Photo credit: Vivek G. Bharathan.
ASATA members have been participating in protests in Oakland, Berkeley and San Francisco in solidarity with the #BlackLivesMatter movement. South Asian and API folks in our larger networks are also engaging in internal conversations about white supremacy and how anti-black racism plays out in our communities.
Photo credit: Vivek G. Bharathan.
As part of the December 13, 2014 Day of Resistance, and in solidarity with Black Lives Matter, ASATA members marched in Oakland with an emerging crew of Asians and Asian Americans. We were responding to the call “the whole world is watching, stand with us.” Gathering early to make signs out of cutout pieces of cardboard, rehearse chants and discuss strategy behind messaging, the experience was one of elegant camaraderie and resonant politics that led to snake dancing and chanting through the crowd with kickin’ drums. The formation of coming together this way continues to evolve into what is now emerging as “Asians for Black Lives” – a loose network of folks invested in becoming more deliberate in going beyond simple solidarity by co-learning, listening, and asking while moving together.
Photo credits: Vivek G. Bharathan.
Resources
A Herstory of the #BlackLivesMatter Movement by Alicia Garza: http://thefeministwire.com/2014/10/blacklivesmatter-2/
ALL Black Lives Matter by Patrisse Marie Cullors: http://www.ebony.com/news-views/all-black-lives-matter-504#axzz3MH5cqiKN
South Asians and Ferguson: #StartTheConversation by Jaya Sundaresh: http://theaerogram.com/south-asians-ferguson-showing-solidarity/