“’I Will Not Stand Silent.’ 10 Asian Americans Reflect on Racism During the Pandemic and the Need for Equality” by Anna Purna Kambhampaty

Diseases and outbreaks have long been used to rationalize xenophobia: HIV was blamed on Haitian Americans, the 1918 influenza pandemic on German Americans, the swine flu in 2009 on Mexican Americans. The racist belief that Asians carry disease goes back centuries. In the 1800s, out of fear that Chinese workers were taking jobs that could be held by white workers, white labor unions argued for an immigration ban by claiming that “Chinese” disease strains were more harmful than those carried by white people.

“Why Racism, Not Race, Is a Risk Factor for Dying of COVID-19” by Claudia Wallis

Public health specialist and physician Camara Phyllis Jones talks about ways that jobs, communities and health care leave Black Americans more exposed and less protected

“Becoming Trustworthy White Allies” by Melanie S. Morrison

I believe it is possible to become trustworthy white allies if we are willing to move out of our comfort zones, risk having our assumptions challenged, our lives disrupted, and our way of viewing the world transformed.

“How to reform American police, according to experts” by German Lopez

As protesters demonstrate against police violence, here are eight ideas for reforming law enforcement in the US.

Non-Fiction Reading

“I Wanted to Know What White Men Thought About Their Privilege. So I Asked” by Claudia Rankine

Famed poet Claudia Rankine writes about how she asked white men about privilege. She recounts how she felt and what she learned during these various encounters. Rankine indeed reflects on the nature of privilege but also on communication across difference. How do we render our lived experiences visible to those who do not share them? Join us to think more about privilege and how it both provides challenges and possibilities for more earnest, authentic communication.

Fiction Reading

“Arturo” by Giusi Marchetta, translated by Jamie Richards

“Arturo” by Giusi Marchetta brings forward the blurred lines between memory and imagination. We meet three generations of a family as a divorced father returns to his childhood home with his son to bear witness to a dying grandfather. With death looming, the father and grandfather recall people from the past while the son plays with his imaginary friend, Arturo. This story highlights, among other things, how we simultaneously protect and squash the innocence of children, revere and dismiss the elderly and, with imagination, construct ideas of who we and others are.

Non-Fiction Reading

“My Father Spent 30 Years In Prison. Now He’s Out” by Ashley C. Ford

The United States has the highest numbers of incarceration in the world and people of color are disproportionately represented in prisons. Long periods behind bars deprive millions of life opportunities as well as connections with loved ones. In this piece, Ashley C. Ford shares her experience of reuniting with her father who served a 30-year sentence in prison.

Fiction Reading

“The Water That Falls On You From Nowhere” by John Chu

When we think of queer immigrant narratives, we think of coming out followed by rejection, clashing cultures, and having to choose between one’s family and one’s lover. This single story gets told over and over and over. If you’re tired of reading queer immigrant narratives like that, this is the week for you. John Chu’s story explores the tensions between our different social identities and the fraught relationship between queerness and family. But finally, a happy ending.

Monday, July 06, 8:00 pm (ET)

Reading Topic: Allyship

Fiction Reading

“Paper Menagerie” by Ken Liu 

Ken Liu’s short story is a big deal in the sci-fi world, and we hope you’ll join us to see why. This story about paper animals comes to life, touches upon the bond between children and parents, xenophobia (both internalized and not), the echoing traumas of China’s violent Cultural Revolution, and communication across linguistic and cultural differences. If you want to feel big feelings and think about timely issues, this is a story for you!

Non-Fiction Reading

“The Empathy Exams” by Leslie Jamison

Leslie Jamison’s essay explores empathy from the lens of a medical actor, someone who pretends to have an illness and evaluates the bedside manner of med students. Jamison reflects on empathy’s capabilities in helping us connect with others and its limitations, especially in her relationship with her partner when she goes through an abortion and heart surgery in quick succession. If you want to really think through what empathy is and why it’s important for us, please join us!

Fiction Reading

“Welcome to Your Authentic Indian Experience” by Rebecca Roanhorse

This award-winning story explores the complexity of cultural appropriation through the character of Jesse Turnblatt, an Indigenous person working for a virtual reality company that gives tours of Native life to rich white tourists. Jesse’s wife, boss, and colleagues have diverging feelings about how to use and monetize stereotypes and, as the story unfolds, they raise questions about what is real and authentic and right.