
The Rise of Anti-Asian Violence
Season 16 Episode 22 | 27m 32sVideo has Closed Captions
Renee speaks with state Rep. Nima Kulkarni and activist and entrepreneur Mae Suramek.
Renee Shaw talks with Representative Nima Kulkarni, Kentucky's only Asian-American legislator and writer, activist, and social entrepreneur Mae Suramek about the increase of harassment and violence against Asian American and Pacific Islander communities.
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The Rise of Anti-Asian Violence
Season 16 Episode 22 | 27m 32sVideo has Closed Captions
Renee Shaw talks with Representative Nima Kulkarni, Kentucky's only Asian-American legislator and writer, activist, and social entrepreneur Mae Suramek about the increase of harassment and violence against Asian American and Pacific Islander communities.
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Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorship♪ ♪ >> WHEN A FUNMAN RECENTLY KILLED EIGHT PEOPLE AT THREE ATLANTA AREA SPAS, SIX OF THE VICTIMS WERE WOMEN OF ASIAN DESCENT.
IT IMMEDIATELY STOKED GREATER FEARS ABOUT THE RISE IN ANTI-ASIAN VIOLENCE AND HATE THAT HAD BEEN ON THE RISE.
I SPEAK WITH KENTUCKY'S ONLY ASIAN AMERICAN LEGISLATOR NIMA KULKARNI AND WRITER, ACTIVIST AND SOCIAL ENTREPRENEUR, MAE SURAMEK ABOUT THE RISE IN HARASSMENT AND VIOLENCE AGAINST ASIAN AMERICAN PACIFIC ISLANDER COMMUNITIES.
THAT'S NOW ON CONNECTIONS.
>> Renee: THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY FOR THIS VERY IMPORTANT CONVERSATION.
I'M RENEE SHAW.
BEGINNING TODAY AND FOR EPISODES TO COME, I REALLY WANT US TO HAVE SOME HEART TALKS ABOUT THE CONDITION ABOUT A NATION DIVIDED BY RACISM, SEXISM AND VIOLENCE.
I, LIKE SO MANY, WERE STUNNED AND HEART BROKEN OVER THE RECENT ATLANTA AREA KILLINGS AND THEN JUST DAYS LATER, THE KILLING OF 10 INNOCENTS IN BOULDER COLORADO GROCERY STORE.
GUN VIOLENCE IS AN ISSUE THAT WE CERTAINLY WILL TACKLE ON THIS PROGRAM AND KENTUCKY TONIGHT IN THE WEEKS TO COME.
BUT TODAY, I WANT TO FOCUS ON THE SPREAD OF ANTIASIAN SENTIMENT IN THIS COUNTRY THAT IS ELEVATING FEARS AMONG THE AAPI COMMUNITY AND WHAT WE ALL CAN DO TO PUT AN END TO IT.
I'M HONORED TO BE JOINED BY TWO EXTRAORDINARY WOMEN THAT I ADMIRE.
KENTUCKY STATE REPRESENTATIVE NIMA KULKARNI AND A DEAR FRIEND, SHE IS AN ACTIVIST, A SOCIAL ENTREPRENEUR AND A WRITER, MAE SURAMEK.
THANK YOU BOTH FOR BEING HERE WITH US.
REPRESENTATIVE NIMA KULKARNI IS IN HER HOME DISTRICT IN LOUISVILLE IN OUR LOUISVILLE STUDIOS.
I WANT TO BEGIN WITH YOU, REPRESENTATIVE KULKARNI BECAUSE A FEW DAYS AFTER YOU HAD AN EVENT IN LOUISVILLE ABOUT THIS VERY ISSUE, WE TAPED THIS PROGRAM.
AND I JUST WANT TO GET A SENSE FROM YOU ABOUT LOUISVILLE HAS CERTAINLY BEEN STIRRED BY SO MUCH AND THE RECENT YEAR OR SO, AND I JUST WANT TO GET YOUR SENTIMENTS ABOUT HOW ALL OF THESE EVENTS ARE STRIKING YOU AND WHAT YOU HEARD DURING THAT EVENT ON THAT SUNDAY ABOUT WHAT WE ALL NEED TO DO TO MAKE THIS A SAFE PLACE AND WORLD FOR PEOPLE, REGARDLESS OF THEIR RACE, CREED, NATIONALITY, IDENTITY, ET CETERA.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
AND THANK YOU, RENEE, FOR HAVING THIS CONVERSATION.
IT'S, OF COURSE, VERY IMPORTANT THAT IT CONTINUE TO BE AN ONGOING DISCUSSION ABOUT DISCRIMINATION AND HATRED AND BIGOTRY AND ANY OF THAT RESULTING IN VIOLENCE THAT WE SEE SO OFTEN HAPPEN.
I KNOW THAT OUR COMMUNITY, AS MANY ASIAN AMERICAN COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT THIS COUNTRY, LOOKED AT THE SHOOTINGS IN ATLANTA AND WERE VERY, VERY CONCERNED.
