Channeling Our Feminine Energy and Using its Strength to Dismantle Systemic Racism
This week is bittersweet -- yesterday marked the one year anniversary of launching Welcome to Chinatown. On one hand, we feel more courageous, inspired and empowered than ever to do the work we’ve been doing in the last year, but on the other hand, we can’t help but feel a sense of despair, the same feeling we felt last year when we started, seeing that our community continues to hurt and be disproportionately marginalized because of the way we look, speak or exist.
When we started Welcome to Chinatown, we saw ourselves simply as two residents of the neighborhood -- we had yet to realize what it meant to be a female-founded grassroots organization. We’re grateful to be surrounded by a supportive community of fellow female founders and leaders as well as allies who remind us each day: Asian and Asian American women change the world.
Welcome to Chinatown’s Hoang Mai Phung at the Stop AAPI Hate Rally (Photo by @activistnyc)
Welcome to Chinatown, for us, has become a vehicle of expression on what it means to be able to be bullish yet still lead with compassion; to extend grace, yet demand just action with no holding back; to create meaningful change as a movement, not a moment.
Especially in the last week where no words can capture the tragic loss of the eight* beautiful lives taken by hate in Georgia, we’re moved to fight even louder than ever for justice for the Asian American community, rooted in our work by supporting Chinatown’s small businesses.
Although there is still so much work to be done in the journey to dismantle systemic racism and to ensure all communities of color, like Chinatown, can live equally and safely, we’re inspired by the unity and solidarity we have seen that illuminates the path forward. Don't let this be a fleeting moment of change — put forth your energy into taking action that has impact.
Donate to and volunteer for our community organizations. Have those difficult conversations with your friends and family members. Support our small businesses. Uplift Asian and Asian American voices, especially of the ones from Asian women, trans and non-binary and LGBTQIA+ perspectives.
Photos by East Side Stories
We wanted to leave with a recording of one of our female leaders, Hoang Mai Phung, who spoke at the #stopaapihate rally, bringing together more than 2,000 people with a common drive to unite and bring awareness to what’s happening in the Asian American community. Hoang Mai spoke of her own lived experiences as an immigrant, a Vietnamese American and a female leader of our organization, with a powerful message around finding her voice and strength within. Give it a listen, plus the recordings of other incredible women featured at the rally - coming soon on East Side Stories, and thank you to everyone who showed up for Asian women. We hope to see you soon.
Proud to be Asian American women,
Vic and Jen, co-founders, Welcome to Chinatown
*It has been brought to our attention some of the families have asked the victims not to be named and we wish to honor this request.
