Twitter Urges Allyship With Asian Communities Across the Globe

Twitter responded to the recent increase in attacks against Asian communities by sharing ways for people to engage in allyship both on and off its platform. Program manager II, inclusion and diversity Marium R. Qureshi and program manager, global strategy and innovation Po On Yeung wrote in a blog post, “As anti-Asian racism and xenophobia continue to grow, we’ve seen an increase in attacks against Asian communities and individuals around the world. It’s important to know that this isn’t new; throughout history, Asians have experienced violence and exclusion. However, their diverse lived experiences have largely been overlooked. We also cannot forget historical efforts to create rifts—often perpetuated by the model minority myth—between Asian and Black communities. The time for allyship is long overdue. The time for allyship is now. “ Qureshi and Yeung shared Twitter’s principles of allyship: learn, ask, show up and speak up. They shared resources to help people understand what Asian communities have faced and are facing, including: A Twitter thread about recent and historical anti-Asian violence.News coverage on The Cut about rising anti-Asian hate crimes in the U.S.A Washington Post article on the history of anti-Asian xenophobia.Michelle Kim’s Medium blog post detailing historical context of the Model Minority Myth to today.A short video from AJ+, “Why We Call Asian Americans the Model Minority.” Qureshi and Yeung wrote, “Check in on your folks. Approach questions with empathy and curiosity as a way to understand people’s lived experiences. Do not approach asking questions from a place of disbelief. Especially as a leader or a manager, it’s important to create the space for people on your team who may be experiencing fear, anger or anxiety.” They provided sample questions, including: Do you feel comfortable sharing your experience with me?How are you feeling/coping?How can I help? They also suggested, “When someone’s sharing their experience with you, it’s enough to simply say, ‘I hear you.’ Don’t feel like you need to respond or provide your own story. Instead, center them and listen to what they’re sharing with you.” Qureshi and Yeung also shared ways for people to show up for their colleagues or community members minus the ability to do so physically due to the pandemic. They suggested engaging with tweets amplifying Asian voices and experiences, attending virtual events, signing petitions and reaching out to local Asian community centers to find out ways to support them Qureshi and Yeung shared a list of suggested accounts to follow, including: Act to Change: @ActToChangeEsther Choo: @choo_ekKaren Han: @karenyhanHuffPost Asian Voices: @HPAsianVoicesMichelle Kim: @mjmichellekimDion Lim: @DionLimTVAmanda Nguyen: @nguyen_amandaAlice Wong: @SFdirewolfJenny Yang: @jennyyangtvWilliam Yu: @its_willyu They also suggested shopping from Asian-owned businesses and supporting organizations backing Asian communities, such as the Asian American Journalist Association, Asian Americans Advancing Justice, Chinatown CDC and Stop AAPI Hate. Finally, Qureshi and Yeung urged people to speak up during situations such as conference calls, meetings and on Twitter, but at the same time, to be mindful of jokes that are offensive or racist, or misinformation. They wrote, “Allyship is not about who you are, but about what you do—daily, and in times of need. Everyone is dealing with a lot these days, but be especially mindful of those who are facing unsafety, violence and hate because of their identity. There is no better time to stand up for what’s right. Be an ally today, as you may need one tomorrow.”

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Twitter Urges Allyship With Asian Communities Across the Globe

The social network responded to a recent increase in attacks

David Cohen

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David Cohen