By: Michelle Ahn and Demi Guo
Editor’s note:
Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Tony McDade, Dion Johnson, Rayshard Brooks, Elijah McClain, and so many more Black lives that matter.
Since May, a system that was built against Black and Indigenous people and people of color has come into the national spotlight. But for decades, the United States has been grappling with addressing the stark inequalities and prejudices that exist, especially in the Black community.
At Asian CineVision, we are used to telling the struggles of Asian Americans and the immigration story. We know what prejudice feels like and have all experienced some weaponization of white privilege. However, we must admit that despite all of this, we still have benefited from a system that mythically categorizes us as the model minority. The Asian American community needs to do and be better.
A few weeks ago, Asian CineVision signed a pledge with fellow Asian American and Pacific Islander media and entertainment organizations to become better allies. We owe many of our rights to Black Civil Rights Activists who fought for us to have legal immigration, voting rights, interracial relationships and so much more. The U.S. is going through a critical turning point and now more than ever, Asian Americans must address our own anti-Blackness and reflect upon our privileges, so that together we can be better allies.
In this CineVue feature, we would like to share fellow artists within our own community who have used their voice, art and platform to show their solidarity for the Black Lives Matter movement and BIPOC equality. We hope you find inspiration from them, as we did, to unlearn, learn and relearn as we continue to fight for justice and equality.
— Michelle Ahn, Managing Editor, CineVue
Steve Maing
Documentarian, Filmmaker
AAIFF’38 alum Steve Maing is a filmmaker based in New York City. His 2018 documentary “Crime + Punishment” received a Special Jury Award at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival, an 2019 Emmy for Outstanding Social Issue Film and was shortlisted for an Academy Award. Currently, Maing is developing an ambitious longitudinal portrait of fractured American identity titled “The Great Experiment.” He’s also been attending protests in New York City and actively calling for police reform on social media.
Filmed over four years, “Crime + Punishment” looks at corruption inside the New York Police Department and our broken criminal justice system. The documentary interviews a group of whistleblower cops, known as the NYPD 12, to show how dangerous the “blue wall of silence” can be. With undercover footage powerfully used, viewers see how the nation’s leading police department relied upon a quota system that targeted predominantly Black and Latino communities. The film also highlights a private investigator’s work to exonerate Pedro Hernandez, who later became a poster boy for ending the cash bail system. “Crime + Punishment” has been featured on countless recommendations lists, especially in light of recent protests, and rightfully so. If you want to understand how deeply rooted police brutality and biases are, Maing’s documentary is a must watch.
From Steve Maing:
“Crime + Punishment” is available to stream on Hulu. Outside the U.S., it’s available on iTunes, Google Play, Amazon and Vimeo.
Naomi Ko
Filmmaker, Writer, Actor
Naomi Ko is a writer, filmmaker, cultural producer and actor from Minnesota. She co-founded the APIA MN Film Collective, an award-winning initiative to create, promote and empower underrepresented filmmakers in the Twin Cities. Ko also helped found the Funny Asian Women Kollective (FAWK) in 2014. Her notable works include her independent pilot, “Nice,” which was an official selection for the 2018 Tribeca Film Festival, and her role as Sungmi in the 2014 award-winning feature film “Dear White People.”
Ko was in Minnesota when the protests first began and has been extremely active and vocal on Twitter ever since. She’s been tweeting, retweeting and sharing various resources on how to become a better ally, supporting Black Lives Matter organizations and demanding equality within the filmmaking industry. She’s unafraid to call out her own community and reminds them in this wake up call that Asian lives will not matter until Black lives do first.
To my Asian Pacific Islander Desi American community members who are defending the APIDA officer in the #GeorgeFloyd murder— shut the fuck up. Yall were bitchin about the anti-Asian sentiment we’ve received and now you’re trying pretend that George Floyd’s life didn’t matter? 1/3
— Naomi Ko (@konaomie) May 27, 2020
Yes this is “our” month, but shut the fuck up. Without black liberation there can be no justice for us. Rise up. Get your shit together. #JusticeForFloyd #JusticeForGeorgeFloyd 3/3
— Naomi Ko (@konaomie) May 27, 2020
From Naomi Ko:
“Without Black liberation, there can be no liberation for Asian Pacific Islander Desi Americans. If Black folks cannot be treated equitably and with dignity and respect, Asian bodies will never be treated equitably and with dignity and respect. If we are able to abolish the institutions that hold Black folks down, all of our lives will improve and be for the better.