MAINLY BECAUSE THEY OCCURRED KIND OF AS ALMOST AS A CULMINATION OF A YEAR OR SO OF STOKING ANTI--ASIAN AMERICAN VITRIOL ANTI-IMMIGRANT SENTIMENT, AND THIS, OF COURSE, ORIGINATED FROM KIND OF THE TOP DOWN WITH OUR FORMER PRESIDENT USING PHRASES LIKE CUNG FLU AND CHINA VIRUS.
THAT HARK EPS BACK TO SOMETHING THAT IS AN AGE OLD TRADITION, UNFORTUNATELY, IN THE UNITED STATES, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT IMMIGRANTS, ESSENTIALLY IT'S THREE FORMS OF RHETORIC THAT HAVEN'T CHANGED SINCE THE 1790s AND THAT'S THAT ASIANS, NOT ASIANS BUT IMMIGRANTS GENERALLY ARE CRIMINALS.
THEY'RE HERE TO STEAL YOUR JOBS AND THAT THEY CARRY DISEASES.
THAT HAS BEEN PERPETRATED THROUGHOUT OUR HISTORY FOR DIFFERENT IMMIGRANT GROUPS BUT ALSO SPECIFICALLY TOWARDS ASIAN AMERICANS.
WE SAW THIS WITH THE CHINESE LABORERS IN THE 1800S.
WE HAVE SEEN IT THROUGHOUT WORLD WAR II WHEN THE JAPS INTERNMENT OCCURRED AND IT JUST HAS BEEN SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN LYING UNDER THE SURFACE THAT ISN'T REALLY DISCUSSED, ISN'T REALLY SEEN EVERY DAY.
BUT IS EASILY STOKED AND UNCOVERED, UNFORTUNATELY, WHEN IT COMES TO INDIVIDUALS THAT WANT TO HURT PEOPLE AND IS EASILY STOKED, UNFORTUNATELY, IN OUR COMMUNITY.
>> Renee: AND RECENTLY THE WASHINGTON POST DID A PIECE THAT OUTLINED, SINCE YOU MENTIONED THAT TIMELINE, 18 LUN-- 1800s OF THE TYPE OF DISCRIMINATION AND HATRED OF VITRIOL UNFORTUNATELY TARGETED AT THE IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES.
9/11, WE KNOW THAT THAT WAS, WE ALL LIVED THROUGH THAT.
AND KNOW WHAT THAT WAS LIKE FOR THOSE OF MUSLIM AND SOUTH ASIAN DESCENT WHO WERE OFTEN TARGETED OR ASSUMED TO HAVE THOSE IDENTITIES AND MAY NOT HAVE.
I WOULD WANT TO ASK YOU BECAUSE YOU HAVE WRITTEN ABOUT IDENTITY AND WE TALK OFTEN ABOUT WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A WOMAN OF COLOR IN SPACES WHERE THERE AREN'T MANY WOMEN OF COLOR.
HOW HAVE YOU BEEN ABLE TO ABSORB THESE EVENTS AND EVEN TALK WITH YOUR SON JACK ABOUT WHAT IS GOING ON?
>> WELL, RENEE, I DO REMEMBER THE NIGHT THAT THE NEWS BROKE.
I WAS UP, LIKE I AM ALL THE TIME NOW IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT AND I HEARD THE NEWS AND I COULDN'T SLEEP FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS.
BUT THE MAIN, ONE OF THE MAIN REASONS IS I WAS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION WITH MY 13-YEAR-OLD SON AND YOU KNOW, I'VE HAD PLENTY OF CONVERSATIONS ABOUT RACISM AND RACISM IN AMERICA WITH HIM BUT IT HASN'T EVER DIRECTLY BEEN A DIRECT THREAT TO HIM, SO IT WAS A DIFFERENT CONVERSATION TO TALK ABOUT AND I REALIZED THAT THE PERHAPS I HAVEN'T BEEN TALKING ABOUT THE HISTORY OF ANTI-ASIAN SENTIMENT IN OUR COUNTRY AND THE HISTORY OF OPPRESSION OF ASIAN-AMERICANS WITH MY OWN SON, SO IT WAS AN INTERESTING TURNING POINT FOR ME THAT, YOU KNOW, I'VE TALKED ABOUT THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT AS HE WAS A SPECTATOR AND OUTSIDER BUT NOW HE IS ARE CENTERED ON THIS AND THE CONVERSATION SHIFTED GREATLY.
>> Renee: DO YOU HAVE ANY NUGGETS OF WISDOM FOR OTHER PARENTS, LIKE I WONDER WHAT IT IS SHE SAID TO HIM?
