All Forms of Racism Must Be Eradicated

#StopAsianHate and #BlackLivesMatter are just starting points to end racism

I’ve started writing this article on March 21, the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. A similar day in 1960, the police in Sharpeville, South Africa, killed 69 people at a peaceful demonstration against apartheid. In 1979, the United Nations General Assembly declared a week of solidarity to support people facing racial discrimination.

Sadly, 42 years have passed and we haven’t learned much as humans. Last year’s increase in racism, xenophobia, and violent attacks against Black, Asian, and Indigenous people have devastated many lives around the world. In the first quarter of 2021, we’ve seen multiple demonstrations of hatred and hostility against minorities.

The racism I encountered in my life

As an Asian, I have suffered racist comments and behaviours my entire life. My parents, both Japanese, emigrated to Argentina about 50 years ago. I was born and raised in Buenos Aires and lived there until my late twenties. Although most of my time there I enjoyed a positive life and felt included in all my circles at school and work, I always got teased in some way for being Asian. Sometimes, it was a well-intentioned comment or curious question acknowledging my origin, and at other times, it was pure verbal harassment.

One of the hardest parts of being of Japanese background is that we are raised to use gaman (我慢) to endure silently instead of responding to rude comments. Obviously it doesn’t make it right nor should the attitude be justified, but it’s part of an ancient Buddhist culture that preserves harmony. It’s hard to explain this way of thinking to non-Asian people, especially in North America where everyone is expected to be vocal.

As Sharon Kwon points out in her brilliant Huffpost article:

Since we don’t talk about it and call it out, racism against Asians has become normalized.

She also mentions that we’re used to being ignored and dismissed, which in turn makes us internalize negative beliefs and becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.

I currently live in Toronto, Canada, one of the most diverse cities in the world, with 52% of its population identifying as part of a visible minority. Is it the perfect society? Far from that! Racism exists in all forms against all BIPOC communities in Canada, unfortunately. I have suffered microagressions in professional settings and heard about harassment episodes in various groups and organizations I was part of.

Being a visible minority means that you’re constantly living with the thought in the back of your head that you might have a negative encounter as a result of your physical appearance. This shouldn’t happen, but it’s the reality. It can cause distress, anxiety, and PTSD, among other symptoms of racial trauma and mental health issues.

Racism comes from fear

In reading about the origins of racism, an article by Elizabeth Culotta on Science Magazine affirms that racism is an expression of our evolved capacity to live and work in groups. As humans, we identify with certain groups and form an image of “us” or the “in group”, and at the same time, we define “them” or the “out group” as potentially dangerous. That’s when judgment and fear come to life and take many forms, including violence.

Neuroscience studies also demonstrate that people tend to identify and feel “safer” with faces from their own racial group. As pointed out by Allison Abrams in Psychology Today, our brains have a complex network that makes us categorize people, perceive actions and reactions, and breed in-group bias and out-group discrimination.

In my late twenties, I moved from Argentina to Japan where I had the opportunity to work in education, event management, language localization, and HR consulting for 12 years. I also travelled to several Asian countries such as China, Hong Kong, Macau, Thailand, Taiwan, Singapore, and Cambodia.

Here’s something I learned: there is blatant racism against non-Asians in all Asian countries and it’s not even recognized nor addressed. Just to name a few examples:

In Japan, Japanese descendants, Koreans, Chinese, and mixed-raced people are often bullied and ostracized in schools and workplaces.
Black people suffer racial discrimination all the time. In Japan, Korea, and Taiwan, English language schools have a hidden policy not to hire black or dark-skinned teachers because ‘white skin is the ideal.’
In 2020, anti-racism protesters in Japan encountered reactions from locals such as “this is an American issue” and “do this in your own countries.”

My point here is not to criticize specific groups or countries, but rather bring awareness that racism is everywhere. Regardless of the country, people in general avoid educating themselves about racism because they don’t see anything wrong in their attitudes. Therefore, fighting racism starts with basic awareness and we have a long way to go to truly eradicate it.

Each country has a version of racism, and I would say that even the most ‘anti-racist’ person has blind spots. I have started asking people of different ethnicities to immediately tell me when I say something inappropriate or insensitive. If you want to make a difference, you have to start by examining yourself.

What you could do…

If you’re an Asian facing racism in the country you live in

Take time to process all the recent hateful acts instead of dismissing your feelings. Look for wellness practices that work for you to heal and maintain a positive mindset. Seek support from your community and trusted contacts.
Show support to other Asians by sharing experiences and communicating that they’re not alone. This could take any form: verbal, written, graphic, or audiovisual.
Help dispel the myth that all Asians are “the model minority” and tell people that we deserve our space for what we are as individuals, not as generalizations or stereotypes.
Find constructive ways (where dialogue is possible) to educate people on how much your families and yourself have sacrificed, as well as the positive impact you’ve brought to your community.

If you’re a bystander of any racist incident

Check the training sessions and resources available at Hollaback!, a global, people-powered movement to end racial harassment.
This article on the New York Times suggests “the three D’s”: Direct (say something firmly), Distract (interrupt with a trivial comment) and Delegate (to someone who might be better at confronting.)
This page has a video with six tips for responding to racist attacks: (1) Be more than a bystander by approaching the victim and engaging in conversation; (2) Document the incident; (3) Support the victim by staying around; (4) Do not call the police; (5) Call out the everyday culture of white supremacy; (6) Organize and protest for justice.

Report any racist incidents on these sites

Fight Covid Racism (Canada)
Elimin8hate: Report an incident (Canada)
Stop AAPI hate: Report an incident (US)
OCA, Asian Pacific American Advocates: Report an incident (US)

Resources

Final thoughts

The issue of racism is very complex, systemic, and deeply rooted in our societies. No matter where you live, you will witness racism, and suffer it if you’re a visible minority.

This is a time for enhanced reflection and listening to others who are different from us with the intention to understand and include. We also need to have more conversations to point out privilege, prejudice, microaggressions, and unacceptable behaviours.

We must take this opportunity to collectively work towards a world that is not just against racism of a particular group, but is actively anti-racist to eradicate racism in all its forms.

Summarize