I think there are many roles I play. I provide information, promote calls of actions for APIDAs to take, facilitate conversations about anti-Blackness in the community, and talk to my APIDA friends and family members about how to be anti-racist. As a filmmaker, my works always include grounded Black characters. I also believe my role is to listen and to center Black voices, especially those who are Trans, Women, and LGBQ and gender non-conforming.”
Ryan Letada
Filmmaker
Ryan Letada is a third-culture Filipinx — born in Kuwait, raised in the Philippines, immigrated to the Bronx — who co-founded NextDayBetter, a media outlet that explores intersectional identity. They have launched a “Stories for Change,” a series that informs various demographics on how filling out the 2020 Census could spell out progress for each.
From the team:
“In light of the Blacks Live Matter movement and rising Anti-Asian racism because of the coronavirus pandemic, we need to understand that the struggle of black communities for justice and equality is also our struggle. As a Filipino American, who immigrated to this country, it is my responsibility to learn and relearn black experiences of oppression and injustice. As a storyteller, creator, and entrepreneur, it is also my responsibility to tell stories that help others unlearn racism.
Census participation in many black communities across the nation is alarmingly low. What’s at stake is federal funding and political representation that can help fight the social injustice and inequity that black communities face. What’s at stake are much-needed resources and programs that black communities and historically undercounted communities of color need to live a life with dignity.
Through our STORIES FOR CHANGE project with Census Counts and the Leadership Conference Education Fund, the NextDayBetter team set out to tell stories of black experiences that will make census personal. At NextDayBetter, we challenge ourselves to tell nuanced, intersectional, and inclusive stories that humanize the benefits of census participation in our everyday lives. By telling stories that make the invisible visible, we can empower others to use the census as a tool to fight for black lives, justice, and equity.”
Jess X. Snow
Filmmaker, Muralist
Jess X. Snow is an Asian Canadian artist based in Brooklyn, New York. Using their art as activism, Jess X. Snow is working to build a future where LGBTQIA+ and migrant people of color feel represented and seen. Through the big screen, large city murals, children’s book illustrations and much more, they hope to help bring catharsis to the pains that exist for marginalized communities. In this piece, they call for global solidarity for Black Trans Lives Matter.
From Jess X. Snow:
“My name is Jess X. Snow and I’m a non-binary Asian American artist and filmmaker. I was inspired to create this handdrawn poster to show solidarity for the movement for Trans Black Lives because of the incredible work that many of my friends in the LGBTQIA+ and Trans Black community is doing to fight for a future of Black liberation, Queer and Trans liberation and racial justice. In Brooklyn, 15,000 people showed up in a demonstration (organized by the Okra Project, Gays and Lesbians Living In A Transgender Society Inc, Black Trans Femmes In The Arts Collective) honoring Trans Black People on June 15th. Being a part of that march with many of my friends felt like a historical moment as we heard the sound of 15,000 people chanting for Trans Black lives, wearing all white in mourning of Layleen Polanco Xtravaganza, Dominique “Rem’mie” Fells, Riah Milton, Tony McDade, and so many more, demanding their justice. Allies were centering their stories and experiences on the stage in a way I have never encountered before.
Anti-Blackness, transphobia global issues are prevalent in many Asian countries. It was important for me to create a poster calling for global solidarity for Black Trans folks in both English and Mandarin (my native language) because too many of my family and community members overseas do not have the language and understanding of racial injustice to be able to unlearn and dismantle Anti-Blackness and White supremacy in China. The Mandarin text directly translates to “Black Trans Lives Are Sacred / Global Solidarity.” While there are some historical examples of Asian and Black solidarity, there is a overwhelming historical silence of Asian Americans in the fight toward Black liberation, while it is the work of Black people, especially Queer and/or Trans Black folks have made it possible for racial justice in our communities.