>> LIKE MOST PARENTS OF CHILDREN OF COLOR, I THINK THE ONE THING YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT THEY KNOW IS THAT THEY HAVE TO RISE ABOVE LIVING IN FEAR, THAT ALTHOUGH THESE THING TOES HAPPEN AND THERE ARE THESE HORRIBLE THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON, WE CANNOT BE HELD BACK BY FEAR BUT THAT WE ALSO HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO STEP UP, TO SPEAK UP, TO SPEAK OUT AND TO SPEAK ABOUT THINGS LIKE THIS WITH KNOWLEDGE AND THAT PEOPLE WILL COME TO HIM AND ASK HIM, AS YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WILL COME TO HIM AS THE EXPERT, AND JUST TO PREPARE HIM FOR THAT.
>> YEAH YOU KNOW, REPRESENTATIVE KULKARNI, THERE WAS A PIECE IN THE NEW YORK TIMES, THIS IS DATED MARCH 18.
AND THE HEADLINE IS ASIAN AMERICANS ARE BEING ATTACKED.
WHY ARE HATE CRIMES CHARGES SO RARE?
AND THE OPENING FEW PARAGRAPHS TALKS ABOUT HOW THIS CHINESE MAN WAS WALKING HOME NEAR MANHATTAN'S CHINATOWN NEIGHBORHOOD WHEN A STRANGER CAME UP FROM BEHIND HIM, STABBED HIM IN THE NECK.
AND BECAUSE THEY COULDN'T PROVE THAT IT WAS RACIALLY MOTIVATED, THEY DIDN'T EVEN PURSUE HATE CRIME CHARGES, BECAUSE MAYBE IT WASN'T THEY SAID.
BUT WHAT ELSE COULD EXPLAIN IT PERHAPS.
SO YOU ARE AN ATTORNEY AND I KNOW YOU ARE AN IMMIGRATION ATTORNEY.
BUT HELP US UNDERSTAND WHY HATE CRIME CHARGES ARE SO RARE.
>> YEAH, THAT IS SUCH AN IMPORTANT QUESTION, RENEE.
AND FUNDAMENTALLY, IT'S A REPORTING ISSUE.
YOU KNOW, THERE IS A FEDERAL REQUIREMENT THAT HATE CRIMES ARE REPORTED TO THE FBI.
BUT THAT IS NOT NECESSARILY TRANSLATED INTO EVERY STATE REPORTING ALL THE HATE CRIMES THAT DO OCCUR OR KEEPING TRACK OF ANY PATTERNS AND TRENDS THAT THEY SEE IN THEIR OWN DISTRICTS AND COUNTIES AND CITIES.
KENTUCKY, BY ALL ACCOUNTS, I THINK, HAS ONE OF THE-- I THINK IT'S THE SECOND HIGHEST REPORTING, YOU KNOW, LEVEL TO THE FBI, BUT UNFORTUNATELY, WHAT HAPPENS IS THAT INDIVIDUALS THEMSELVES DON'T REPORT TO THE POLICE.
AND SO THERE IS, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE MANY, MANY REASONS FOR THAT AND AGAIN IT DEPENDS ON LOCALITY.
CERTAINLY ASIAN AMERICANS ARE A MORE STOIC GROUP.
WE TEND NOT TO CALL THE POLICE.
AND SO PART OF THAT IS JUST AN UNDERREPORTING ON THE PART OF THE COMMUNITY TO THEIR LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT SPECIFICALLY.
SO, YOU KNOW, THAT THE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS DON'T REALLY HAVE THE DATA TO THEN REPORT TO THE FBI, AND WHAT THAT RESULTS IN IS A COMPLETE LACK OF DATA THAT WOULD SHOW MAYBE PATTERNS, TRENDS, BASED ON INCIDENTS AND IT MIGHT BE GEOGRAPHIC.
IT MIGHT BE SOMETHING WE COULD USE TO IDENTIFY CRIMES BASED ON RELIGION, BASED ON ETHNICITY, BASED ON GENDER IDENTITY, SEXUAL ORIENTATION, YOU KNOW, DISABILITY, ANY FORM OF DISCRIMINATION AND HATRED THAT YOU COULD THINK OF.
UNFORTUNATELY, THAT DATA SIMPLY IS NOT THERE.
ABOUT A YEAR AGO, WHEN SOME OF THE SLURS AND REAL SORT OF AGGRESSIVE ACTS STARTED TOWARDS THE ASIAN AMERICAN COMMUNITIES SPECIFICALLY, THERE WAS A GROUP FORMED CALLED STOP AAPI HATE.
AND THAT WAS SPECIFICALLY FORMED BECAUSE THERE WAS NOT A WHOLE LOT OF DATA BEING STRACK TRACKED SO THEY WERE A CLEARING HOUSE AND A PLACE WHERE FOLKS COULD GO AND REPORT INCIDENTS.
AND THEY COULD DO THIS WHEN THEY WANTED IT TO.
A LOT OF SELF REPORTING.
