NAPALSA Statement Against Anti-Black Violence
The National Asian Pacific American Law Students Association (NAPALSA) denounces and condemns anti-Black statements and violence in the aftermath of the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota. As Asian-American students in the wake of anti-Chinese and anti-Asian bias and violence, we are compelled to speak out against racialized rhetoric from the highest offices of our nation that demonizes protestors based on the color of their skin.
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We call upon our members to stay vigilant and to take time to revisit the history of civil rights and civil disobedience of our ancestors in this country. Recall that the term “Asian American” was created in the 1960s to unite us in hopes of greater representative and substantive representation in politics. In 1962, Daniel K. Inouye and Spark Matsunaga entered the U.S. Congress. Soon after in 1964 they were joined by Patsy Takemoto Mink who was the first Asian American woman to serve in Congress.
This is the history that we know. Here is what we may not: the latter end of the 1960s comprised of Asian American students joining with Latinx, Black, and Indigenous student groups to strike and protest for the creation of Ethnic Studies programs at universities. Advocacy and solidarity, namely solidarity with minority groups, is a rich part of our history as Asian Americans that has made many American cultural achievements possible. The term “Asian” is vast, and so is our history. We contain multitudes, and thus, we are riddled with contradictions. As much of our history in this country is one of resistance and solidarity, it is also one of complacency in the face of anti-Black oppression.
Often stereotyped as the model minority, our identity has been used as a wedge to demonize minority groups who are described as refusing to assimilate. We must admit that we have not done enough to rebuke these notions, and that we benefit from a culture that has different rules based on the darkness of one’s skin. While we are often the victims, we are also at times the beneficiaries, and at others, the perpetrators. We must face the reality that the path to a greater future for ourselves, our loved ones, and our communities, does not come without effort or discomfort.
As a student organization, we are made up of volunteers. We invite you to take this step with us. If you have been wading in these waters and are willing to share what you have learned, we are here to listen. If you need resources, we will join you to find them. We want to use our platform to support our community members to share resources and build together in a time where community and connectivity is desperately needed.
Please reach out to us via our website or by contacting the Regional Director for your area. Below is a link to Google Doc that has bail funds throughout the country. We thank you for your membership now more than ever.
Helpful Resources
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• Black Lives Matter Letter to Elders: English, Link to All Translations
• Bailout Funds, Legal Help by City
Sincerely,
Amanda Pham Haines
NAPALSA Executive Board 2020