Anti Asian Discrimination Statement
The Tallahassee Chan Center and its members express great sorrow over violent attacks on Asians, Asian Americans, and Pacific Islanders—those in recent days along with the murders of eight people in Atlanta on March 16, 2021. We stand in solidarity with Asians, Asian Americans, Pacific Islanders, and residents who come to the US to learn, to better themselves and their families in the American land of opportunity, and who contribute richly to our communities, our economy and our friendship networks. America has always been a multi-cultural society, and it is this diversity that enriches all our lives and has become America’s strength. Our prayers go out to the families and friends of the Atlanta shootings, and to all those impacted by violence against Asian Americans. America’s long history of discrimination and oppression against people of color, Asians and immigrants must end. We must recognize our interdependence and work together to ensure a more peaceful and prosperous future.
First, we begin with our dharma practice to expose the workings of discrimination, the social construct of whiteness that is intricately weaved in all of us (not just in white people) that manifest as subtle forms of racial discrimination.
Second, we educate ourselves by listening deeply, without judgement, to those who experience and are traumatized by racism. We open our hearts and let their stories in—their words and language embody the pain that runs through generations. We also proactively learn how racial discrimination operates through governmental systems.
Third, we must actively change our own racial biases and those in the broader world by creating a truly inclusive space (individuals, communities, nations and world-wide) in which everyone is treated equally. We begin in our own lives and then in our sangha. This is a slow process. Individuals and communities must first do their own necessary work, so they do not perpetuate vexations on others. With a strong basis in our Buddhist practice, we can reach out and work toward a more just society where people are not afraid of and subjected to oppression from law enforcement or being disenfranchised from society’s political and economic opportunities.
Lastly, we recognize that discrimination, racism specifically, can only be eradicated by going to the root of the problem: self-referential attachment, greed for power and domination, and by extension its impact on a societal level. Without uprooting the three poisons, the expressions of self-referentiality, discriminations of all kinds will continue to manifest. This does not mean we withdraw into ourselves, but it means if the world is going to change, we must liberate ourselves from the shackles of delusion collectively.
The Tallahassee Chan Center has taken several steps in support of ending racism, in addition to our regular morning and evening meditation sessions and instructions. First, we have invited guest speakers for a series of conversations on racism from the perspective of intersectionality: US history, structural and institutional racism, class struggles, gender identities, economic and educational disparities, and literature/arts. Second, we created a list below of educational resources, both literature and videos, to begin understanding and dismantling racism.
Change is possible because all things change. Racism is a human construct, so it can be changed through human effort. The causes and conditions are now ripe to begin this process. Together, we can make a difference. We invite you to join our efforts to create a fair and just society.
Read the 2020-2021 National Report on Anti Asian hate crimes
1. Actively report a crime on the Stop AAPI Hate website
2. Learn also how hate crimes differently impact BIPOC communities: Anti Asian Hate Incidents and the Broader Landscape of Racial Bias
3. Speak up, show up, and intervene when you witness Anti Asian racism. Here is a guide for bystander intervention and here is a link to free training on how we can respond appropriately.
Asian Americans is a five-hour film series that will chronicle the contributions, and challenges of Asian Americans, the fastest-growing ethnic group in America.