Americans. Her life experiences are just as relevant today as ever. If we looked at the world right now through the eyes of Yuri, how would we see today’s events? What would we do? 

 

 

This summer, I took part in the DMI Basketball Competition. DMI is a nonprofit organization that donates money to benefit cancer research and treatment. Inspired by an amazing human named Dale Makoto Inouye, DMI hosts sports tournaments, luaus, and other fundraisers that highlight Dale’s favorite activities. The organization was formed after his passing and was started by his basketball team and family members with the goal of fighting cancer as well as continuing Dale’s legacy. Here is the weblink to the DMI website: http://www.dmifoundation.org/

My family and I learned about Dale and were really inspired by his inner strength. As a family, we watched a video about his life and went around and talked about how Dale represents inner strength for each of us and what we can take away as life lessons. Below, I share with you what I have written as inner strength and as something I realize I still need to build muscles on (most definitely for those who know me). 

Muscles throbbing, drenched in sweat as the sun beats down as you find the right foothold in the slippery slope. Mountain climbing requires extreme strength – physical strength but more so inner strength. From the very beginning to reaching the top, mountain climbers must use these strengths to pull themselves up the rocky terrain. While we often think it’s the strength of our physical bodies that allow us to do the hard work of climbing vertical slopes, it is our inner strength – courage, a fighting spirit, and the ability to savor every moment of life even at its toughest moments – that allows us to climb the mountain of life.

Courage.

Inner strength begins with courage. Standing at the base of K2, the Goliath of all mountains, will you climb the mountain, or will you cower before it? Let your inner strength shine by putting on your harness and placing your ice axe knowing 8,611 miles lay ahead. Basketball is my K2. When you imagine girl’s SEYO basketball, what may come to mind are girls in ponytails running, playing, and working together. It’s a game… for fun! Being in the courts for me is climbing K2.  My family is an icy slope, easy to slip on. (I love them so much. I don’t want to let them down.) When they watch me, I don’t take risks, I run from the ball, I play with my hands, and my feet feel frozen stuck in ice. No one is holding me back… but myself.  Having courage is not being unafraid, but rather feeling uncomfortable and pushing through that fear. Dale was diagnosed with leukemia at the age of two, and he put on his harness and undertook countless procedures, always looking forward at every challenge in life. He reminds me to live life not unafraid, but to not let that fear prevent you from moving forward. 

Fighting Spirit. 

Having a fighting spirit shows strong inner strength. Let’s go back to my K2 metaphor. The test of one’s fighting spirit takes hold when you’re most vulnerable. After an hour of climbing in extreme weather, hands sting from calluses and muscles throb from supporting the weight of your body. The persistent sun beats down on your back, sending droplets of sweat cascading down your face. When the slope is slippery, defeat seems inevitable, but one’s fighting spirit serves as an anchor to combat all obstacles – the heat, the pain, and the fears- no matter the shape, size, or form of the obstacles that comes my way. It’s that fighting spirit that allows me to continue to box out and jump after rebounds, although I’m on often the David (I really need to grow taller) against Goliaths (how do 12 years get to be 6 feet tall?), that same inner strength assisted Dale to play basketball even when doctors prohibited him. Dale always put forth his best effort. His will and strength inspired his coaches, his teammates, and close family friends. Dale had the fighting spirit to push through and continue climbing the mountain.

Enjoy every moment.

Enjoying every part of life is the most important aspect of inner strength. While rock climbing K2, your body may be aching, but savor the fact that you are scaling the second tallest mountain in the world- an opportunity to be privileged with. Inner strength is wanting to experience everything – the discomfort, the pain, and even the failures – no matter how difficult because, when will you receive another chance? Dale did everything -basketball, ski, golf, and hula – and enjoyed everything.  He noticed that everything we get to be a part of in life is a privilege, he acknowledged this and cherished them. 

 I use the analogy of basketball because it is the most prominent. I played every weekend and I often catch myself in the middle of the game still playing with my hands and with my feet planted – afraid to go for the steal, the drive, or the rebound. However, we all have many K2s in life to overcome. At school, I hear other students gay-baiting each other during PE and lunch. I saw my city council pass an ordinance to make our city an anti-sanctuary city. In each of those moments, I have to “fight back” and not stay silent. Inner strength starts within but it needs to lead to action.  We are all mountain climbers facing different mountains and different challenges. Will you take on the challenge? 

My family and I have found the DMI organization an inspiring one. It continues the legacy of Dale and reminds us of the importance of working together as a community to work towards making our world a better one. I hope you’ll take some time to visit their website and considering donating. http://www.dmifoundation.org

“The world needed changing, and [Grace Lee Boggs] overcame barriers to do just that” – Barack Obama

As a female Chinese-American living in a white, patriarchal society, I never saw myself in school history books. Wanting to learn about others like me, I began researching. I discovered Grace Lee Boggs – an extraordinary Asian American heroine that has moved mountains for change with her words.  Through her work as a writer, activist, and philosopher, her legacy continues to inspire progressives all over the world today. She is my inspiration.

