Covid Stories: Joon Yong

This country loves scapegoating marginalized people for any misfortune. This pandemic is no exception. Asians and Asian Americans facing discrimination is nothing new but we have seen a violent uptick in homicides and assaults on the Asian and Asian American communities.

I’ve personally been spat at, physically assaulted, had racist slurs thrown at me while walking down the street, and countless other aggressions. I fear for my parents when they go on their walks that they love. I am mad, scared, frustrated,  and tired.

What frustrates me most is when people ask me how I feel about statistics and headlines saying that Black people are the main assaultants in these hate crimes. Questions like this perpetuate the model minority. The model minority needs to be thrown out the window. We are expendable at the hands of the privileged. Increased policing is not the answer.

Increased policing is anti-black. Increased policing upholds this vicious cycle of pinning Black vs Asian. Marginalized vs Marginalized. Oppressed vs Oppressed. It upholds white supremacy. Solidarity and intersectionality is where we will find true progress.