I hope this poster can inspire global solidarity for the sacredness of Trans Black lives. Asian Americans, and many Asians globally have been complicit for far too long, and I urge for it to become part of our daily routine to undo anti-Blackness, transphobia, to make space for Black leadership and to find ways to consistently stand in solidarity with Black Trans Power. This work may be uncomfortable, and we might mess up, and need other allies to call us in, but the work is necessary and worth it. I hope this poster can start some of these conversations and inspire new kinds of allyship and solidarity in the movement, as we uplift the brilliant work that Trans Black People are doing everyday for us all. #BlackTransLivesMatter #BlackTransLifeIsSacred”
Kalaya’an Mendoza
Activist
Kalaya’an Mendoza is a Filipinx American activist based in New York — otherwise known as “occupied Lenape territory.” He has walked alongside protestors at Standing Rock, worked at Amnesty International and now continues as a training facilitator at Across Frontlines. His work goes back 20 years.
From Kalaya’an Mendoza:
“The intent behind the ‘____ For Black Lives’ poster campaign was for it to be a accessible invitation to Non Black People of Color who are new to solidarity work to begin their process from symbolic to transformative solidarity (credit to DRUM:Desis Rising Up & Moving: Four Levels of Solidarity) with the struggle for Black liberation.
This poster was a method to invite, educate, engage, inspire and organize our Non Black Communities of Color on how we can support, protect and defend Black lives and follow Black leadership from now and into the future.
Organizing within our non Black communities, especially within the Asian American community was a call to action made by Patrisse Cullors one of the co-founders of Black Lives Matter during the organizing meetings in Ferguson. And a call I have taken to heart for the last six years.”
Matt Huynh
Illustrator
Matt Huynh is a Vietnamese Australian illustrator, visual artist and storyteller currently based in New York. Using ink brush strokes influenced by the calligraphic sumi-e technique, his powerful illustrations have amplified underrepresented refugee and migrant communities. His artwork has been featured in ProPublica, The Washington Post, The New York Times and much more. His webcomic “Cabramatta” has also been nominated for the prestigious Eisner Awards.
In light of the Black Lives Matter movement, Huynh has shared a list of his favorite Black illustrators, cartoonists and artists for prospective clients and the public to see.
From Matt Huynh:
“I made this list when some friends and clients in the illustration and editorial industry asked me for help. If my professional peers who actively wanted to find Black talent were having difficulty, I thought it’d be helpful to have simple, clear and casual recommendations of leading contemporary commercial Black animation, comics, illustration and fine art that would be appreciated by those who are in a position to commission or simply admire art could appreciate. Amplifying Black voices is a simple gesture that we could easily extend across our lives and be more mindful of, whether it’s the restaurants we meet our friends at, the books we read, or the artists that we share.”
Grandpa Chan & Grandma Marina
Visual Artist, Storyteller
Grandpa Chan draws and Grandma Marina tells the stories. What started off as a simple, personal project as a way to stay in touch with their children and grandchildren turned into an art Instagram account called “Drawings for my Grandchildren” that would touch countless lives. Each print is still dedicated to their grandchildren with the signature, “For AAAL,” standing for Arthur, Allan, Astro and Lua.
Despite being originally created and posted in 2016, the simple reposted “Black Lives Matter” print still stands just as important and relevant in 2020. While just being black brushstrokes, the image is powerful. There’s no additional caption or story by Grandma Marina to accompany this post, but we know those three words say more than enough. As usual, the artwork is addressed to their grandchildren, as a lesson, a reminder and hope for their future. Ji, Grandpa Chan and Grandma Marina’s son, tells CineVue: “Through their piece, my parents would like to show their support for the Black community and teach their grandchildren the importance of respecting every person on Earth.”
Mona Chalabi
Graphic Artist
Mona Chalabi is an U.K.-born, New York based data journalist who uses visual art to illustrate the meaning behind numbers. Since May, she has been publishing an art series on her Instagram, drawing attention to the current protest movement, as well as systemic issues. Sometimes Chalabi’s art compares two things to highlight gross discrepancies, sometimes it shows a snapshot of something she observed, and sometimes it is a tribute. But all her art serves to contextualize and inform people on injustices both past and present, and show the momentum of a movement.
