[This is a Virtual Ruby event. Nonmembers are welcome to join; please donate if you are able! This event will take place over Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89053460710?pwd=bitTcGp1NjVFcUhrdlJ4ZFZpYktPZz09 ]

How can Asian Americans be better allies to the black community, and work toward realizing a world free of white supremacy? Asian-American Rubies, join us for a reading and discussion group aimed at learning and growing together. Alongside our group discussions, we'll provide reading assignments and journaling prompts for individual thinking and reflection.

Cathy Park Hong writes, in her essay collection, Minor Feelings: “In 1968, students at UC Berkeley invented the term Asian American to inaugurate a new political identity. Radicalized by the black power movement and anti-colonial movement, the students invented that name as a refusal to apologize for being who they were. It’s hard to imagine that the origin of Asian America came from a radical place, because the moniker is now flattened and emptied of any blazing political rhetoric. But there was nothing before it. Asians either identified by their nationality or were called Oriental. The activist Chris Iijima said, “It was less a marker for what one was and more for what one believed.””

“Solidarity does not assume that our struggles are the same struggles, or that our pain is the same pain, or that our hope is for the same future. Solidarity involves commitment, and work, as well as the recognition that even if we do not have the same feelings, or the same lives, or the same bodies, we do live on common ground.” ― Sara Ahmed

To begin, we'll plan to meet on June 18 and July 2; other meetings TBD. We'll be looking to a few different resources and texts, including the Asian American Racial Justice Packet, Ellie Yang’s “Anti-Racism for Asian Americans” document, and more.

Before our first meeting, please read:

"Asian Americans need to talk about anti-blackness in our communities" by Rachel Ramirez
"Tou Thao and the Myths of Asian American Solidarity" by Jay Caspian Kang
"At Least You're Not Black" by Elaine H. Kim

Ground rules for discussions:

Nothing in these conversations is to be repeated outside of them without express permission.
Listen deeply and respect other people’s realities/experiences even if they are not your own.
If you tend to dominate conversations, be aware of how much space you are taking up and be willing to step back. If you tend to be quieter, challenge yourself to share your ideas.
We are all learning and growing together. No one is an “expert.” It is okay to ask questions!
Be compassionate!

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*While we shelter in place during the Covid19 pandemic, The Ruby's physical location will be closed. As a collective, we'll continue to gather online for virtual workshops, events, and discussions. All are welcome to join us for these events. * For those who can afford it and would like to support The Ruby during this uncertain time, we are offering 3 tiers of virtual membership: $5/week, $15/week, and $25/week. (Though we have some money in our emergency savings account to get us through the next little while, we're pretty nervous about the future, and how long this might go on for.) Please help only if it's feasible for you. If you're in a tough time financially right now, we absolutely get it. Please, take care of yourself and stay connected to this community so we can help.

Here are the tiers of virtual membership (use these links to sign up):

$5/week - https://www.joinit.org/o/the-ruby/aRsJyABygL4FvvEJT$15/week - https://www.joinit.org/o/the-ruby/o56ggrnNNx9rzn6AA$25/week - https://www.joinit.org/o/the-ruby/q37HfmWSQMoLzPt4p

Want to make a one-time donation of more or less? We can still accept donations through last year's GoFundMe. Link is here.

Our Virtual Ruby calendar will be updated as events are added.

[Virtual Ruby] Asian American Allyship Discussion Group