THEY DIDN'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT LAW ENFORCEMENT GETTING INVOLVED OR FILING A CHARGE OR A COURT CASE OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
AND YOU SEE, YOU KNOW, FROM THEIR DATA, A SHARP INCREASE, YOU KNOW, I THINK THERE IS A GENERALLY ACCEPTED FIGURE OF ABOUT 150% INCREASE IN THE PAST YEAR OF HATE CRIMES.
CERTAINLY BIASED CRIMES AGAINST ASIAN AMERICANS IN THIS COUNTRY.
BUT NOT ALL OF THEM GO REPORTED.
SO THEY HAD ABOUT 3800 INSTANCES THROUGH THEIR WEBSITE ALONE, JUST IN THE PAST YEAR, AND THAT INCLUDED THINGS THAT WERE NOT-- WE ARE TALKING TODAY BECAUSE THERE WAS A MASS SHOOTING.
THESE WERE CRIMES THAT MAY NOT RISE TO THE LEVEL OF SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE DEFINED AS A HATE CRIME IN A PARTICULAR STATUTE.
IT MIGHT BE ONLINE HARASSMENT, SOMEONE SPITTING ON YOU, SHOVING YOU, CALLING YOU NAMES ON THE STREET, DISCRIMINATING AGAINST YOU IN MATERIALS OF SERVICE AT A RESTAURANT OR EMPLOYMENT.
OR JUST STAYING AWAY FROM YOU.
SHUNNING HAS BECOME A WORD THAT HAS BEEN USED OFTEN BECAUSE WE ARE TALKING ABOUT A CONTAGIOUS DISEASE AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE ARE SEEING IS THIS REAL DIRTH OF INFORMATION AND THAT IS BASED ON A LACK OF DATA AND THEREFORE NOT A LOT OF PATTERNS THAT CAN BE IDENTIFIED.
KENTUCKY, FOR INSTANCE HAS A HATE CRIMES LAW BUT THERE IS NOT A LOT OF INFORMATION IN TERMS OF.
IT'S, I WOULD SAY IT'S BEEN CALLED TOOTHLESS.
IT DOESN'T DO A WHOLE LOT OF GOOD BECAUSE IT ONLY APPLIES TO CERTAIN OFFENSES AND IT DOESN'T INCLUDE GENDER.
IT WAS AMENDED IN 2017 TO INCLUDE LAW ENFORCEMENT AND FIRST RESPONDERS BUT DOES NOT INCLUDE, FOR INSTANCE, WOMEN AND OF COURSE THERE IS AN ASPECT OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE HERE AND THE ATLANTA SHOOTINGS WERE SPECIFICALLY DIRECTED TOWARDS ASIAN AMERICAN WOMEN SO THAT IS JUST A GLARING OVERSIGHT.
I THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE A MUCH MORE CONCERTED AND DELIBERATE EFFORT TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR COMMUNITIES TO SHARE INFORMATION ON HOW DO YOU REPORT THIS?
EVEN IF IT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT RESULTS IN SEVERE PHYSICAL HARM OR INJURY.
HOW DO YOU REPORT EVEN SMALLER INCIDENTS, ESPECIALLY IF IT IS THE SAME PERSON TARGETING THE SAME GROUP OF PEOPLE.
THIS IS THE KIND OF INFORMATION THAT LAW ENFORCEMENT NEEDS TO TRACK AND WE HAVE IT INCUMBENT UPON US AS A COMMUNITY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE REPORT EVERY INCIDENT SO THAT THEY CAN COLLECT THAT DATA.
>> Renee: AND TO YOUR POINT YOU WERE MAKING ABOUT STOP AAPI HATE, THE GROUP TRACKING DISCRIMINATION AND XENOPHOBIA AGAINST ASIAN AMERICANS AND PACIFIC ISLANDERS, THEY ALSO SAY, OUT OF THOSE 3800 REPORTS THAT YOU MENTIONED EARLIER, WOMEN MADE UP A FAR HIGHER SHARE OF THOSE REPORTS, 68% COMPARED TO MEN WHO MADE UP 29% OF THOSE RESPONDENTS SO WE HAVE GOT A 2-IS SITUATION HERE.
THIS IS WHERE I WANT TO SEGUE INTO THE THE CONVERSATION ABOUT THE INTERSECTIONALITY OF SEXISM AND RACISM, WHENS WHAT ALL INDICATIONS ARE WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE ATLANTA AREA SHOOTINGS.
DO YOU HOW CONTEXTUALIZE ALL OF THAT AND WE WILL BE VERY ANN FRANK THE FETISH ASIAN OF ASIAN WOMEN, THE SEXUAL ASIAN OF ASIAN WOMEN, NO THE THAT DIFFERENT FROM AFRICAN-AMERICAN BUT MAYBE SOFTER OR, I'M NOT SURE.
>> I DO THINK ESPECIALLY THE INCIDENTS THAT HAVE HAPPENED IN THE LAST YEAR, WE CAN CLEARLY SEE THAT ASIAN WOMEN AND OUR ELDERLY ARE VIEWED UPON AS OBJECTS TO BE DEHUMANIZED AS ONE OF OUR MOST VULNERABLE SEGMENTS OF OUR POPULATION.
