Hashtag stopasianhate by Sherry Cola

Transcripted from a live reading at https://www.instagram.com/tv/CMhqn6Whblx.

Written in 2021.

Today I feel grief and rage
Innocent immigrants working minimum wage just lost their lives because their skin color's beige
Let me start from the very first page.

I've always felt foreign if I'm being candid
So aware growing up that my eyes were slanted
Kids flippin' me off and I didn't understand it.

The old me used to let the hatred slide
But now I'm filled with Asian pride
I'm so sick of holding the pain inside.

What has this world come to?
All this talk about kung-flu
Now my people are gettin' killed with guns too?

It breaks my heart that we're moving in reverse
I remember my mom used to work hard to put me first
With five dollars in her purse
It hurts that it could've been her in a hearse.

Asian women, we're taught to mind our own business
What kind of country is this?
We're getting murdered by white terrorists
With assistance from the fucked up system
these were daughters, wives, mothers, and sisters

The American dream turned into a nightmare
I'm losing sleep, getting white hairs
Is my grandpa gonna get assaulted right there?

Let's face it. We watch the news and energy is just wasted
Four years with a "leader" that's xenophobic and racist
And now we're back to basics.

I can't help but shed tears on tears
For years my ancestors proved that we belong here.
2021 we're still living with these strong fears

I mean this is bringing us back
To the Exclusion Act
These are just the facts
My community is under attack.

So stop ignoring these crimes and playing pretend
Check in on your Asian family and friends.
Let's have each other's backs and put this hate to an end.