(BPRW) Silent “Sojourners” No More

(Black PR Wire) As an Asian American, and founder of the Asian American Business Development Center, I’ve been deeply moved by the outpouring of support, advice and advocacy that has been unleashed after the string of horrific attacks on Asian Americans nationwide.

Our organization, which promotes and showcases the best and brightest of Asian American professionals, entrepreneurs and the enterprises that they work with, has been actively involved in the campaign against the anti-Asian acts. We’ve teamed up with leading Black and Hispanic community and business groups to sound the alarm since 2020 and into 2021, by galvanizing business leaders through A CEO Pledge https://aabdc.com/a-ceo-pledge/.

We applaud https://standwithasianamericans.com/ and the many CEOs and senior business leaders of Asian descent who have put their names and donations behind ending this tide of hate and violence.

Asian Americans are silent no more. But will we still be viewed as sojourners and do we think of ourselves as such? I believe that in the midst of the pandemic, Asian Americans leaders have a duty to speak out, step up, help our neighbors, donate equipment, volunteer, fund aid organizations and do everything to help end the crisis. As we examine our place and role as well as how we are viewed in American society we should also consider how actively we have participated in its institutions.

As a member of an older generation, I am conscious of the cultural traditions of keeping our heads down, our eyes focused on our families and achieving success, and not making any “trouble.” But trouble comes, no matter what. Every country has its good, bad and ugly, and the United States of America is no exception.

I hope that during this time of reflection and action that our Asian American community is inspired to move beyond this climate of racial hatred, and to look ahead on how to become active in broader social and political issues including voting rights, social justice and economic equality. What hurts one group huts us all. What helps to lift one group, lifts us all.

I urge all of us – including our Asian American business leaders who have pledged to fight against anti-Asian racism – to broaden our outlook and to aim higher and act more boldly toward making a society that is better for everyone.

John Wang is President and Founder of the Asian American Business Development Center.