Asian American family receives hate mail for posting Black Lives Matter sign

San Francisco home targeted with racist, threatening hate letters.



An Asian American family in San Francisco has been the target of racist, threatening hate mail since putting up a sign in support of "Black Lives Matter" in their window. But they're not backing down.

San Francisco Couple Threatened Over 'Black Lives Matter' Sign Display

Debbie Lee says she has had the sign up in the front window of her Forest Knolls/Twin Peaks home since 2015. But over the summer, she started receiving threatening letters about the sign.

The first letter showed up in her mailbox in July. Postmarked with no return address, it declared "BLUE LIVES MATTER! Get rid of your sign or WE will!" By the way, that's a threat.

The second letter said, "It's time to replace your BLM sign. How about CHINK LIVES MATTER."

Start a Conversation with Letters for Black Lives

An Open Letter Project on Anti-Blackness



Letters for Black Lives is a set of crowdsourced, multilingual and culturally-aware resources aimed at creating a space for open and honest conversations about racial justice, police violence, and anti-Blackness in our families and communities. The project started out as an intergenerational note from Asian American children to their parents, voicing concerns and support for the Black community.

The goal was to create a starting point for difficult conversations. "Talking about race and police violence in Asian communities has always been difficult," said Christina Xu, one of the letter's lead organizers. "There are language and cultural barriers, media access issues and unresolved distrust between communities."

The letter first appeared as a Google Doc last Thursday, July 7 and has attracted contributions from hundreds of people around the world, ballooning into an international, multilingual project spanning translations in over thirty languages and dialects, as well as additional versions spoken from the perspectives of other communities who share similar concerns (Latinx, Canadians, African Immigrants, among others).

Many more are now building on the project with their own voices through audio, video and images.

An Open Letter to Our Asian American Families About Black Lives Matter

Hundreds come together to create a multi-lingual resource to talk about anti-Blackness and police violence.



Sometimes, believe it or not, the internet works together for good. That's what happened this week in the wake of news that yet another Black man, Philando Castile, had been killed by police during a traffic stop in Minnesota, following the fatal shooting of Alton Sterling by police officers in Louisiana.

On Thursday, hundreds of Asian American internet users came together and organized via Google Docs -- YES, GOOGLE DOCS -- to draft a crowdsourced open letter to our own Asian American families addressing the shootings Castile and Sterling and the urgent issues of the Black Lives Matter movement.

It can be difficult to find the words and contexts to talk about these issues with our Asian parents and relatives. Sometimes there are language barriers. Sometimes it's hard to explain the common ground in our struggles. Too often there's simply the impulse to ignore another community's struggles and look the other way.

The letter aims to help start that conversation. It began as a series of tweets from Christina Xu, who'd seen how Asian Americans had reacted negatively to previous police shootings of black Americans -- particularly, the shooting of Akai Gurley in New York City -- and wanted to do something proactive to change their perspectives.

Dear Alton,

By Alton Wang. Cross-Posted from Unhyphenate.



Dear Alton,

It was startling seeing your name across my feeds when I awoke a couple days ago, as the name we share isn't particularly popular in this country today.

But that's all that we share in common -- a name. We have incredibly different backgrounds, different stories, and are perceived wildly different by the people around us, including the police. We couldn't be more different.

I have never feared for my life around a police officer. Growing up, my parents and elders taught me that the police were my friends, people who would help me when I needed it. You were probably taught the opposite.

I have never fallen asleep without a confident, nearly guaranteed assumption that I would be able to fall asleep in that same bed -- a week, a month, or even a year later.

I have not needed to publicly affirm that my life matters.

But this -- clearly -- isn't about me. It's about you. It's about Philando Castile. It's about the countless black individuals who can no longer breathe because of a system built against them.

Video captures aftermath of police shooting in Minnesota

This is not someone else's problem.



In Minnesota, police shot and killed a man during a traffic stop Wednesday evening, in the second fatal encounter between police and an African-American man to gain national attention this week.

32-year-old Philando Castile was shot by a police officer in suburban St. Paul. Castile's girlfriend, Diamond Reynolds, streamed video of the incident on Facebook Live immediately after the shooting, showing Castile bleeding from a wound to his chest area and the officer with his gun still visible through the window.

Reynolds had been riding in the car with Castile and her 4-year-old daughter. In the video, she said Castile was stopped for a broken tail light, had informed the officer that he had a gun in the car and was licensed to carry, and was reaching for his wallet at the officer's request. And yet he was still shot.

Details are still emerging, but in the video, Reynolds says the police officer is Asian.

Judge Lu: We Demand You #FreeJasmine

Cross-Posted from 18 Million Rising.


Pasadena Black Lives Matter chapter leader Jasmine "Abdullah" Richards was just wrongfully convicted of "felony lynching," and faces up to four years in prison. This takes the targeting of BLM leaders to a whole new level.

On Tuesday, June 7, Judge Elaine Lu will determine Richards' sentencing. As Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, we need to make sure Judge Lu hears our demand to #FreeJasmine and stop the political persecution of Black Lives Matter activists.

Tell Judge Lu: AAPIs back the calls of ColorofChange.org and Black Lives Matter International Network and demand no jail time for Jasmine Richards.

Jasmine was arrested and charged for "lynching" last September after she attempted to shield a Black woman from what she deemed to be an unlawful detainment by Pasadena police after a Peace March she and the chapter organized. Although the peaceful march was made up of twenty-some children, mothers, and community members, the prosecutor claimed it was a "riot" in order to pursue the "lynching" charge.

Video: Asian Americans on #BlackLivesMatter

New digital series "Jubilee Project: Voices" gathers Asian Americans to answer a single question.



