A Love Letter to Our Community
Tuk Tuk Box was created for the people, for our community. In light of the recent media focus and the hate crimes on the Asian American community, we as a community know that the violence is not new, but rather has been part of the perpetual cycle of racism that plagues our nation. Anti-Asian sentiment has deeply affected our community time and time again, but with the COVID-19 pandemic these acts against the community has been amplified. Tuk Tuk Box calls for continued community led action against the current uptick in violence due to anti-Asian sentiment and condemn the support for anti-blackness. We must remember the systems in place that pit our communities against each other and continue to uplift all voices for equity.
Though the physical violence of our Asian elders has created outrage in the mainstream media, we cannot continue to ignore the ‘invisible’ violence incited on our Southeast Asian community through the systems currently in place. The Southeast Asian community still faces ‘less visible’ violence such as the lack and erasure of data collection for health care, income distribution, and education. Repeated violence has been caused by deportations through ICE for not only our immigrant communities, but the refugees who made this country their home. Sadly, many of our own families have been forcibly removed for the sake of imperialism.
The picture of anti-Asian sentiment built up around COVID-19 is heartbreaking. Filipino front liners are dying at alarming rates compared to others in health care, and the continual siloing of our communities has created ‘versus’ mentalities to fight over little resources given to us by the system. We envisioned Tuk Tuk Box to be the vehicle to not only address anti-Asian sentiment, but to talk about the larger picture - because we KNOW our community is stronger together. We can educate, engage, and uplift if we continue to rise, and love, and heal one another.
Tuk Tuk Box will always choose the community over profit and is committed to do better each and every day. We stand with our Asian American community leaders - to fight anti-Asian sentiment by not merely a social media post, but on the ground in the trenches, and putting our dollars where our mouth is. Please join us in a community led response to the violence amongst all of our BIPOC brothers and sisters.
So how do we achieve solidarity without being in competition, without being performative?
It’s easy to talk about the movement when you’re not in it. Remember that our leaders are exhausted, and need our help. In wanting to take action, we must ask ourselves what our intentions are, and how are we integrating actual steps to make change happen.
Here’s a few suggestions:
- Spend your dollars in Black and Brown communities. Support local businesses. Support your local Chinatowns and communities of color.
- Donate to local organizations that are at the forefront, like:
- Center voices and stories of Asians and BIPOC folks
- Help make, buy, or distribute meals for your elderly, exhausted front line workers, or vulnerable neighbors with orgs like:
- Learn more about your own history, and that of other marginalized groups to help unlearn your own racial bias, scour resources from 18 Million Rising
- Change your perception of “power,” know when to check your privilege
- Attend (virtual) forums, town halls, or meetings with other BIPOC folks
- Preserve your mental health, mental health is still a stigma in our community here are some resources to care for your mental health:
- NAMI
- Active Minds
- @asiansformentalhealth
- @asianmentalhealthproject
- @asianmentalhealthcollective
- @themindhealthspot
- Spread Asian Joy! We've partnered with My Sister's House, a non-profit in Sacramento that serves survivors of domestic violence. Learn more about our Spreading Asian Joy campaign and find additional mental health resources here.
If you or someone you love is in need of someone to talk to immediately call:
We love you and we stand with you in solidarity,
Bea + Christy
