AAPI Heritage Month Spotlights

Anti-racism
Written By Chris Groza

May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. Check out our profiles of figures in Asian American history below.


Vincent Chin (1955-1982)

 
 

Vincent Chin was a Chinese-American man who was brutally beaten to death in a racially motivated attack in 1982. His death sparked outrage in the Asian-American community and led to a movement for justice and civil rights. The two men responsible for Chin's death received only probation and a fine, which was widely criticized as a miscarriage of justice. Chin's legacy is that his tragic death raised awareness about anti-Asian racism and galvanized Asian-Americans to fight for their rights and recognition as a marginalized group in American society. His case is still cited today as an example of the ongoing struggle for racial justice in the United States. Click here to learn more.

See Also
The Lesser of Two Evils!
The Lesser of Two Evils!

Today is Election Day. That means today, Tuesday, November 5, is the last day to cast our votes for a host of political offices that have the power to determine the course of the future for our individual and communal lives. CRS encourages all who read this to make that choice.

Justice Is the Boulder We Push
Justice Is the Boulder We Push

CRS and our member congregation, Urban Village Church, Wicker Park, co-hosted a virtual gathering on October 23. This online meeting set out to educate our network on the battle to end pretextual traffic stops in Chicago and empower folks to mobilize because, as asserted before, when we fight, we win.

“My Congregation Votes” … in 2024!
“My Congregation Votes” … in 2024!

With Election Day approaching on November 5, CRS launched our “My Congregation Votes” 2024 campaign to help people of faith and goodwill ensure that they are registered and ready to vote. Read this blog article to find voting resources and commit to voting. 

We Put the System on Trial 
We Put the System on Trial 

Marcellus Khaliifah Williams was slain, and the whole criminal injustice system is on trial. As people of faith and goodwill, let’s feel our anger, frustration, and zeal for justice. This is important. Then, we should alchemize this into action. All these systems of oppression are connected, and we stand together for justice.

From Chicago to Birmingham, With Love
From Chicago to Birmingham, With Love

With news of the September 21 mass shooting in Birmingham, Alabama, CRS compels Chicagoans to consider the ties that bind our two cities and ways we can care for our grieving siblings. We begin our Towards a Beloved City initiative, a partnership between community groups, city officials, and concerned people who will unite to reduce gun violence. Learn more in this statement.

When We Work, We Win
When We Work, We Win

CRS co-hosted a prayer vigil with our member congregation, Urban Village Church, at Grace Church of Logan Square for our “We Won’t Bury the Slain: Day of Action” on September 18. Together with site pastors and Black, Brown, white, and LGBTQIA+ communities in Chicago, we embodied the longstanding tradition of acting in solidarity in the pursuit of justice.  

We Dissent
We Dissent

Our voices will resound stronger, louder, and unbroken in unison and Beloved Community. Our foreparents faced setbacks and obstacles. Still, they rose to the occasion for us and generations yet born. We will carry that spirited fire because it is perpetual and vibrantly inextinguishable through the persistence of our prayers, our protests, and our policies.

Voices in the Wilderness
Voices in the Wilderness

CRS joined a coalition of community leaders denouncing genocide and calling for a permanent ceasefire at the June 22 Die-In At AIPAC (The Israel Lobby). Read CRS Executive Director Rev. Dr. Waltrina Middleton’s reflection and access photos from the nonviolent demonstration.

Juneteenth Village Fest 2024
Juneteenth Village Fest 2024

CRS rang in Freedom Day early and boosted backing for the Free2Move Coalition’s campaign and their petition to end pretextual stops by canvassing at the June 15 Juneteenth Village Fest hosted by It Takes A Village Family of Schools. Check out photos from the fest here!

Douglass Branch Library Community Garden Outreach Initiative
Douglass Branch Library Community Garden Outreach Initiative

CRS and the North Lawndale community banded together on the West Side for an outreach initiative to reconfigure the Douglass Branch Library on June 8. In our labor, we sought to provide harmony and learning. Check out the event photos here!

Let’s Celebrate Juneteenth by Fighting for Black Liberation 
Let’s Celebrate Juneteenth by Fighting for Black Liberation 

On this Juneteenth, let’s honor our history by continuing our ancestors’ fight for freedom. Read our statement as we celebrate and build political power to ensure that Black liberation is a reality.

 

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Chris Groza
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