Anti-Racism Resources: May 2024 — Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month
Each month, we feature educational resources in the NAAFA Newsletter to support our community in working to dismantle systemic racism. These resources are also shared on our social media, blog, and website. Resources vary from month to month, and may include historical information, tools for personal reflection, or information about how to get involved and make change. Many of the resources we suggest will be introductory resources, and this information is never intended to be full coverage on the complex and nuanced topics that are chosen each month. We encourage you to continue learning, and we especially hope you will seek out and support scholars, artists, creators, and activists who represent the communities most impacted by the topic of the month.
This month we invite you to join us in exploring resources about Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month.
Because weight stigma is rooted in white supremacy, utilizing Kimberlé Crenshaw’s framework of intersectionality, People of Color who are also fat face weight stigma and racism, as well as oppression at the intersections of those identities. Here are some fat-specific resources that we hope you’ll explore:
Where Do Fat Asian Americans Fit into the Body Positivity Movement? by Jennifer Chen - Shutterstock
The Unique Experience of Navigating Fatphobia Within the AAPI Community by Gianluca Russo - Nylon
8 Asian American And Pacific Islander Plus Size Influencers and Activists You Need To Know by Mayra Mejia - The Curvy Fashionista (Editor’s Note: Aarti Olivia Dubai and Ratnadevi Manokaran each now use they/them pronouns)
Ready to read? Radical Feminist Solidarities is a reading list that you should dive right into! “To launch Black and Asian Feminist Solidarities, leaders from Asian American Feminist Collective and Black Women Radicals each reflected on books that have shaped, catalyzed, and transformed their understandings and practices of solidarity.”
‘Death by a Thousand Cuts’: The Impact of Microaggressions on the AAPI Community features Psychiatrist Dr. Warren Ng who discusses the historical roots of microaggressions, how they can lead to physical assaults, and the mental health toll they take on Asian Americans.
Speaking of microaggressions, check out this 2-minute video by Fusion Comedy. This is a great item to share with people in your life who may not understand/accept the impact of microaggressions.
After attacks on Asian American elders, here's how to talk to your kids about racism against us by Suzan Song provides resources for Asian American families, but also shares valuable insight for allies to try and understand the impact of racism.
Finally, please check out these wonderful resource guides to help advocate for and protect our Asian American community members:
The Asian Americans With Disabilities Resource Guide - A guide created to combat ableism within the disabled Asian American community by Asian Americans with Disabilities Initiative (AADI)
Anti-Asian Violence Resources - A collection of resources that have been gathered to help individuals educate others, take action, donate, and more.