Pride & Progress | There is Work Yet to Be Done

Pride means many things. Pride to be ourselves. Pride in our skin color. Pride in our self-determination and resistance as AANHPIs. As Pride is in full swing, this is also a time for us to honor and celebrate Juneteenth, or Freedom Day. Celebrating this month means we continue to show up for our transgender and Black community members, and celebrate people of all races and genders.

Not only should we celebrate our communities’ wins, we must work hard to protect them. We can’t celebrate Pride or Juneteenth without holding Portland Public Schools accountable for trying to bring back police officers into schools, a tactic shown to disproportionately target students of color and perpetuate the school-to-prison pipeline.

We can’t celebrate without addressing the tangible harm caused by the nine Republican and one Independent legislators who refused to show up to work, holding up Oregon’s entire Legislative session for the longest period of time in history. Though they have since come to an agreement with Democrats, many of the issues that a majority of Oregonians support—like abortion—have been put on the chopping block.

The voters who showed up and elected the Democratic majority in our state deserve to see them able to do the work they were elected to do. When a small faction decides their fringe beliefs are more important than the vast majority of Oreognians, no one wins. These dangerous tactics do not belong in Oregon—or anywhere, for that matter.

On the national scale, a handful of extreme politicians continue their efforts to deny trans women and girls access to sports. Our stories are being erased by politicians like DeSantis who are removing Black and Latine history in schools. Select people in power fuel divisions based on race, gender, and sexuality, and they do so strategically. When we are unable to connect to one another, these politicians can and have been able to deny our communities the resources, jobs, and healthcare we need.

As we celebrate Pride and Juneteenth, we are called to look inwards. We must continue to do the work to check our biases. We must use our “oops” and “ouches” for growth, patience, and accountability. Pride and Juneteenth call on us to look to one another, because community is and always has been our greatest asset. This is especially true as AANHPIs and as BIPOC.

We invite you to join us in this process. Is it uncomfortable? Yes. Is it painful? It can be. Is it necessary? Absolutely.

Together, we are a formidable force, able to stand up to the blatant attacks on our communities. We can make change and we can continue to celebrate what makes us, us.

Follow along, stay up-to-date on APANO happenings, and get engaged! We had several wins in this past Special District Elections. Sign up for regular updates and opportunities to get involved here.

In solidarity and love,

APANO



This programming message brought to you by APANO Communities United Fund, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization.