The organisation that brought this article to you is one of many trying to increase awareness about difficulties faced by the Asian community in the West with the hopes that our efforts create a wave of reform powered by solidarity. It is therefore our pleasure to bring this week’s article to you, which shows that our efforts along with those of others like us have manifested in the form of real progress when we need it most.
Racism towards Asian-Americans has risen exponentially through the course of the pandemic, as anyone who has followed our journey so far could tell from our steady supply of current events. However, on 17th September, 2020, the House of Representatives passed a resolution condemning any displays of anti-Asian sentiments with heavy support from both the Democrats as well as Republicans. The main sponsor of the resolution, Rep. Grace Meng, spoke powerfully about how the continued usage of terms like “Chinese virus,” “Wuhan virus” and “Kung Flu” has aggravated passions against the Asian American community. “Enough of the scapegoating,” she said. “Enough of using the Asian American community to stoke people’s fears about Covid-19.”
This historic vote could not have been possible without the record Asian representation in Congress right now, amounting to about 20. It is because of their presence in the government that Asian voices and experiences are heard by their fellow Congresspeople, and the community gains the rights it deserves. The vote was a true specimen of people of colour standing for each other, with the most widespread backing garnered by the resolution being by POCs. Thus, we see the true importance of having real representation in politics, a topic we touch upon in more detail on our podcast, Asians in the Spotlight.