Lamenting Atlanta spa shooting
We will remember
고인의 명복을 빕니다.
Say their names.
Honor their names and stories.
Soon Chung (Julie) Park, 박순정, 74
Daoyou Feng, 冯道友, 44
Suncha Kim, 김선자, 69
Paul Andre Michels, 54
Hyun Jung Park Grant, [김]현정, 51
Xiaojie (Emily) Tan, 谭小洁, 49
Delaina Ashley Yaun, 33
Yong Ae Yue, 유영애, 63
On March 16th, a white 21-year old gunman shot and killed eight people targeting three Asian spas near Atlanta, Georgia. Six of the victims were Asian women, four of whom were Korean. We are devastated, furious, and in tears. This could have been any of us. It could have been any of our grandmothers, aunties, sisters, daughters.
We acknowledge that many of us may not have had the words to process the continued violence against AAPI communities but we feel it in our bodies. Our bodies remember the many times when we have been targets of racist assaults and tirades. We froze up, swallowed the pain, and stayed quiet. We didn’t know what to do with the pain when we felt like nobody would help us, nobody would believe us.
We also acknowledge that what happened in Atlanta targeted AAPI women. We are reminded of the times when we have been sexually harassed and assaulted because Asian women have been objectified and fetishized through the long history of exclusionary laws. and U.S. imperialism around the world. We remember the times when we disconnected ourselves from our bodies to not feel-that somehow if we didn't feel it, it didn't really happen. We wanted to erase this pain, dishonor, and humiliation.
Our community is carrying much and remembering what we have been holding collectively, and for some, generationally. Please make sure you get the support you need to process your grief and pain. Reach out to friends and family members. Breathe. Release. Remember.
(photo by James Lee)
Love Our Communities: Collective Power rally
March 13, 2021
Little Tokyo, Los Angeles
Blow, breath, blow
Dasom Lee is part of a women’s writing cohort and a long-time friend of ReconciliAsian who wrote a powerful prayer of lament in response to the Atlanta spa shooting. She lived in Georgia but currently resides in Virginia. This poem was read at the ecumenical vigil on March 21st in front of Gold Spa where the shooting took place.
*English translation is below the original Korean version.
숨어서 숨을 죽이고 하나님의 숨을 기다립니다.
주 하느님이 이렇게 말한다.
너 숨아, 사방에서 와
이 학살된 이들 위로 불어서,
그들이 살아나게 하여라! (겔37:8)
총알을 날리는 숨
흘린 피 아물리는 숨
심장 다시 뛰게 하는 숨
사방에서 불어오라!
분홍얼굴 하얀얼굴 노란얼굴 까만얼굴
파란얼굴 갈색얼굴 초록얼굴 보라얼굴
다 같이 살게하는 숨
사방에서 불어오라!
혐오와 증오,
부수는 숨
몰아쳐 불어오라!
총들고 죽이려고
차를 몰아 들이닥치는 그 악을
파쇄하는 숨,
불어오라!
동양 여자면 다 죽여버릴거라
절규하는 악마를
말려버리는 숨
불어오라!
물속에 가라앉아
바닥에 닿지 못한 영혼
그 코에.
숨.
사방에서
이 비극을 밀어내는
숨
불어오소서!
하나님의 산에서부터.
Hide and hold your breath, and wait for God’s Breath.
The Lord God says:
You, breath, come from every corner and
blow over these slaughtered people,
make them come alive! (Ezekiel 37:8)
Breath that blows away the bullet,
Breath that heals the bleeding,
Breath that beats the heart again,
Blow, breath, from every corner!
Pink face, white face, yellow face, black face,
blue face, brown face, green face, purple face,
Breath that makes everyone live together
Blow, breath, from every corner!
Breath that shatters abhorrence and hate,
Blow, breath, from every corner!
Breath that shreds the evil,
driving in a car, bearing arms,
Blow, breath, blow!
Breath that parches out the devil that
screams, “I’m going to kill all Asian women,”
Blow, breath, blow!
Touch the nose
of those sunk
to the bottom of the water,
Breath.
From every corner,
blow,
the breath
that drives out
this tragedy.
Blow!
From the mountain of God!
Translated by SaeJin Lee
Sound of Jubilee
After bearing the strains of a traumatic year in 2020, ReconciliAsian is observing this new year as the year of Jubilee.
"Jubilee began with a sound," says SaeJin, who led the webinar last Friday. "At this harrowing time of violence and despair targeting our AAPI communities, we may need, more than ever, make a declarative sound to reclaim and reimagine the hope of shalom."
Join us as Saejin leads us through this worshipful experience this Friday, March 26th. It will be conducted in English. Register HERE.
Our sound, woori sori
The songs and their unique sounds from Saejin's webinar last Friday is still reverberating in us. "Sound" in Korean is translated to sori. During this time of needing to make noise, make sound, we wanted to lean into the sori of our ancestors. SeoulMuseum of Korean Folk Music has captured and collected sounds of Korea from the past. There are sounds of our ancestors cooking, farming, mourning, celebrating, and more.
Hearing these sounds, the Korean language being spoken, the sound of ordinary life- these are precious gifts to us who live as the Korean diaspora. It gives us the courage to continue making sori.
Five ways to support the AAPI community right now
1. Check on your friends, send a note to let them know you see them, you believe them
2. Listen to their pain and trauma without minimizing their experiences
3. Preach about racism in your churches, create space in worship to acknowledge suffering of AAPI communities
4. Support local AAPI small businesses who have been hit hard throughout the pandemic
5. Learn how to intervene if someone is being harrassed
Helpful Resources to address anti-Asian racism
Anti-Asian Violence Resources
https://anti-asianviolenceresources.carrd.co/
Watch Asian American history series by PBS
https://www.pbs.org/show/asian-americans/
Anti-Asian racism history in America (in Korean)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=24ZhnV7yRMI
Asian American Christian Collaborative
https://www.asianamericanchristiancollaborative.com/recommended-resources
Stop AAPI Hate
https://stopaapihate.org/Join other Women of Color to be Liberated Together
https://www.liberatedtogether.com/