“I can’t breathe.” Despite the man’s cries for help and exclamations of his inability to breathe, the police officer kept his knee on his neck for eight minutes and forty-six seconds. This man was murdered. This BLACK man was murdered. His name was George Floyd. Say that name. Remember that name. Continue to carry his name into the revolution that we are currently witnessing.

As an Asian American woman— specifically as a Filipino American— I know how anti-Black racism runs rampant in Asian communities.

“In the transformation of silence into language and action, it is vitally necessary for each one of us to establish or examine her function in that transformation and to recognize her role as vital within that transformation.” - Audre Lorde, “Transformation of Silence”

We acted as though the concessions were victories, and we stepped out of the way. We abandoned our Black and Brown allies.

Sadness, hurt, anger. Letter after letter beginning, “We regret to inform you…” I felt sad because it felt like my hard work was all for nothing.

Recently, I’ve been experiencing a persistent symptom of pandemic-related anxiety. Focus on past events is apparently a common experience. Many things come to mind.