Koreangry
Comic Artist
Eunsoo Jeong, known as Koreangry on Instagram, is a comic artist based in Los Angeles, California. Created in 2016, Jeong created her heroine on her Instagram account to cope with the aftermath of the elections. While a reflection of many of her personal experiences as an immigrant, her account adds unfiltered humor to the inequalities, prejudices and microaggressions minority groups face in the U.S. Recently, she’s been using her account to challenge her own Korean American community to address their own biases, privileges, anti-Blackness, homophobia and transphobia.
From Koreangry:
“As a first-generation immigrant, I can understand a thing or two about the struggle of being an outsider, not being welcomed, and being mistreated based on my background. Ironically, this struggle of being an immigrant, wanting to be better, and the idea of being ‘accepted’ coincides with the cultural problem of befriending white people and being a part of the model minority group. Racism towards Black people is still very present in our home countries and often those ideas can hurt our attitudes toward how we perceive what is happening today.
In this comic, I wanted to encourage the readers that we can make a choice to break traditional patterns of biased thinking and years of normalized feelings (shame, guilt, insecurities, prejudice, fear … as side dishes). That it is our time and responsibility to reinterpret and formulate our own thoughts about the movement. And that being an ally in the process can be challenging (myself included for making mistakes) and to never forget to allow yourself those feelings found in the wallet (encouragement, compassion, etc). Lastly, I wanted to make sure we understand the importance of following the lead of Black Lives Matter, to keep pushing for how and what we can do to contribute today.”
Deepa Iyer
Writer, Lawyer, Activist
Deepa Iyer is a South Asian American writer, lawyer and racial justice advocate. Iyer has developed and participated in various cross-media projects to facilitate multiracial solidarity. Her first book “We Too Sing America” was included in Booklist’s 2016 top 10 multicultural non-fiction books. She is also a Senior Advisor and Director of Solidarity at the Building Movement Project and host of the podcast “Solidarity Is This,” a project that provides training and resources on racial equality and inclusion.
Here we would like to share Iyer’s article “South Asians and Black Lives” in which she lays out both problems and solutions that South Asians might have in solidarity with the Black community. “When we perpetuate anti-Blackness, we are being complicit ourselves in reinforcing systems of oppression that harm South Asians too,” she writes. By drawing connections between the two communities and the society as a whole, Iyer gives solid analyses on why we should stand as allies to defeat racism. The article was originally published on Medium.
Jason Chu
Poet, Rapper
Jason Chu is a hip-hop artist, poet and activist based in Los Angeles, California. His spoken word has been shared at the Obama White House, and his music has been featured on Wu-Assassins (Netflix) and Warrior (Cinemax). He’s cited as a cultural expert and has led many discussions about appropriation and the Asian hip hop scene.
Attending a protest at City Hall in Los Angeles, Chu gave a speech emphasizing “united we will never be divided.” He explains how the system was created to pit Asian communities against Black communities. “Asians for Black Lives” means true solidarity, standing hand-in-hand with the Black community in this fight. In this powerful speech, Chu encourages both communities, but especially the Asian American community, to fight together against the oppressor rather than themselves.
From Jason Chu:
“For over 150+ years, Asian American identity has existed in conversation with Blackness. Our cultures have grown together, from the shared fight for against White supremacy to the evolving relationships between Black entertainment and Asian pop culture. As a Chinese American rapper, my art is rooted in Black and Brown communities, and it is an honor to continue showing up for those communities publicly and privately. Indigenous scholar Lilla Watson said “your liberation is bound up with mine” — it’s important for Asian Americans, especially those with voices in business, politics, entertainment, and the arts, to speak up in solidarity with the Black community.”
Daniel Jacala
Producer, Rapper
Daniel Jacala is a Filipinx American producer, rapper and singer based in New York. He has participated in social activist movements including those of UniPro, Inc. and the Black Lives Matter movement in its infancy. More recently, Jacala has been using his platform to share resources, including where to donate for bail funds and how to protest safely.
