We Need to Show Up Every Day in the Fight for Justice
Reflecting on the remarks of Advancing Justice — AAJC’s President John C. Yang one month after the March on Washington 60th Anniversary
One month ago, Advancing Justice — AAJC’s President John C. Yang stood on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial 60 years to the day that Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered his famous “I Have A Dream” speech.
Through this blog, we share the content of his original speech for that day, which speaks to not only that moment, but also the current moment where our communities are once again in a fight for equity, respect, and more starkly, our lives.
Watch the full remarks here: MOW60 — John. C Yang | C-SPAN
“Good afternoon. My name is John Yang. I am the President and Executive Director of Asian Americans Advancing Justice — AAJC. It is an honor to be a co-sponsor with so many inspirational leaders, organizations, and individuals.
Sixty years ago, Dr. Martin Luther King had a dream to unify all Americans and end oppression for all Black communities. Although the moral arc continues to bend towards justice, we know that there are those who are trying to take us back and return us to a status quo of white power and privilege.
I am here today to say that that won’t happen. Asian Americans know that we cannot fully achieve equality without working alongside the Black community.
Though the disease of racism has many strands, we know that our fight is one and the same. Driving while Black, going to the supermarket, or even sleeping in your own bed can lead to physical violence for a member of the Black community. Walking in your neighborhood, because of COVID or anti-China sentiment, has resulted in physical violence toward the Asian American community. Latino and Asian immigrants are seen as ‘perpetual foreigners’ that are somehow disloyal to this country to which we contribute, where we cannot own land or we cannot hold the jobs that we seek.
They use the ‘model minority’ myth to suggest that Asian Americans do not suffer discrimination and therefore racism somehow does not exist in this country. They try to exploit us and pit us against Black and brown communities on issues like education when all know that we, as marginalized communities, are being pitted against each other against the white power and privilege that exists.
We cannot ask for our schools to teach Asian American history without recognizing the erasure of African American, Latino, and Native American history. We cannot talk about violence against the Asian American community without mentioning the violence against the LGBTQ+ community.
Asian Americans will not be used as a wedge in this fight and we will stand with all of our brothers and sisters. We will not be complicit in the erasure and oppression of the Black and Brown community. To my fellow Asian Americans, we need to show up — not just today, but every single day in this fight for justice. We know that Dr. Martin Luther King gave us this march, many other efforts, and the rights that all of us enjoy today.
Today, we march in continuation of the great Dr. King’s dream for liberty and equality for all. Today and always, we will continue that fight to ensure justice for all.”
Asian Americans Advancing Justice — AAJC has a mission to advance the civil and human rights of Asian Americans and to build and promote a fair and equitable society for all. Visit our website at advancingjustice-aajc.org.
