A Message to White Friends
because my children are not white
It was about a year ago when we were first learning of the coronavirus that it happened. A dear friend of mine had gone to read to a class and a student said, “you’re Chinese so that means you have the coronavirus.”
My friend was very gracious and used this as a teaching moment for the class (this is just who she is) but then also used it as a teaching moment at home with her own children. She had to prepare them for things people may say to or about them.
When she told me this, my stomach dropped. I knew she was right. And I knew that the more the former president called it the “China Virus” the worse it would get for Asian people in America.
Unsurprisingly, that is exactly what happened. There are too many heartbreaking stories of crimes against Asian people because of words that stoked fear and hatred. Too many texts from friends who’ve had to talk to their kids about hurtful things said to them at school. My children “pass for white” but I’m still worried about the message they internalize from the words they hear.
White people, we’re really quick to assume other white folks mean no harm. Even when they cause harm. We’re also really slow to hear people of color when they tell us something hurts them. We need to do better.
Words have consequences. Full stop.
When those words lead to violence - our silence is complicity. Full Stop.