From Silence to Solidarity
they don’t know our name
and send us hate
cuz we’re not the same
or can’t relate
don’t think of this as shame
our differences are great
two can play this game
let’s set this straight
we’re not to blame
for the mess that they create
we’re not the virus
or the myths they propagate
their xenophobic bias
their hate of those who immigrate
let’s not sit in silence
while they play with our fate
even when we’re born in this nation
and try to assimilate
what it means to be Asian
they’ll still try to dictate
they’ll leave us out of the equation
until we cannot tolerate
that’s why our stories
we must narrate
some from overseas
some we cannot translate
some without college degrees
some who are fetishized
some who cannot pay the fees
whose work is stigmatized
some with chronic disease
who are immunocompromised
some who are Disabled or Queer
who are excluded and despised
shunned by peers and from careers
labelled not enough and demonized
lets shed all the fear
let’s not act surprised
at all the variety here
it’s what keeps us alive
we’ve been taught conformity
in order to survive
but our diversity
lets us thrive
we’re not their model minority
not their wedge to drive between races
we have a history of solidarity
that traces back for ages
our community
is one with many faces
from the Philippines to Palestine
we come from cities and villages
all of us combined
have thousands of ethnicities
and thousands of languages
we can’t leave anyone behind
as we write history’s pages
By Brian Liu
This poem was written for the Break The Silence/End Asian Violence Rally in Milpitas on March 28. Brian is a UC Berkeley student, class of 2021; double majoring in Mathematics and Biology, and minoring in CalTeach and GPP(Global Poverty & Practice).
You have expressed the truth so beautifully here Brian. Thanks so much!