Dear BCS Community,
We were deeply saddened and shocked by the tragedy in Atlanta where eight people were brutally murdered on March 16, including six Asian-American women. Our shock continued after the perpetrator was arrested. We heard police officers and some press centering the narrative in ways to excuse his violent acts instead of situating his actions within the larger context of accountability for a system that cultivates hate and xenophobia (Anti-Racism Daily).
BCS maintains our support and solidarity to the Asian-American community during this fearful time, and we reject all forms of racism and prejudice and misogyny which impact us all. Next Wed, we will have our second part of the Black Lives Matter Crew Expedition, underscoring the intersectionality of many identities and values in the struggle to tear down white supremacy institutions. This continues to be our daily work as anti-racists and agents of change.
If you are looking for ways to support Asian American communities, consider some ideas shared by our partners and supporters:
- Subscribe to the Anti-Racism Daily – a free, daily newsletter with the latest news and action to build a better future
- Attend vigils around the city, including one on Friday 3/19 at 6 PM in Union Square organized by the Asian American Federation.
- Volunteer with Safewalx to escort fellow community members to or from a subway station. Learn more here.
- Share bystander intervention information or attend a training.
Please mark these important dates below to support BCS events – we hope to see you. As a school committed to antiracist practices, collaborative learning, and self-reflection, we consistently offer events that highlight the diversity, resilience and brilliance of our community, including our Asian-American students, staff, and families.
- Parent Panel Discussion on Pushout: The Criminalization of Black Girls by Monique Morris – Wed April 14 at 7pm – hear from BCS staff and parents who are raising girls in today’s society, teaching them to challenge the “policies, practices and cultural illiteracy” that push our daughters into unhealthy futures.
- Implicit Bias Workshop for BCS Parents of Color – Tues April 20 at 7pm – learn about Implicit Bias, how implicit biases may show up differently for parents of color, analyze what happens in our brains when we assess situations, and how to mitigate the effects of Implicit Bias. This workshop is led by the DOE Office of Equity and Access.
- Screening of Yellow Rose (runtime 94 min) – Wed May 12 at 7pm – BCS will be screening the movie Yellow Rose, an award-winning film that follows Rose, an undocumented Filipina girl, who dreams of leaving her small town in Texas to pursue her country music dreams. Her plan is put on hold when her mother is taken by Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Rose is forced to flee (trailer here). Yellow Rose stars Eva Noblezada, Dale Watson, Princess Punzalan and Lea Salonga.
- Panel Discussion on Yellow Rose – Wed May 19 at 7pm – BCS will be hosting a panel discussion on Yellow Rose led by Cecilia R. Mejia, the Lead Producer of Yellow Rose and a long-time supporter of BCS. Cecilia is a first-generation Filipino-American, born and raised in Brooklyn, who will uplift themes of identity, coming of age, immigration and more as she expounds on the story of Rose, an Asian-American youth who wants to belong.
- Our next BCS Equity Book Club text is The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together by Heather McGhee – June TBD at 7pm – please read with us! Please join us for discussion and storytelling in Zoom. You can purchase the book at your local bookseller, via Amazon Smile with BCS as your charity of choice, or you can email Imani@bcs448.org if you would like us to purchase the book and mail one to your home.
BCS stands together against hatred, scapegoating and stereotyping of the Asian community. WE ARE CREW!
In solidarity,
Scill, Imani, Tracey