Manhattan, NY
The other day I drove into Manhattan and I ran into a big march up lower Broadway. A thick blanket of protestors marched peacefully and powerfully. I got out of my car and stood on the corner to cheer them on. A white woman got up close to take video of me clapping and later a young black woman doubled back to hand me a white rose. I wondered what brought me this attention. Was it merely because I was showing support? I’ve marched in Brooklyn and know the boost of excitement when a car supportively honks its horn or people cheer from their windows. But I also wondered if my support was noteworthy because I’m a middle-aged Asian woman. Do I represent a community that has not shown their appreciation, love, support and camaraderie with the black community. Yes, I do. This is not a revelation to me. I know it and have felt embarrassment, shame, frustration and anger about it yet I have done so little do address it. For that, I apologize to my black friends, family, colleagues, mentors, teachers and role models. I can do more and better. We Asian Americans owe so much to black people. And I will put more energy into educating myself and other Asian Americans about how we can start to honor and pay that debt.
