Since the launch of DeclarASIAN back in 2017, people have asked me why I care so much about this movement. To be honest, it’s not something I can easily answer.
When a family friend asked me this question, I stumbled over my words, hoping to sputter out something inspirational and moving—a sob story about when I was racially harassed. But the thing is, I never was. And based on that alone, she felt that I couldn't count myself as a true advocate. Though I have witnessed many moments that have inspired me to raise my voice, I don’t have a personal story. And I think what’s important for us to know is that not having a personal experience with bullying or harassment doesn’t mean you can’t stand up for it. Similarly, just because you may not be Asian doesn’t mean you can’t advocate for Asian-Americans to have pride. I started the DeclarASIAN campaign because I felt like now, more than ever, there are movements led by the new generation. People like me and Claire, and all of our ambassadors, are part of this new generation. What is our goal, though? What do we hope to achieve through this? DeclarASIAN isn’t a campaign that focuses on the political side of the issue. It doesn’t focus on shaming people who have shown racism. We aren’t like many other organizations. Rather, we strive to advocate for Asian-American pride, especially for teens who are going through the same stages we are—of lacking self-confidence. Through my eyes, DeclarASIAN focuses on nurturing the confidence of young people so that together, we can change the future little by little. And already, there are breakthroughs happening. “Crazy Rich Asians” is only one example of how minds are changing in the strictly-bound society we live in. Be a part of the movement and send us your story to become an official DeclarASIAN ambassador. Author: Carina Sun Comments are closed.
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Articles2018
1/15/18- Def-I Stereotypes 2/16/18- Remembering Peter Wang 2/20/18- Asians Are Un-Athletic? Says Who? 3/11/18- Racial Misconceptions: A Global Issue 4/12/18- A Letter to My Younger Self. 6/14/18- History Lesson: The Story of Chinese Exclusion in America 6/25/18- Summer '18: Groundbreaking RepresentASIAN in the Movies 7/18/18- Update On the Movement: Through Our Eyes 8/18/18- RepresentASIAN: My Journey with Katherine Ho, the Voice Behind "Crazy Rich Asians" 9/16/18- A Newcomer's Take on Asian Pride 10/11/18- Update on the United Airlines "Dragging" Incident 11/6/18- RepresentASIAN: Interview with Entrepreneur Benny Luo, Founder of NextShark 12/20/18- The "I Love You" Project |