Tom Fong – What’s Driving The Rise In Asian-American Hate Crimes
About the Episode:
Asian-Americans are the fastest-growing minority group in the US. However, they are still targeted by hate groups, and this is a problem that needs to be addressed. Some people feel threatened when they see someone who doesn’t look like them or has a different skin color, which leads to racial harassment, verbal abuse, and physical violence. We can spread the love by being a diverse society. People of all races, ethnicities, and backgrounds need to come together, share their experiences with others, and work for a better tomorrow by creating a more inclusive society that accepts all cultures.
Join the conversation with Tom Fong as we dive more into how we can build support for the anti-racist actions, discuss ways to safeguard our communities from hate, and determine new ways to take a stand together and act locally. Tom founded Compiegne USA and is currently the DC Metro Region Ambassador for the Chinese American Heritage Foundation (CAHF). He shares more about D.C’s Chinatown and the US’s common Asian- American hatred. Additionally, Tom gives practical insights that can be implemented to create a more inclusive society with no hatred. Hear more about the reason for his commitment to youth programs and leadership in the Chinese-American community, as well as the SOLIDARITY AGAINST AAPI HATE, The Legacy of Vincent Chin.
Tune in!
Here’s What You’ll Get In This Episode
[00:23] Episode intro and a quick bio of today’s guest
[05:11] How we met with Tom
[06:09] Tom’s history in Chinatown in D.C
[10:48] How his generational cultures have been passed down
[12:03] Several Chinatowns across the U.S
[13:44] Importance of the Chinese Youth Club within the Chinatown in D.C
[15:13] Tom’s work as the Ambassador at the CAHF
[18:35] The struggles of non-whites and peoples of color in the U.S
[21:35] What he teaches his kids in relation to the culture of hatred in the country
[24:24] His broken heart when he saw an elderly Asian woman being molested
[27:49] Creating more awareness through the national day of solidarity against hate
[30:41] Vincent Chin, who was beaten to death by two white Detroit autoworkers in 1982
[33:08] How you can join Tom’s movement and be part of the change
[36:14] What needs to be done to attain an even understanding of our cultural differences
[38:33] Ending the show and call to action
Notable Quotes
- It is wrong and immoral to judge look at people and judge them based on their skin color or other material things.
- The systemic bias that is inherent in how we need to live today needs to be corrected if we need to raise children without the toxicity of hatred.
- End the hate, spread the love!
- Hatred hinders progress. Where people can’t stay together and reason, nothing good can come out of it. Alone we can do so little; together, we can achieve tremendous things.
- We are all the same. Let’s find the commonality in us and build upon it with love.
- Understanding eliminated the hate.
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