I THINK THAT IT DIDN'T HELP WITH THE SHOOTINGS IN ATLANTA THAT THE SHERIFF GOT ON AIR, NATIONAL TELEVISION AND PRETTY MUCH BLAMED THE VICTIMS AND SAID THE PERPETRATOR, THE SHOOTER WAS HAVING A BAD DAY AND REALLY MINIMIZED THE ROLE OF GENDER AND RACE IN THE SHOOTING THAT SIX OF THE WOMEN WERE ASIAN WOMEN.
SO I THINK IT IS COMPLICATED.
I THINK THAT IT IS DEFINITELY A CULMINATION.
AGAIN, REPRESENTATIVE KULKARNI SPOKE ABOUT THIS.
THIS IS NOTHING NEW.
IT HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR LITERALLY CENTURIES IN OUR COUNTRY AND IT'S JUST BUBBLING UP TO THE SURFACE NOW.
MANY OF YOUR SHOWS, AND THE CONVERSATIONS WE'VE HAD AS A NATION POINT TO THE FACT THAT WE ARE HAVING A RECKONING OF RACISM IN AMERICA AND THIS IS THE TIME THAT WE ARE HAVING THIS CONVERSATION THAT IS KIND OF SWEPT UNDER THE RUG FOR A LONG TIME AND, YES, ASIAN WOMEN, I HAVE A T-SHIRT AT HOME RIGHT NOW.
I WAS ABOUT TO WEAR IT TODAY BUT DECIDED NOT TO.
MY HUSBAND THOUGHT IT MIGHT NOT BE COOL, BUT IT SAYS YOU DON'T HAVE TO TELL ME ABOUT YOUR ASIAN WIFE.
I MEAN I CAN'T TELL YOU THE NUMBER OF TIMES THAT JUST SOME WHITE GUY WILL COME UP TO ME HEY, MY WIFE IS FILIPINO AND I'M LIKE, THAT IS JUST SO ODD, THANKS FOR TELLING ME THAT.
BUT IT IS DEFINITELY THAT HAPPENS TO ME REGULARLY.
AND I KNOW HAPPEN TO MANY ASIAN WOMEN IN THAT WE ARE SEEN AND BOXED INTO A SUBSERVIENT HERE TO SERVE YOU SEXUALIZED PERSON, YOU KNOW.
>> Renee: REPRESENTATIVE KULKARNI, YOU KNOW, I'M SURE THAT SPEAKS RIGHT TO WHAT YOU WOULD THINK AS WELL.
AND I WANT YOU TO RESPOND TO THAT.
BUT ALSO, YOU KNOW, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT OF WE STARTED TAPING ABOUT HOW WHEN WE THINK OF RACISM, I'LL SAY AS AN AFRICAN-AMERICAN WOMAN, THAT I HAD NEVER REALLY THOUGHT ABOUT AAPI DISCRIMINATION OR HATRED OR VITRIOL AND ALL THE THINGS THAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT.
THAT SOMETIMES AFRICAN-AMERICANS CAN CLAIM RACISM AS THEIR OWN, RIGHT?
AND SO I'M CURIOUS, WHEN YOU HAD THAT EVENT ON SUNDAY, AND YOU HAD AFRICAN-AMERICANS THERE WITH YOU AND MEMBERS OF THE FAITH COMMUNITY AND IMMIGRATION COMMUNITY THERE.
I MEAN WHAT WERE YOUR MORE MELONATED BROTHERS AND SISTERS TELLING YOU ABOUT THEIR COMMITMENT TO THAT WE ARE GOING TO STAND IN THE GAP WITH YOU BECAUSE WE KNOW EXACTLY WHAT IT FEELS LIKE TO BE WHERE YOU ARE?
>> AND AGAIN THAT IS SUCH AN IMPORTANT EVENT THAT OCCURRED, RIGHT?
WE HAD ALMOST 300 PEOPLE THAT GATHERED ON A VERY SHORT NOTICE FOR THIS VIGIL IN HONOR OF THE VICTIMS OF THE ATLANTA SHOOTINGS.
AND ALL OF THAT, THERE WERE INTERFAITH COMMUNITIES, THERE WERE CERTAINLY FOLKS FROM THE BLACK COMMUNITY, THE LATINX COMMUNITY THAT TRANSGENDER LGBTQ COMMUNITIES, AND YOU KNOW ONE OF THE THINGS I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT WHAT YOU JUST ASKED BUT THERE IS A LOT TO UNPACK THERE.
AND PART OF IT HAS TO DO WITH THE HISTORY OF WHO GOT TO COME TO THIS COUNTRY, RIGHT?
WHO GOT TO COME HERE FIRST.
WHO KIND OF TOOK OVER THE LANDS.
