I am simply heartbroken by the anger and pain the United States continues to feel this week. The murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Philando Castile, Eric Garner, and countless others by U.S. police have inspired an overdue reckoning with centuries of racial injustice, brutality, and negligence towards Black Americans.
As a Chinese-born, Canadian immigrant, I admit that there is so much more about this country and its culture that I’ve yet to understand and accept. Prior to the recent resurgence of passion and protest, I failed to recognize many of the underlying issues that contribute to systemic racism in the United States. As a result, I failed to take informed actions to combat these unfortunate realities.
The Chinese name for America is 美国, meaning “beautiful country.” During the 5 years which I’ve been living here, I have become deeply inspired by the people and ideals this country supposes to represent. Only in the United States can someone like me find acceptance regardless of my race, sexual orientation, political beliefs, and religion. It is incumbent upon all of us to defend what’s moral, so this country may earn its “beautiful” name once again. This means amplifying Black voices and punishing those who would transgress against the innate rights of Black Americans, as promised by the U.S. constitution.
Digesting the events of the past week, in the context of what it represents to a nation founded on slavery and institutionalized racism, is overwhelming for me personally. I’ve spent time reflecting on my role in this fight, considering what change I can affect. Asian minorities living in the United States have skin in the game, so we need to speak up and help out in productive ways. This could mean acknowledging our personal responsibility in a system designed to subjugate others, or it could mean participating in a protest, or donating to an organization committed to holding U.S. police accountable. Clearly, the wrong answer is to sit by idly as injustice continues.
I feel like sharing my intimate thoughts and experiences with culture and race as a Chinese immigrant is a good place to start. I first moved to Canada with my father at age 12. I was clueless about the west, didn’t speak a word of English, and was quite frankly shocked by the level of diversity and complexity in North American culture, race, and politics. In China, all of the above is pretty much homogenous.
One of the main cultural differences between Canada and the United States is that Canada is a “cultural mosaic” whereas the United States is a “ melting pot.” U.S. culture encourages its people to develop a shared identity, in order to build unity and empathy between diverse groups of people. In Canada, cultural groups are often divided and generally interact only within the groups themselves. Because of this, I myself was victim to some vicious acts of racism, both physically and mentally, based on my ethnicity. This has led to a subconscious avoidance, and thereby ignorance of cultural issues at large; I retreated to being the quiet and shy Asian kid who just wanted to be left alone by tuning things out. I realize now what a luxury that was.
After college, I made the decision to start my professional career in the United States due, in no small part, to the fact that I sought values like freedom and equality above all. My experiences with racism did not end here, however. Even as the founder of my own company, I continually experience racialized and presumptive comments about myself, our team, and the integrity of my company based on my ethnicity. Economic privilege, it turns out, does not curtail racist attitudes. Having said that, I realize now how fortunate I am, having been welcomed by this country, given incredible opportunities, and the ability to lead a peaceful and secure life here. I couldn’t imagine having to live in fear of being brutalized or murdered by a racist criminal justice system that dehumanizes and abuses those whom it’s supposed to protect. I’m not trapped in a constant cycle of violence and poverty perpetuated by Jim Crow era redlining laws that restrict access to education and other resources vital to a healthy upbringing. On top of that, I’m not subject to a myriad of negative racial biases that make it difficult for my resume to be taken seriously just for having a certain name. Black Americans have withstood generations of grave injustices and suffering — constantly confronted with inequality and oppression. And yet, they persevere, building up the American Dream, even if it doesn’t always serve them. Imagine how much further our culture of innovation, capitalism, and Silicon Valley startups could go with a representation of Black perspectives that equals their creativity and resolve.
I normally wouldn’t speak up against these issues, as I have been too fearful of the consequences. Having been raised in the Chinese culture, I was taught by parents, teachers, and my community not to speak up against authority or get involved with sensitive situations like this for fear of punishment. Going public with opinions on social issues might get us into trouble, so we end up keeping them to ourselves and neglect things that are outside of our immediate daily lives.
But what’s happening in America is WRONG. Police violence against Black Americans, Black Lives Matter protesters, and journalists is eroding the very promise of America. It’s time to step up and break the silence; to stop being timid and afraid; to stand up for what’s right. I especially implore other Asians to speak out on this matter, too. I understand how hard it can be given our upbringing, but we must remember those who fought for OUR rights when it mattered most. As founders, as Asians living in America, as citizens, or as immigrants, we need to be outspoken vanguards for the country we desire to live in. We must embody the positive change we want to see in our society. It will cost hard work; introspection; and yes, difficult consequences in our careers, relationships, and politics. We must adopt some of the determination and passion that defines our Black friends, colleagues, cultural icons, and leaders. For them, this is not an optional fight, but a matter of survival. Let us all share the burden of this movement together so that we may build a better and more welcoming United States of America.
We at Magic are committing to doing our part to address systemic racism and injustice. We’ll start by speaking out against racial injustices and making conscious efforts to provide equal opportunities to all. We’ll be seeking proper guidance regarding cultural sensitivity and representational diversity, and constantly improving our recruitment processes to this end. On top of that, I will be committing a portion of my time every week to working with aspiring or current founders from under-represented groups to provide advice, guidance, and to share the opportunities, networks, and connections made available to me in Silicon Valley — you can shoot me an email at sean@magic.link. If you’d also like to seek advice on product, design, or engineering, the Magic team would absolutely love to help out, feel free to send us a note at hello@magic.link
Like planting a tree, the second best time to act is now. Let’s break the silence together.
#BlackLivesMatter
