As an Asian American, I have encountered racism since I was young. The first time was in middle school when a classmate called me “ching-chong” and pulled his eyes back. He laughed but I didn’t find it funny. I didn’t say anything to stop him but rather ignored him. Another time was when my sister and I went to the local pool. A group of guys approached us and taunted us thinking that we didn’t know English. Last year, I left my dentist’s office and entered an elevator. Everyone inside looked at me as if there were something wrong with me. I didn’t know how to combat this problem, since all I’ve done my whole life was ignore it.
Recently, there has been a rise in protests in the Asian American community fighting against racism. This movement is not just a fight for Asian Americans but rather a movement for all minorities and everyone who is suffering from racism.
The poem I wrote below is called “Our Future Tomorrow”. In hopes to acknowledge the Asian American history and for everyone to unite as a community and fight racial inequality and discrimination together. If we don’t do something now, we will never be acknowledged. Like Daniel Dae Kim said to congress, “Whether the country we call home chooses to erase us, or include us, dismiss us or respect us, invisibilize us or see us.”
OUR FUTURE TOMORROW We all gather together In order to make it better So much tension in the air When there’s so much despair Together we are one But alone we are none So much chaos has risen these days Oh how I wish it was only a phase It’s time to uncover the pile of dust Since it’s up to us to report and discuss We have to be strong Because if not, they’ll say we don’t belong Let us come together And make things better For what we do today, Will impact our next day - Francis Lam
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