#thisis2016: Friends & Racism

Whenever you hear or read stories about racism in America, the two ethnicities that first come to mind are Blacks and Latinos. But what about all the other ethnicities in America? 

The New York Times recently addressed racism toward Asian Americans in an open letter penned by deputy metro editor, Michael Luo. An Open Letter to the Woman Who Told My Family to Go Back to China sparked the social media campaign #thisis2016. The trending hashtag is filled with stories from Asian Americans who encountered racism from strangers on the streets, co-workers and even church members. 

In the following vlog, two friends reflect when the racists remark "Go back to China" put their friendship at stake. 

Do you have an Asian American friend that you offended? Please share the lesson you learned in the comment box below, or email your views to TCsViews@gmail.com.

NYT Opens Pandora's Box to Race in America

The New York Times is running an Op-Docs series featuring personal stories around race. Individuals give viewers a deeper look at how racial issues in America effects them directly.

• A Conversation With Police on Race
• A Conversation With My Black Son
• A Conversation About Growing Up Black 
• A Conversation With White People on Race

The latest installment, A Conversation With Black Women on Race by Joe Brewster and Michele Stephenson, is bound to pull on the heartstrings of any woman of color. It definitely tugged at mine especially when one of the storytellers tried to explain the internal racism that takes place within the Black community. Her story immediately triggered several memories of when I was called a racial slur by someone who had the same color skin and hair texture as me.

"Why do you speak like a white person, don't you know you ain't nothin' but a nigga?" 

As I write this blog post, I recall every moment when my mother told me, as a young child:

"You are black, ugly and that your nose is too big."

These are the internal racial tensions that the storyteller talked about, which plagues Black America everyday.

Until we work on ourselves, educate our children, inform our neighbors and individuals from other backgrounds, we will continue to have these issues. I applaud The New York Times for taking on this project, and I hope that these stories will resonate through the masses.

Watch and listen:

Please feel free to leave your comments below, or you can e-mail your views to TCsViews@gmail.com.

Related Stories: 

• D'Angelo, Bobby Seale Discuss Race in America

• Things I Tell My Black Son

• Things I Tell My Black Son Pt. 2

D'Angelo, Bobby Seale Discuss Racial Injustice in America

(D'Angelo, right, with Bobby Seale in Berkeley, Calif. )
(Photo Credit Zackary Canepari for The New York Times)

It's always refreshing to hear how things were during the Civil Rights Movement, especially when the story is being told by the Black Panther Party co-founder, Bobby Seale. It's even more compelling when a musical Black American artist takes part in the conversation.

In the following video, Seale and R&B singer, D'Angelo, hit the nail on the head during a New York Times video interview when D'Angelo said, "Ain't nobody talkin' about nothin'," when it comes to the music today. "We as artists we have a responsibility. The kids are paying attention to us. They're lookin' at us." 

Things I Tell My Black Son - Pt. 2

What Do We Tell Our Black Sons Now?

Charles M. Blow

On Jan. 24, 2015, another Black young man in America was accosted by a police officer. This time it was the son of New York Times columnist and author of the moving memoir, Fire Shot Up in my Bones, Charles M. Blow.

I first heard of the news on Twitter after Blow sent out tweets expressing his anger and frustration. He then gave a detailed description of what took place in The Opinion Pages of The New York Times. (See: Library Visit, Then Held at Gunpoint - Charles Blow: At Yale, the Police Detained My Son)

So, my son, a 3rd year chem major at Yale was just accosted - at GUN POINT - by a Yale policeman bc he "fit the description" of a suspect...
— Charles M. Blow (@CharlesMBlow) January 25, 2015

Artists Takes a Stand for Mike Brown

As I scrolled through my Twitter feed this morning, I realized that the Ferguson, Mo. protest and riots were no longer trending. The uprising was sparked by the shooting of 18-year-old Michael Brown by a Ferguson police officer. Brown was unarmed.

After the death of Brown hit social media I came across a painting done by Demont Pinder on Instagram. Brown’s eyes pulled me right in. Pinder captured the essence of a young boy who was ready to take on the world yet there was still a hint of uncertainty in his eyes.  

What Would You Do?

ABC's What Would You Do? has a way to make viewers think. The actual title, "A White Male Haircutter Faces Racism At A Black Barbershop," should give you an idea of what to expect.