Violence happens before violence happens. RYSE stands in solidarity with our Asian communities, most notably Asian women and elders who are facing increased verbal violence materializing into multiple acts of physical violence today and this past year as a whole. The six women brutally murdered Tuesday night are only the latest occurrence. Let’s be clear: failing to label it what it is, violence rooted in white supremacy, capitalism and misogyny, is also violence. The already perverse mishandling of this story only intensifies the Asian community’s vulnerability and it is important we fortify all context to see this for what it is.
A 150% increase in anti-Asian violence this past year is something none of us should grow numb to. Anti-Asian rhetoric coming from the top levels of our government and trickling down is something none of us should accept. And that rhetoric is something none of us should view as harmless. Nor should we with any anti-Black rhetoric, which misorients the conversation away from the central topic, the shared threat, the root problem, of white supremacy: which both communities have historically formed national and international solidarity movements around to combat. Today, still, we stand in solidarity.
This is also a story about the experience of low-wage Asian women workers. At this place where racial fetishization and sexism meet, these women were made objects in their murderer’s eyes: objects he perceived to have the power to hold or discard at will. Just the same, to inaccurately tell their story, to misplace the focus, or to shrug off this act as one man’s “bad day” is to commit yet another act of violence. To consume the six women as a simple headline would be the final act of violence committed against them: reducing their very real, very valuable lives to just another passing event. It would also be the beginning act of violence to the Asian community as they exist today; the violence that happens before violence happens. We vehemently reject this.
We also stand in support and solidarity with our Asian communities here in Richmond and West Contra Costa County, who were part of the visioning and organizing for RYSE and are on the frontlines of racial justice, climate justice, and economic justice in our communities ensuring liberation for all BIPOC communities. Until we are all free from the violence of white supremacy, none of us are free.
To our members, RYSE loves you and we are here to support you. If you need to reach out please send us a direct message or call/text 510-255-1940.
And to our community members and partners, we invite you to read and sign on to the Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Atlanta Letter: http://bit.ly/gaAAPIorgsignon. You can also support by donating to support the victims and their families: bit.ly/DonateToGeorgiaAAPICommunity or sharing crisis response resources: bit.ly/georgiaAAPIcommunitycare
Orgs to follow:
Asian American Writer’s Workshop