Born in Rhode Island in 1915 with the Chinese name of Yu Ping (玉平), meaning “Jade Peace”, Grace Lee Boggs was the daughter of Chin Lee and Yin Lan. Her mother’s family was so poor that her Uncle sold Yin Lan into slavery, but she escaped. As such,  Yin Lan served as an early feminist role model for her daughter. Grace created change through her academic pursuits. On a scholarship, Grace went to college at Barnard. Then at Bryn Mawr, Grace Lee was one of the first Asian American females to receive her Ph.D. in Philosophy in 1940. However,  as an Asian American woman living in segregated times, no one would hire her as a professor. At this point, she began the trajectory of activism she would follow for the rest of her life. As such, her studies in philosophy led not to a life shrouded in academics but a life of activism.

Grace’s activism began in Chicago. She began by joining a movement for tenants’ rights, then the Workers’ Party, a splinter group of the Socialist Workers Party. In these associations, Lee focused on building solidarity with marginalized groups such as women and other folx of color around issues of labor and housing. In 1953, Lee married African American activist James Boggs and added on his last name while keeping her own. They moved to Detroit and helped to provide the theoretical and practical foundations for the Civil Rights and the Black Power movement.

Grace Lee Boggs and James Boggs were fierce advocates for Black Power.  James Boggs and Grace Lee Boggs are two largely unsung but critical parts of the black liberation movement; so much that the FBI created an 884 page file on Grace’s years of activism. Malcom X would often stay at her house due to having similar political beliefs around combating racism the Vietnam War and other imperial interventions. Largely influential in the early stages of what would become the Black Power movement, the couple laid the intellectual foundation for combating racial and urban struggles during one of the most active social movements in U.S history. Grace Lee Boggs, even after the death of James, built and extended the ideas they had forged together through her ongoing political engagement with the community.

Grace Lee Boggs made many changes to benefit Detroit. She is one of the founders of the Detroit Asian Political Alliance. Boggs and her husband began Detroit Summer, a community movement bringing people of all ages, races and cultures to rebuild Detroit- a city Boggs called a symbol of the end of industrial society.

Buildings that were once architectural wonders now lay in ruins, and inmost neighborhoods, people live behind triple locked doors and barred windows.

The Detroit Summer Community organization worked hard to rejuvenate not only their community but other communities that were going through hard times. They encouraged mural painting, dancing, and urban gardening to create community sustainability.

After turning 100 in June, Grace Lee Boggs died on October 5, 2015. During times when injustices persisted to invade and marginalize oppressed folx, Grace Lee Boggs managed to challenge the minds of those who care and continue to look for the change, because as she has always mentioned, “we are the leaders we’ve been waiting for.”

Grace Lee’s legacy continues today. Below is a list of APIDA organizations that continues her legacy:

• https://18millionrising.org/
  • 18 Million Rising brings Asian Americans together to reimagine Asian American identity and to work towards a more just and creative world where all of us have the opportunity to thrive.
• https://vietrise.org
  • VietRISE aims to increase civic participation, create ongoing opportunities for leadership development, and foster transformative relationships and practices that advance economic, gender, and social justice in the Viet community in Orange County.
• https://krcla.org
  • The Korean Resource Center is a non-profit community organization empowering low-income, immigrants, Asian American and Pacific Islander, and people of color communities in Southern California.
• https://drumnyc.org
  • DRUM was founded to build the power of South Asian low wage immigrant workers, youth, and families to win economic and educational justice, and civil and immigrant rights.

Here are the websites I used to learn about Grace Lee Boggs:

• Americans Who Tell the Truth Portrait
• African American Registry
• Everyday Democracy: Ideas and Tools for Community Change
• Wikipedia
• PBS Video on the biography American Revolutionary: The Evolution of Grace Lee Boggs

Catalyst for Change began in June 2019 with a post on Grace Lee Boggs (hope you enjoy the read) as I began searching and researching stories and hxstories “to find myself” by finding others. The focus of Catalyst for Change is to share marginalized voices and impactful events that made an impact on the world. As a thirteen year-old, I hope that reading these stories of people and history will light a spark in younger readers (and those young at heart) to follow others’ legacies or create their own. The blogger’s first post was “A Call to Action” on the atrocities occurring at the US-Mexican border and a call for humanity.

The photo used above comes from a TPR article on the power of ethnic studies in school curriculum as students get to see themselves “as makers of history”.  Read this article here.