Earlier this year, someone uncovered some 2016 Tweets by Board of Education Commissioner Alison Collins. Tweets some called “racist.” This is not news.
At the time, I remained silent. I thought I understood her point. I was loathe to jump on the “she’s a racist” bandwagon.
I cannot remain silent any longer.
Last week Alison Collins called my community “segregationists.” I’m disgusted.
Let me start again. Some know me as a nuts-and-bolts SFUSD follower. I’ve spoken on calls and have been active in budget issues, literacy, and our Citizen’s Bond Oversight Committee, to name a few. I care deeply about this District. The same District that educated me and graced me with the tools to succeed in my chosen path.
But I am also Chinese-American. And as a member of that community, I must speak up. Because we’ve held our tongues too long.
Indulge me—I want to tell you a little about me and my community. Chinese-Americans gravitated to San Francisco over a hundred years ago. My father came here as a “paper son,” changing our name from Lem to Lee in the process. He gave up our family name. He gave up his birthplace. And two years later, he served in the Army, answering our country’s call. All to become American.
Which is why I am shocked to have my family, my community, my culture branded “segregationists.” It’s insulting. I’m a proud Chinese-American. I’m proud to watch my community succeed. I won’t tolerate this community being torn down by racist rhetoric designed to score a few political points.
I’ve taken the time to have this post translated into Chinese, which I don’t usually do, because I want the Chinese-American community to know right now that I will not tolerate this. I’m in this to help our students. I’m in this heal our community. But I will also vigorously defend anyone against racist rhetoric.
I will be silent no longer.
今年初，三藩市教委高勵思因 2016 年寫的一些推文，被人稱為是 “種族主義者”。這件事眾所週知。
當時我沒有發聲，因為我認為我明白她真正的意思，不願意加入抨擊 “她是種族主義者” 的潮流。
但現在我不能繼續保持沉默了。
昨天，高勵思竟然稱我們的社區為“種族隔離主義者”！這讓我非常反感及憤怒。
為什麼我這麼反感及憤怒，讓我介紹一下我的故事。很多人知道，我是一個埋頭苦幹、兢兢業業的三藩市聯合校區預算員。我常在教委的會議中做公眾發言，並積極參與在校區預算、掃盲和公民債券監督委員會等的討論中。
我非常關心及熱愛這個校區，因為它教育並賦予了我各種工具，讓我在自己選擇的道路上取得了成功。
但我也是一位美籍華人。作為該社區的一員，我必須大聲疾呼。坦率地說，我們的社區已經忍耐太久了。
讓我說一說我和我的社區的事情。
一百多年前，美籍華人受三藩市吸引。我父親作為“紙生仔”來到這裡，改了家族的名字以隱藏我們的血統（但無法隱藏我們亞裔人的面孔）。他曾在軍隊服役，但因1952 年美國移民法禁止亞裔入美國籍，讓他受到了歧視和痛苦。
像我的黑人和西裔朋友们一樣，我本人也經歷過種族歧視。我女兒至今還在經歷種族歧視。
這就是為什麼當我、我的家人、我的社區被貼上“種族隔離主義者”的標籤時，我感到如此痛苦及憤怒。我們是在同一處境的。我不能再容忍這種分裂和惡毒的言論。
我要去幫助我們的學生。我要去治愈我們整個三藩市的社區。我要讓三藩市成為所有其他城市所羨慕的對象。
跟我一起行動吧。
Thank you for sharing your story.