WHO SUBJUGATED WHO.
AND THAT YOU HAVE THE BLACK COMMUNITY THAT HAS A HISTORY OF SLAVERY THAT HAS NOT REALLY EVER HAD A RECKONING IN THIS COUNTRY.
AND ON THE OTHER HAND, YOU HAVE A HISTORY OF IMMIGRATION, WHERE THERE HAS BEEN DISCRIMINATION BUT IT'S NOT BEEN ON THE SAME LEVEL.
AND THERE IS THIS, YOU KNOW, PERSISTENT AND INSIDIOUS MYTH ABOUT A MODEL MINORITY WHERE FOLKS WILL POINT TO SAY THE INDIAN COMMUNITY OR THE ASIAN COMMUNITY GENERALLY AND SAY LOOK, LOOK AT HOW SUCCESSFUL THESE FOLKS ARE.
THEY'RE DOCTORS AND ENGINEERS.
AND THEY COME OVER HERE AND THEY SUCCEED AND THEY WORK HARD AND THEY OWN THEIR OWN BUSINESSES.
BUT THAT'S NOT, OF COURSE, HOW ANY OF THIS WORKS.
IF YOU ARE A BROWN IMMIGRANT, BLACK OR BROWN IMMIGRANT, YOU ARE NOT ABLE TO COME TO THIS COUNTRY UNTIL 165.
THE-- 1965, IMMIGRATION ACT OF 1965 WHICH WAS THE DIRECT RESULT OF ALL OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT.
A CULMINATION OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT AND IT WAS ONLY SIGNED BECAUSE, TO HAVE THIS LEVEL OF DISCRIMINATION AGAINST IMMIGRANTS WOULD NOT COMPORT WITH THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT AND THE LAWS THAT HAD JUST BEEN ENACTED AS A RESULT OF THE BLOOD, SWEAT, TEARS AND BODIES AND THE LIVES THAT WERE LAID ON THE LINE BY BLACK PEOPLE.
AND THEIR ALLIES.
BUT THAT IS WHY WE ARE HERE.
SO I WOULDN'T BE ALLOWED TO BE IN THIS COUNTRY WITHOUT ALL OF THAT.
AND I THINK WHAT WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND, NO MATTER WHAT COMMUNITY YOU HAIL FROM, IS THAT NOBODY IS IMMUNE FROM DISCRIMINATION.
NOBODY IS IMMUNE FROM HATRED.
THERE IS A LONG HISTORY OF COLONIAL ITCH, A LONG HISTORY OF COLONIALISM, SUBJEW GAITION AND SLAVERY AND DISCRIMINATION AND E HAVE TO STAND TOGETHER AGAINST BIGOTRY AND HATRED NO MATTER WHO IT IS TARGETED AGAINST BECAUSE IT COULD BE YOU TOMORROW.
JUST BECAUSE YOU MAKE MORE MONEY OR DRIVE A NICER CAR OR LIVE IN A DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOOD, THAT IS NOT GOING TO PROTECT YOU IN THE END.
AND WE CAN CLEARLY SEE THAT.
IN THE EVENTS THAT HAVE HAPPENED JUST IN THE PAST WEEK OR SO.
THEY'RE NOT GOING TO STOP HAPPENING.
I KNOW YOU TOUCHED ON KIND OF THE EPIDEMIC OF GUN VIOLENCE AND THAT'S UNDERLYING AND SORT OF SERVING AS A BACKDROP TO ALL OF THIS.
BUT THIS HISTORY OF DISCRIMINATION AND REALLY HATRED, BIGOTRY AND VITRIOL IS DIFFERENT, MAYBE FOR ASIAN AMERICAN COMMUNITIES.
IT MIGHT BE DIFFERENT FROM THE LATINX COMMUNITY AND IT'S DIFFERENT FOR THE BLACK COMMUNITY.
BUT THE FACT IS THAT WE ALL HAVE TO STAND TOGETHER WITH EACH OTHER AGAINST ANY FORM OF THAT HATRED.
>> Renee: AND I WANT TO GET TO THAT POINT, TOO, MAE, ABOUT PRIVILEGE.
BECAUSE WE HAVE A MUTUAL FRIEND WHO HAD POSTED ON SOCIAL MEDIA ABOUT HOW IF YOU DON'T HAVE TO TEXT YOUR BROTHER ABOUT YOUR MOTHER WANTING TO GO TO THE GROCERY STORE AND THEY'RE ON ASIAN DESCENT, YOU HAVE PRIVILEGE AND WE SEEM TO BE REALLY RECALCITRANT ABOUT TALKING ABOUT PRIVILEGE, WHITE PRIVILEGE.
DO YOU HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS WITH YOUR SON, WITH YOUR HUSBAND?
BECAUSE HE IS NOT OF ASIAN DESCENT, RIGHT?
HOW DO YOU CONFRONT THAT CONVERSATION OF PRIVILEGE.
