AAPI Heritage Month-Tri-State Stop Racial Violence Rally May 2nd 2021

Make America a Better Place for All People

Tri-State Rally Against Racial Violence

May 2^nd, 2021, Philadelphia City Hall

Thanks to 6ABC's Reporting

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Activists rallied across the tri-state area Sunday to demand an end to anti-Asian hate crimes, which have skyrocketed since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"One of the ways, we can address all the issues we're facing in this city and around our country, from gun violence to Asian-American hate and crime, is through education, community, and then finding ways to work together," said Philadelphia Councilmember David Oh.

 State Senator Sharif Street also joined the rally, as did other community activists and high school students.

 Below is Qunbin Xiong's entire speech script at today's rally

Thanks to everyone who joined us this early morning, thanks to 6ABC for your support! 

We especially want to thank our youth speakers, YeeYee and Ian for coming and show us all their kindred spirit! We are very proud of them very much!

We are the concerned Chinese Americans.

Thank you all for coming on this early Sunday morning, this is the kind of spirit we need to fight for justice!

From Vincent Chin, to Christine Hall,

From George Floyd to Andrew Brown,

The systemic racial injustice and bigotry has gone on for too long in this country!!

 

Enough is enough!

Our message is loud and clear:

Stop all racial violence!!

It is unjust, un-American,

and it has got to stop!

President Biden has heard us, the congress has responded, 

the COVID-19 Hate Crime Act has passed.

Now, we ask FBI that each racial hate crime must be thoroughly investigated;

The perpetrator must be punished to the fullest extent of the law!

And the systemic racial injustice must be eradicated from this great nation!

This is 21st century America; no one should be living in fear, 

no matter what race you are;

This country is the country of the immigrants; without immigrants, 

there will be no America!

We work, we contribute, this land is ours as much as anyone else’s!

We call on all Chinese Americans and the AAPI community,

We must step-up, speak up:

1. Register to vote and vote on every single election, including local, state,

and national elections; Make a donation, be a poll worker and tell others

to vote too.

 Your vote is your voice!

2. Stay engaged, keep our voices heard: taking the streets, exposing 

injustice on every media platform possible, and promote 

democratic participation through education of our young generation. 

Your voice has power; our voices have power!

3. Be vigilant against racial injustice toward any individual, any ethnic 

American.

Don’t be a bystander, be an upstander!

We ask for no more, no less; we ask to be treated equally with dignity.

Remember, Injustice to one ethnic group is an injustice to all Americans. 

So, Chinese Americans and AAPI must be united and in solidarity with African Americans and all other ethnic Americans against racial injustice and bigotry in any shape or form.

Martin Luther King Jr. has set a great example in fighting for equal rights for African Americans, now it is our turn to fight for justice for Asian Americans,

and all Americans for that matter!

Fighting for racial equality takes time, takes effort, takes perseverance;

it takes a community to win this battle,

Because the racists and racism are not giving up easily, So, we must fight on, till one day, together, we can make America a better place for all people!

Thanks for reading, please share our messages.

Here is Qunbin's Interview on 6ABC TV Philadelphia, 

Reporting by Beccah Henderson

Counselman David Oh Speaks at the Rally:

PA Senator Sharif Street Speaks at the Rally: