Over the last few weeks, I have been incredibly overwhelmed in the best possible way. I woke up to texts, phone calls and direct messages (DMs) from current and former colleagues, classmates and acquaintances, inquiring how I have been handling the recent events targeting Asian Americans.  I also found in the following conversations offerings of support and encouragement as I continue to find my voice growing stronger as I share my experience.

As you may know, I work in communications, and I love the work that I do, sharing the stories of the wonderful things Oklahoma nonprofits do and how we make change for the better in our communities. However, the more I find my voice, the more I am called to serve the Black Indigenous persons of color (BIPOC), especially the Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) community. I hope that my work will continue to lift up these marginalized voices.

I do not, and perhaps never will, claim to be an expert on the Asian American experience, as I believe each individual is the expert in their own experince. I outwardly present as a Vietnamese-American. Even though my biological father is white, it does not show in my physical features. What I do know is my own experience and the experiences I have had the honor of hearing from my fellow AAPI community members. I know that we have often been silenced, been called a model minority, and told our experiences are not as bad as others, when violence is never acceptable.

It was violent acts against Black community members that led me to start listening even harder a year ago. I was seeking reasons and answers. What I learned was, at that time, many AAPI-identifying individuals did not speak out, vote or even care to be counted in the census, because their family members who were raised in their home countries did not have a voice, when it came to voting, at their jobs or even in their homes. Asians are often raised to comply.

Much has changed in the past year. Today, I am proud to see the strength of the Asian-American voice growing stronger each day. I am proud to see many individuals, organizations and nonprofits speak out in support against the violence on Asian-Americans in the last few weeks. I am also proud of those who send DMs or those who support the Asian community silently.

As an Asian-American, I am thankful to the Black community and the work Black Lives Matters has done to bring rights and justice for not only the Black community, but all persons of color.

We are in this together; together we are able to BE BOLD, strong and brave.

Linh M. Sasser
Communications Coordinator, OKCNP

Below, we have compiled and will continue to compile resources that celebrate and strengthen our diversity, so we may be more inclusive for an equitable future.

Oklahoma Resources:
https://www.asiandistrictok.com/
https://www.blmokc.com/
https://www.cairoklahoma.com/
https://okc.naaap.org/cpages/home

Nationwide Resources:
https://aahiinfo.org/
https://aapaonline.org/
https://stopaapihate.org/