>> IT IS INTERESTING TO BE MARRIED TO A WHITE PERSON AND I HAVE OTHER WOMEN OF COLOR FRIENDS WHO ARE AND WE OFTEN HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS BECAUSE IT IS SOMETHING THAT COMES UP DAILY.
FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN THIS HAPPENED, ADAM SAT DOWN AND SAID DO WE NEED TO DO ANYTHING AT THE RESTAURANT TO KEEP YOU SAFE, TO KEEP EVERYONE SAFE?
HOW DO YOU FEEL LIKE THIS IS GOING TO IMPACT US?
SO I DEFINITELY THINK THERE IS A SENSE OF PRIVILEGE THAT OTHER PEOPLE DON'T HAVE TO LIVE THOSE FEARS.
I HAVE A MOM WHO IS A WIDOW.
WE LOST MY DAD TWO YEARS AGO.
SHE GOES TO THE CEMETERY EVERY DAY BY HERSELF AND I GAVE-- I BOUGHT HER PEPPER SPRAY THE OTHER DAY.
I'M LIKE PLEASE CARRY THIS WITH YOU BECAUSE I JUST, ESPECIALLY NOW, I'M WORRIED ABOUT HER AND I HAD TO TELL HER ABOUT ALL THIS AND EXPLAIN TO HER ABOUT ALL OF THIS.
HER BEING AN ELDER 2-YEAR-OLD ASIAN WOMAN LIVING IN RURAL KENTUCKY AND I WAS WORRIED-- 72-YEAR-OLD.
I DEFINITELY THINK THAT THOSE CONVERSATIONS FOR US, AGAIN, THEY JUST HAPPEN NATURALLY ALL THE TIME ANYWAY.
LAST YEAR IN 2020, THERE WAS A RALLY IN FRONT OF OUR RESTAURANTS AND IT WAS A RALLY FOR THE FORMER ADMINISTRATION AND WE WERE WORRIED ABOUT OUR RESTAURANT, TOO.
LIKE THESE ARE JUST THINGS THAT JUST IS, IT'S JUST PART OF WHO WE ARE AND WE HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS ALL THE TIME.
I THINK THAT THE IDEA OF THE MODEL MINORITY CONCEPT THAT REPRESENTATIVE KULKARNI MENTIONED EARLIER, I THINK THAT IT HAS BEEN A VERY STRATEGIC WAY FOR US TO PIT OURSELVES AGAINST EACH OTHER, REALLY.
OTHER MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES AND IT MINIMIZES THE ROLE THAT RACHEL PLAYS ON OTHER STRUGGLING MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES AND LIKE REPRESENTATIVE SAID, WE REALLY NEED TO COME TOGETHER AND STAND TOGETHER ON THESE ISSUES BECAUSE IT GOINGS TO TAKE ALL OF US BECAUSE WE ARE ALL EXPERIENCING THIS IN DIFFERENT WAYS IN DIFFERENT LEVELS BUT WE NEED TO COME TOGETHER TO STAND AGAINST THIS HATRED AND BIGOTRY.
>> Renee: REPRESENTATIVE KULKARNI, ARE YOU EVER FEARFUL?
THERE ARE LATE, LATE NIGHTS IN FRANKFORT IN FRANKFORT AND I'M WONDERING HAVE YOU EVER FELT AFRAID THERE AT THE STATE CAPITOL OR IN LOUISVILLE?
>> YEAH, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE AS MAE MENTIONED, WE MOVE IN THIS SPACE OF TENSION AND CONSTANT VIGILANCE AND THAT IS A LACK OF PRIVILEGE BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND AND ESPECIALLY AGAIN, THESE LAST FOUR YEARS, BUT THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR A WHILE.
AT ANY POINT, SOMEBODY MIGHT TARGET YOU BECAUSE OF YOUR RELIGION, BECAUSE OF YOUR COLOR, OR BECAUSE YOU ARE A WOMAN.
JUST YOU ARE A WOMAN AND YOU HAVE TO BE CAREFUL NO MATTER WHAT.
IS THIS SOMETHING WE ALL HAVE EXPERIENCED.
NO MATTER IF YOU ARE WHITE, BLACK, ASIAN, HISPANIC, IT DOESN'T MATTER.
AND I THINK THAT IS SOMETHING WE DO.
I'M CONSTANTLY AWARE OF MY SURROUNDINGS.
I TRY NOT TO PUT MYSELF IN SITUATIONS WHERE I MIGHT BE MORE EXPOSED THAT IS NOT AN IMPOSSIBLE SCENARIO.
IT'S NOT HELPFUL TO FEED INTO THAT MYTH OF WELL, IF YOU DID THIS DIFFERENTLY OR IF YOU WALKED HERE WHERE THERE WAS A LIGHT OR IF YOU DIDN'T GO OUT LATE OR WHATEVER IT IS, IT'S NOT YOUR FAULT THAT SOMEBODY ELSE WANTS TO TARGET YOU FOR VIOLENCE.
AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT, AS MAE POINTED OUT, WE HAVE TO STAND IN SOLIDARITY AGAINST ANY FORM OF THAT, OF PITTING OURSELVES AGAINST EACH OTHER, OF NOT IDENTIFYING WITH SOME OF THE HATRED AND THE IMPACT ON COMMUNITIES IF THEY'RE NOT OUR OWN COMMUNITIES BECAUSE IT CAN HAPPEN TO EVERYBODY.
AND I THINK THAT WE HAVE TO RECOGNIZE THAT WE ALL DO, WE ALL DO.
AND IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT COMMUNITY YOU COME FROM.
IF IT HAS BEEN MARGINALIZED, IF IT HAS BEEN DISCRIMINATED AGAINST, IF IT SETS YOU APART IN ANY WAY FROM THE WHITE COMMUNITY, THEN YOU ARE MOVING IN A SPACE WHERE YOU ARE ALWAYS VIGILANT AND YOU ARE ALWAYS AWARE OF THIS TENSION, AND OF THIS POTENTIAL FOR DANGER AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE, YOU KNOW, ARE NOT TALKING ENOUGH ABOUT AND AREN'T, I THINK, ENACTING POLICIES AND ENCOURAGING COMMUNITIES TO STAND TOGETHER AGAINST, AGAIN, WE HAVE GOT TO DO IT TOGETHER.
AND I THINK SOME OF THE STUFF THAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT CAN BE CODIFIED IN, FRUNS, A HATE CRIMES LAW THAT WOULD IDENTIFY A SPECIFIC OFFENSE SO IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE THAT YOU ARE MURDERING SOMEONE OR VIOLATING ASSAULTING SOMEBODY.
IT COULD BE IDENTIFYING CERTAIN PATTERNS OF BEHAVIOR EVEN IF THEY SEEM SMALL IN AND OF THEMSELVES, AND REALLY JUST MAKING SURE THAT EVERY COMMUNITY FEELS COMFORTABLE GOING TO THEIR LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS OR FINDING ANOTHER CHANNEL.
BECAUSE THE INFORMATION HAS TO GET TO THE RIGHT HANDS AND WE'VE GOT TO BE ABLE TO IDENTIFY THESE PATTERNS SO WE CAN FORESTALL SOME OF THE TRAGEDIES THAT KEEP OCCURRING.
>> AND I'M THINKING AS YOU WERE TALKING REPRESENTATIVE KULKARNI ABOUT SENATE BILL 211, THAT WOULD HAVE MADE IT AN OFFENSE TO INSULT A POLICE OFFICER, RIGHT?
AND SO I'M CURE WHY US ABOUT ON A LEVEL HOW THAT WOULD WORK IF YOU HAD THAT KIND OF HARASSMENT IN A HATE CRIME FORM FOR THESE MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES, WHAT THAT WOULD BE LIKE AND HOW FAR THAT WOULD GO.
WE PROBABLY ALREADY KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT.
THIS IS, YOU KNOW, WE NEEDED ANOTHER 28 MINUTES ON THIS DISCUSSION.
AND THERE IS SO MUCH MORE WE COULD HAVE TALKED ABOUT.
I KNOW THAT SEVERAL OF US WHO WERE IN GROUPS TOGETHER, HAVE EVEN TALKED ABOUT WOMEN OF COLOR WHO HAVE NEVER BEEN GUN OWNERS, MAE, WHO HAD THOUGHT ABOUT A FEW YEARS AGO, OWNING A FIREARM BECAUSE THEY FELT THEIR SAFETY AND THEIR HOME AND THEIR LOVED ONES WERE IN PERIL SO WE'VE GOT A LONG WAY TO GO IN THIS COUNTRY AND IN THIS STATE.
AND I'M SO GLAD THAT WE HAVE STATE REPRESENTATIVE NIMA KULKARNI WHO IS ON THE BATTLE GROUNDS THERE IN JEFFERSON COUNTY AND FOR THE STATE AND MAE SURAMEK, A DEAR ACTIVIST, WHO IS MAKING SURE THAT THESE VOICES AND CONVERSATIONS ARE HEARD AND PUTTING SOME FEET ON WHAT SHE IS THINKING AND SO IT'S BEEN A PLEASURE TO HAVE YOU BOTH WITH US.
I THANK YOU SO MUCH.
WE'LL BE TALKING AGAIN SOON.
THANK YOU FOR WATCHING THIS EDITION OF CONNECTIONS.
I'M RENEE SHAW.
WE THERE WILL BE MORE CONVERSATIONS LIKE THIS TO COME AND I HOPE YOU WILL JOIN US.
YOU CAN JOIN ME ON TWITTER, FACEBOOK, WATCH AND LISTEN TO PREVIOUS PROGRAMS AT KET.ORG/PODCAST OR KET.ORG/CONNECTIONS.
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