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David, Portland, Ore.


    
    “What has been your experiences with racism and hate around your Asian identity?

  1. Raised in the Territory of Hawaii (statehood in 1959)-raised as majority member
  2. We have our own internal biases with Haoles (white folk)
  3. First experience racism in 1963 on a trip to the mainland- being called Japs (Colorado),  Had staff at a Utah hotel asked white guests if they minded if they were in the same elevator with my family, Hotel in Boston, we were given ‘poor’ rooms for the same cost, we didn’t received satisfactory service so we changed hotels.
  4. We also had to learn about African Americans. Same trip, my younger brother( who was 2 years old) learned that African Americans were not ‘dirty’ but just had different color skin.
  5. Frequently being told to go back to ‘China’, ’Iran’ from the 1980’s- now.
  6. Once called a white racist (in Atlanta in 1980s), 

What do you want to stop? i.e., stop stereotyping me, etc.

  1. Verbal and physical expressions of ‘might makes right’. Micro-aggressions- “You’re not from around here”
    1. Straight White protestant male land holder opinion that since they were able to ‘conquer’ already inhabited lands by force, and that it is ok (proper/ correct/ right thing to do), to continue bullying marginalized people
    2. Considered acceptable behavior by other groups {white women (Karen phenomenon), People with wealth of any color/ protected class}  on marginalized groups.
  2. Expression of Colonial thinking and behavior.
    1. Based on history of US history- Spanish and British- imposing their ‘norms’, Western European thought.
  3. Not accepting responsibility for perpetuating a system based on White landed male dominance (slavery, Chinese exclusion act, women not having the right to vote, Jones Act (all international freight has to first land on US mainland before going to island states or territories, First generation Japanese unable to own land, Japanese interment) . (Being the only answer)
  4. Individual benefit vs collective benefit
  5. Not forgetting that: Bahn mi, Pho, Dim sum, sushi, Sony, Honda, Hyundai, kimchee, futon, mochi, tofu, LG, Samsung, Yoga… all come from Asia
  6. Cultural appropriation and reframing with “European norms”