FEATURE: Winners of the Asians

Asians for Black Lives Winners of the Asian Avenue Giveaway

Asian Avenue magazine hosted an Instagram giveaway in July for the Asians for Black Lives t-shirt designed by @asiansforblacklivesco (on Instagram). “ See what our Colorado winners say about why this movement is important to them. Our fellow Asian Americans need to remember our Black brothers and sisters bore the burden for us so that most of us and our families could be here together during the Immigration Act of 1965. It’s time for us to set aside stereotypes, stigmas, racist/ false instilled fears from misinformation to bear the burden for them. It’s my hope that our younger generation puts up a hard

fight together to re-educate older generations, who may not understand why supporting Black Lives Matter is essential to breathe humanity back into a system designed to take the breath out of black lives.

Amber I. @coloradocaribou “ This year, all of humanity has been faced with taking a closer look at what is wrong with our systems. With the rise of COVID-19, assaults, harassments and hate crimes towards Asian Americans have taken place across the nation. George Floyd’s

death showed us that while the struggles between Asian and Black Americans will never be identical, they stem from the same problems perpetuated by the inequities in our systems.

#UnitedWeStand means that we are coming together to support and work towards something that is important to all of us, because in times like this, it is essential to. Unity is so important in the Black Lives Matter movement because we are all human. As people [Asian Americans] with some privileges, we need to stick up for those without. We’re stronger together. I hope that our Black family, friends, “

colleagues, fellow human beings will finally be

able to feel safe. I hope that they know that they have allies in us.

Angelina N. @mai_ohmai_

It is important to help uplift and amplify black voices when there is obviously so much injustice and systemic racism. We should all be able to coexist and not be judged by the color of our skin. It’s not fair to see African Americans be oppressed when they are the inventors of so many things that “ we love because Black culture is American culture. They should not have to go through generational mistreatment throughout history. The time for change has been long overdue, so as an ally I must fight for equality and injustice.

“Sheng L. It is our duty as fellow people of color to stand in solidarity with our Black brothers and sisters. Though racism looks different towards @_softsheng “ To be honest, I struggled writing this because before this movement, it never occurred to me that black families needed to have conversations about how to cooperate with the police to not escalate a situation or how Lucy N. @its_lalalucy

Asian communities compared to

Black communities, it’s all part they can instantly become a of the same, broken system. Even suspect due to a stigma that was within the Asian culture, there is unavoidably inherited with the history of their skin color. a history of anti-Black sentiment that continues to pit us against one another rather than work together to overturn the many years of I never had those conversations growing up, so naturally I was ignorant to the upbringing of others. I know I am not the only one, and that is what I want to change. I want to systemic oppression and racism. have and initiate these uncomfortable conversations, and In order to advance forward as to enlighten others about the true reality of racial inequality a society, we need to fight for and systemic racism. Love does not discriminate, nor does justice for Black lives and hold law it see race/color. Everyone is capable of love—sharing it

Sarah Q. @squinnster enforcement accountable. and receiving. We need to move that into action and stand together as one HUMAN RACE. Being one of a handful of Asian Americans in predominantly white schools was difficult for me growing up, as I faced a lot of racism, but this story isn’t about me. It’s about us, as people of color and as a unified race of humans, fighting to just be heard and understood. I stand for and stand with my black friends and family, including my cousins and their two beautiful black “ daughters, that we might all one day live in a world where racism no longer exists in school, work, and all other areas of life.

I stand for the dreamers, the LGBTQ+ community, for all POC, the unheard and the unspoken for - that we might all experience the freedom and equality we’ve been fighting so long for. Jordan B. @ohheyjaybu