"I may not know the right thing to say politically, but if I had a friend that I cared about and they're hurting, I would want to be there with them." The Jubilee Project's "Voices" series for NBC Asian America gathered a group of Asian Americans -- including myself -- to do some word association on camera. In this latest installment, we offer some thoughts on the Black Lives Matter movement.

Take a look:

"We Choose Resistance." Join the Model Minority Mutiny.

Proceeds from shirt sales will be donated to bail funds for protestors.



"Black Lives Matter" is a rallying cry for racial justice. Speak out, show your solidarity with Black organizers and give the middle finger to the model minority myth with this Model Minority Mutiny T-Shirt from Race Files. And now, for a limited time, they'll donate all proceeds from shirt sales to bail funds for protestors.

Bringing the Model Minority Mutiny Home

By Scot Nakagawa. Cross-posted from Race Files.



This fall, in the wake of the shooting death of Michael Brown, and in the face of the mounting Black body count at the hands of law enforcement, ChangeLab put out a call for a Model Minority Mutiny. We called on Asian Americans to stand up against the model minority myth as an act of self-liberation from a humiliating, trivializing, and dehumanizing stereotype that has, for too long, been used as a justification for labeling Black communities as “problem” minorities, and excluding and criminalizing Black people.

Many Asian Americans were already part of the mobilization. Many more are answering the call.

#BlackLivesMatter: No Indictment, No Justice

Cross-posted from 18 Million Rising



Like me, you may have spent the better part of last night and this morning reading about all that's happened – and all that's still happening – after a grand jury failed to indict Darren Wilson of any wrongdoing. Not even involuntary manslaughter.

Despite incredible public outcry and over 100 consecutive days of peaceful protests in Ferguson, Missouri, no charges were brought up against an officer of the law for shooting and killing an unarmed person. Demonstrations expressing frustration, anger, disappointment, and sadness over this decision popped up all over the country last night. Our justice system, yet again, has failed Black America. It has failed America, period.

Fight Back for Ferguson. How You Can Take Action.

Re-posted from Ferguson Action.



This moment is a historic one - Ferguson is everywhere– and we are building a movement for justice for Mike Brown and an end to police violence nationwide. Just like people have done throughout American history, we are making our voices heard, taking to the streets and using our first amendment rights to engage in strong actions of civil disobedience.

The people of Ferguson have boldly faced tanks, tear gas and militarized police forces in their quest for justice. We call on you to stand with us and envision a future where the promises guaranteed under our Constitution are guaranteed to all, without exception.

We have set up the Ferguson Action Information Hotline for people to ask any questions they have regarding actions. The voice recording will reflect the most up to date information: 314-329-7667.

Find out more at Ferguson Action.

CAPAC Statement on Riots in Ferguson

"My heart is with the people of Ferguson, and the family of Michael Brown."

WASHINGTON, DC - Yesterday, a grand jury in St. Louis County, Missouri decided not to indict the officer who shot and killed Michael Brown, leading to riots and violence in Missouri and around the country. Michael Brown was unarmed at the time of the shooting.

CAPAC Chair Judy Chu (CA-27) and CAPAC Chair Emeritus Mike Honda (CA-17) released the following statements:

NAPAWF stands with Michael Brown's family and the community of Ferguson

"We cannot allow and will not permit this system built on fear to be a deterrent to us in this fight for justice."

WASHINGTON - In response to the grand jury decision in the Michael Brown shooting, Miriam Yeung, executive director of the National Asian Pacific American Women's Forum (NAPAWF), released the following statement:

“We are profoundly saddened and outraged by the St. Louis County grand jury's decision. The failure to indict Darren Wilson in the shooting death of Michael Brown, an unarmed black teenager in Ferguson, is a national travesty. As an organization that builds a movement daily to advance social justice, this is an extremely painful moment to bear, as justice was not served.

SAALT Saddened by Grand Jury Decision: Emphasizes Need for DOJ to Reform Racial Profiling Guidance

"We will join with our allies to continue outlining the dangers of discriminatory policing."

South Asian Americans Leading Together (SAALT) stands in solidarity with the family and friends of the late Michael Brown, and with communities across the United States who are deeply saddened by last night's grand jury decision.

As a national civil rights organization working with communities targeted by hate violence, racial and religious profiling, and surveillance, we understand the damaging ramifications of mistrust between the police and the communities they are sworn to protect.

NAKASEC Outraged. Black Lives Matter.

"Without justice, there can be no peace."

Los Angeles, CA - The National Korean American Service & Education Consortium (NAKASEC) and its affiliates the Korean Resource Center (KRC in Los Angeles and Orange County) and the Korean American Resource & Cultural Center (KRCC in Chicago) are outraged that a grand jury decided to not indict Darren Wilson. Our hearts are heavy. Like anyone who takes a life, Wilson should face open and fair accountability for fatally shooting Mike Brown. Without justice, there can be no peace.

The disturbing and violent truth about the United States: racism still very much girds and informs a prejudiced system of perceptions, attitudes, and institutions. African Americans -- regardless of age, gender, and orientation -- are disproportionately targeted by the police and people acting out of unjustifiable fear. In the case of Mike Brown, Trayvon Martin, John Crawford, Renisha McBride, Akai Gurley, Tamir Rice, and others, their families must grieve an unbearable loss because of that racial profiling.

AA & NHPI Organizations: Justice Denied in Ferguson

"What has happened in Ferguson is not an isolated incident."

Gregory Cendana, Chair of the National Council of Asian Pacific Americans (NCAPA), released the following statement on the grand jury decision in Ferguson, Missouri:

“Members of the National Council of Asian Pacific Americans (NCAPA) are saddened and outraged by the failure of the grand jury in Missouri to indict Officer Darren Wilson for the fatal shooting of Michael Brown. We stand with the family of Michael Brown and the peaceful protesters in Ferguson.