From Daniel Jacala:
“It’s important to show up for BLM, because it’s important to support the social movement they perpetuate. To me, BLM is a physical representation of a concept a significant number of Americans — not to mention folks the world over — are savvy to. As an individual, I guess it’s personal. I’m a darker Asian. I know darker people are held in contempt the most across all cultures. I feel that anyone who asks me for a source or a citing on this claim is willfully ignorant. I also agree that this claim is absurd and shouldn’t have to be true. It’s important for us (global citizens, Americans, human beings), should we want to maintain an organized, productive, developing society, to be there to set this precedent for social justice.
As a producer, it’s vitally important for us to be on board with protecting Black lives. A quick Google search will show you just how far back the influence of Black culture goes in American music. Basically, since 1619. However, the popular music of today — EDM, rock, obviously hip-hop — can all be traced back to significant Black influence in music of the 19th century with blues, ragtime, eventually jazz; it’s easy to follow the breadcrumbs from there to today. Today’s modern producer owes it all to Black culture. I truly believe the African and Asian narratives are not so separate. To that claim I have to say, any Asian who calls themselves a producer in 2020 is indebted to Jun Seba and his part in your history, culturally and musically. My dedication to BLM and its direction, as an artist, is quite personal.
I was really racking my brain with how to be most effective in the current social climate. The thinking was, ‘I know where I stand, how do I focus on showing that rather than proving that?’ I started just as everyone else I knew, signing petitions and donating small amounts here and there. I’ve attended a few peaceful protests as well but then began seeing friends do more with their talents and resources on social media. I tried to run with that headspace and the ‘biggest’ thing I thought to do, just because it can be ongoing and serve as an option even after the walking, is my 575 Initiative. It’s a small social media-based fundraiser I’ve put together; with a minimum donation of $3, I write 3 haikus for the donor on a topic or topics of their choice. All the money donated has been going to ActBlue and Project Hope. These organizations support BLM and relevant/related organizations and healthcare workers around the world, respectively. And of course, I’ve been trying to support not only those orgs, but my friends through the GIVINGMOOD Spotify playlist.
I’m huge on family. COVID issues aside, justifying why you stand with BLM to family who may not necessarily agree with even ‘getting involved’ is a challenge in itself. And that’s usually just the first wall in a series for why this isn’t our fight. It is, though. Because we’re American, yes, but most importantly as those who choose to be. Anyway, there have been drawbacks, for sure, but I think about my friends, I think about my kids, and I think about my own conscience and consider if it’s worth doing nothing to feel ‘comfortable.’ I’ve come to the conclusion that it isn’t and so the tension between family members is a necessary surrender.”
Audrey Nuna
Rapper
Audrey Nuna — named because she is a Korean older sister, or “nuna” — has been singing her whole life, but made her debut in high school. She is a New York-based alternative R&B artist, featured as a fast-rising rapper in NPR’s Austin 100, Complex and one of the guest appearances on 88rising’s Asia Rising Forever Festival. Her most well-known work is “Comic Sans.” During this quarantine, she endeavored to start a weekly livestream called “Eats N Beats” to raise money for kids who rely on free school meals.
From Audrey Nuna:
“I’m a Korean American, second generation. Like everyone else, I felt helpless and frustrated. I didn’t want to spew my emotions all over the Internet, so I try to get people to start a conversation on the small platform I have. How can we just stand here and watch someone get killed for the color of their skin? It boggles my mind. Speaking out, it’s the only thing that’s right. Regardless, you should show up.
It’s also to give credit where it’s due. We take so much from Black pop culture, it’s ridiculous. Hip hop is the new pop. Right now, we’re in a weird space with social media. Everyone’s posting in support, and there’s a feeling of, ‘We shouldn’t take up space,’ so we’re waiting to post again. There has to be some kind of integration. It’s been a crazy year, an important year, even though it may feel awful. A lot of people are shifting priorities.”
