Step up, Speak up! Tri-State Stop Racial Violence Rally, May 2nd, 2021

Make America a Better Place for All People

AAPI For Change & Chinese Americans for Democracy

Tri-State Rally Against Racial Violence

May 2^nd, 2021, Philadelphia City Hall

When we are fighting for racial equality, we must realize that it is a long road ahead. We must encourage and include our next generation in this cause. It takes a community, and it may take a generation to get to a place where all people are treated equally with dignity!

Here we are proud to introduce two inspired youth of our next generation and share their passionate speeches at today's rally. 

We are proud of their courage and their participation! 

We look forward to having more of them join our fight for racial equality in America!

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改变命运,尤其是下一代人的命运, 是我们的共同目标, 

必须有更多的华裔二代, 三代参与!

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 Who I Am

YeeYee Li

Baldwin School
MLCCC Weekends School

I am not a virus. I am not ‘kung-flu’. I am not Chinese sickness. 
I am a human. I am American. 
At one point in my life, I thought every grown-up would be smart and would know everything. I couldn’t wait to grow up. I thought being an adult meant finishing school and college. I thought everyone made it. 
Now I know no one knows everything. I would rather be a child, carefree, guided by a real feeling, not just what I think is right. Sometimes kids are more understanding than adults. Being an adult is not how much education you have. Making it is hard.
Now I know that humans are the only animals that kill each other for no reason. We repeat horrible parts of our history over and over again. 
We judge based on skin color, body type, genders, social status. 
We judge based on ethnicity, and that’s what’s happening to us right now.
I am Asian. I have been proud of it for… forever! Now I feel like people are telling me to hide my pride, my descent, where I come from. 
So I’m writing this to tell you to respect all genders, all skin colors, all body types, and all ethnicities. Everyone is equal.
Who am I?
I am American. I am human. I am NOT a virus. 
What is America?
My divided, sometimes scary, imperfect, but improving home. 

Here is YeeYee's speech at the Tri-State Stop Racial Violence Rally,
Sunday, May 2nd, 2021, Philadelphia City Hall

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Words hurt; words kill!

 

Ian Sun,

Sophomore, Radnor High School

 

"American virus."

Imagine that I called the flu that.

You will probably feel offended, or shocked, or insulted. That is exactly how we feel about

hearing "Chinese virus" again and again.

It is the new "name" Asians received. There have been almost four thousand acts of hate.

 

That is over one act of anti-Asian hate every three hours.

 

It is not just the name-calling of the "Chinese virus." It is Asian-Americans being robbed,

assaulted, and, yes, killed. A month ago, a mass shooter in Georgia murdered eight people,

including six Asian-American women. They were people. They were human beings, just like you

and me. Our community went to the streets in protest, calling for an end to this hate.

It is tempting to say, "just ignore it." But how? Such messages hurt. Such behaviors are

traumatizing. And how can we move on from the recent mass shooting?

 

When you hear "Asian," what comes to your mind? A straight-A student? A musical

prodigy? Why are these "model citizens" now becoming threats? COVID-19 gave people an

excuse to show off their racism as if the virus and our altered lives were not enough.

 

We remember a time when "yellow peril" was our label back in the 19th century.

We all know that is wrong. So how is the "Chinese virus" not different?

We need action, NOW. Start with naming the pandemic correctly. The virus is the

coronavirus. The disease is COVID-19.

 

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. once had a dream that "one day, little black boys and black

girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers."

I also have a dream. I dream one day that we live in a costume party such that we can never tell if someone

is white, black, brown, or yellow.

 

Join us to make a change, for we do not want racism to really become another pandemic of the "American virus."

Words can also heal, so speak up against racial injustice in any form or shape!

Here is Ian Sun's speech at the Tri-State Stop Racial Violence Rally,
And his interview on 6ABC
Sunday, May2nd, 2021, Philadelphia City Hall

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MLCCC Summer Camp is now offering two special classes in celebration of 

AAPI Heritage Month this year:

"Road Trip to Ancient CIvilization"

"Pioneering Chinese Americans"

Please take a look and sign up now. 

It will an unforgettable experience for our young generation.

Click to Enter MLCCC Camp