Over the last couple of weeks, a series of #stopasianhate posts popped up all over my social media feeds. My immediate reaction was to scroll past it. Hearing about the attacks on Asian Americans triggered my anxiety, and my usual response to fear is to flee. But then I felt guilty for scrolling past it, so I went back to 'like' the post, and kept on scrolling. In my safe - but ignorant - bubble, I denied the fact that my Asian family and friends could be the next victim.
Self-preservation can be a deceitful bitch.
Should I be holding signs and protesting? Should I record myself condemning people for their hate crimes? The thought of doing those things makes me so uncomfortable because that's not me. But it's also not me to just sit aside and do nothing.
Silence is compliance. Let's use our voices to lift each other up. My way is to share stories and teach. No matter how you use your voice, you need to take action to grow as an anti-racist.
I'm not a religious person, but I am a spiritual one. So I pray that you stay safe. I also pray for the attackers who must be in so much pain if they find joy in hurting others. Take care of yourself and of each other.
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An Anti-Racist in Training,
Susan