Matt Shi
Producer
Matt Shi is a Chinese-American originally born in Ontario. Based in New York, he is a hip hop producer, including the songs “Swing” by Rath Angel and his own “Too Late 4 the Nineties.”
From Matt Shi:
“I’ve been trying to support BLM through what I can do as a music producer: producing/making beats for artists who are actively engaged in discussing relevant things, commissioning art from Black artists, etc.
There are several reasons that I, as an Asian American hip hop producer, find it necessary to support the BLM movement. Black artists created and developed the type of music I make, and I wouldn’t engage in the music/culture without also standing up for Black people. To put it simply, it would be wrong to profit off of Black experiences without doing what I can to uplift and support Black voices. Also outside of music, just as an Asian person living in the United States, I already benefit from the work of Black activists over the past decades. They paved the way for all people of color to have better lives, yet Asian people in this country have significantly more privilege than BIPOC, so it’s our responsibility to use that privilege to speak out against the oppression of others. Otherwise, we’re complicit in the oppression. But ultimately it would be important to support BLM even if I wasn’t Asian or a hip hop artist; I can’t really turn a blind eye to systemic racism and police brutality, regardless of what I look like or what music I make. Things in this country and around the world need to change, and that’s pretty much it.”
Moose Raja
Producer, Rapper
Moose Raja is a Pakistani American producer based in New York. His musical style — a Texas and West Coast hip hop bounce — is informed by his life growing up in Houston and then New York state.
From Moose Raja:
“As an Asian American hip hop artist, it’s important for me to show my support for the BLM movement because hip hop, at its core, is Black. As someone that hip hop has done so much for, I have to give back to the community that birthed that which propels me. As an Asian American, specifically coming from a Muslim family, I know what it’s like to be judged as a threat for being different. I stand up for my Black brothers and sisters, in the hopes that they would do the same for me, and that we’d all do the same for each other. Growing up, I witnessed the trials and tribulations my Black brothers and sisters suffered through, simply over the color of their skin. Although I suffered through my own trials and tribulations as a brown man, growing up in a post 9/11 America, I never experienced what it was like to be Black in America. That doesn’t even take into account the intersectionality of the matter, like what the Black Muslim community was going through.
Having moved around in America, as much as I have, I have seen various dichotomies: black vs white, conservative vs liberal, poor vs rich, etc. These experiences have taught me the importance of things like nuance and context. Do you approach the conversation with a Black man or woman that waves the confederate flag high? And if so, how and from what place? Am I complicit in the racism that others around me display, if I’m finding solace in not being the victim of it only while they decide to trade brown prey for black? These are some small examples of the types of nuances I would find myself in the midst of, growing up in the north and south (NY and TX).
I have been attending the protests for BLM, have donated to a few of the causes that are fighting for a change, and work to spread awareness and check the racism/colorism around me and within me. I don’t like tallying the things I do to show solidarity, because I’d rather show you then tell you. I put off answering these questions for a while because rather than speaking on my solidarity with BLM I’d rather show it. It’s also part of why I haven’t been as active on social media. Why talk about it, when I can be about it? Although I have come to the conclusion that it’s important to talk about it as well; for all those that might be listening, it’s something that I continue to struggle with.”
Some more resources:
There are still a handful of primaries coming up. Here are some important dates:
- July 7: Delaware and NJ primaries
- July 11: Louisiana primary
- July 12: Puerto Rico Dem. primary
- Aug. 11: Connecticut primary
A group of graduate students at the University of Washington School of Public Health Department of Health Services compiled an “Anti-Racism Resource Document.” Here you can find places to donate, action steps for allyship, reading/watching/listening recommendation and tips for self-care.
Another great resource is the National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum (NAPAWF) New York City chapter’s Black Lives Matter translation guide, which includes translations in Asian and Pacific Islander diasporic languages. These translations are incredibly helpful in having difficult discussions with family and community members who may be more comfortable in their native languages.
Special thanks to Saiya Floyd and Huizhu (Lulu) Pan for also contributing to this feature. Additionally, thanks to all the artists who were willing to participate, including Matt Huynh who provided the “Go Vote” gif for us to use.