AALM Video Statement Against Racism read by 12 Young People representing 12 Asian-American Caucuses of the United Methodist Church. One of the young people in the video is Kristina De Jesus, daughter of Rev. Edgar De Jesus (Lead Pastor of Davis Street UMC). Kristina is currently serving as the CYC Representative of the Corridor District.
Angered and deeply troubled by the killings of unarmed black individuals, the Asian American Language Ministry Plan, the New Federation of Asian American United Methodists and the General Board of Church and Society jointly issued a statement in June 2020 raising our voices against racism.
As Asian American United Methodist leaders, we are committed to the dismantling of practices, traditions and structural systems that uphold racism, white supremacy, and white privilege.
Asian and Asian American communities have sometimes been rather insular and for seemingly good reasons. One obvious reason has been racism. Asian American communities have felt the sting of racism going back to the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 and up to the present day where Asians in America are being racially targeted, physically harassed and beaten for mistakenly “being the cause” the COVID-19 pandemic. We, as Asian Americans, have to understand that the underlying goal of white supremacy is to divide and conquer – to isolate each communities of color from another. But we must stand together, work together and raise our voices against racism.