Day 3: A Letter to Liz Lin

The following is a letter written to Liz Lin, author of the Salt Collective article “Why Asian Americans Might Not Talk About Ferguson”.

Dear Liz,

I am writing in response to your article “Why Asian Americans Might Not Talk About Ferguson”. Your centrist voice — acknowledging instead of ignoring, considering instead of denying, calling for understanding instead of blind solidarity — is much needed at a time of unprecedented political, cultural, social and ideological divide.

I echo your sentiments in relation to the need for Asian Americans to voice out. The theory of intersectionality precisely explains how social classifications are interrelated and interactive. Black Americans are not, in fact, isolated from Asian Americans, and the effect of the injustice against Black Americans will not be contained to them. In essence, injustice anywhere is indeed a threat to justice everywhere, for oppression towards one opens doors for oppression towards all.

When we speak up, we’re not just doing justice to others, but to ourselves too, whether we realize it or not.

Sincerely,

Karen

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