O pinion
Asian Americans Carry Generational
Trauma. We Need to Talk About It
BY JENNY WONG
MANY IN THE Northern
California community may
know me as Berkeley’s elected
city auditor. In that role, I
project an image of profes-
sionalism, competence and the
confidence that comes with
decades of experience and an
advanced education. But the
recent murder of eight people
in Atlanta, six of whom were
Asian-American women —
following attacks on Asian
Americans in the Bay Area —
hit me especially hard.

They brought f lowing
back memories of a lifetime
of discrimination because of
my race and class, experiences
I only started talking about
when I ran for office nearly
three years ago.

The Atlanta murders cap a
year of growing discrimina-
tion and violence directed at
Asian Americans, spurred in
large part by former President
Trump and his supporters
branding COVID-19 the
“China virus.” Hate crimes
against Asian Americans have
increased nearly 150% in the
past year and are significantly
underreported. Many who
have been silent for so long in
the face of years of discrim-
ination are summoning the
courage to speak up.

Like many of the Atlanta
victims, my parents were
working-class immigrants who
toiled at a small business for
a better life for their children.

JEWISHEXPONENT.COM When I saw the pictures of
the women and pictures of the
children who lost their mother,
I thought, “Those women
could have been my mother
and those children could have
been me.”
I came to the United States
at age 6 with my family. We did
not have much, and my parents
were able to work managing a
low-end motel — the kind that
rents by the hour as well as
the day — thanks to a relative
who was already in the United
States. My childhood involved
living in, cleaning and helping
manage a series of motels until
my parents were able to scrape
together the money to buy
one that provided us a more
family. Except for the one time
in elementary school when I
slapped a girl who would not
stop picking on my younger
sister, I kept my head down. If
only I worked hard and did not
cause any trouble, things would
get better. That was what I was
taught by my parents and the
Asian immigrant community,
and so that is what I thought.

And in many ways they
did. I graduated from college,
obtained a graduate degree
and embarked on a career
as an auditor at the federal
Government Accountability
Office. While I still continued
to face discrimination from
time to time — such as when I
went to Los Alamos to conduct
I have clear memories of these early years.

I remember my dad being thrown “like a
chicken,” according to my mom, through a
window by a disgruntled customer, breaking
several bones.

permanent home.

I have clear memories of
these early years. I remember
my dad being thrown “like
a chicken,” according to my
mom, through a window
by a disgruntled customer,
breaking several bones. I
remember weekly comments
by elementary school class-
mates making fun of the shape
of my eyes, admonitions to
“go back to China” and taunts
about the “smelly” Chinese
food my mom sent me for
lunch. In junior high and high
school, the comments lessened,
but I still faced monthly racial
insults. Through these experiences,
I rarely fought back or spoke up.

We were immigrants, without
proper papers for a time. I lived
in fear that something would
happen to my parents or our
an audit and the officials
demanded to see my passport,
but not my white colleague’s,
to prove I was a citizen — life
improved. I was able to establish the
life my parents dreamed for
me. I married, have two high
school-age kids and do not face
the economic challenges my
parents did. But the memories
of the discrimination I faced,
and continue to face from time
to time, never went away.

My experience with racism
and discrimination is not
unique. In fact, it is quite
common, yet seldom talked
about. Many Asian Americans
carry a lifetime of memories, or
even generations of trauma, yet
our stories are seldom centered.

Living in a culture that does
See Wong, Page 23
JEWISH EXPONENT
KVETCH ’N’ KVELL
Bartos’ Pride Misplaced
WHY IS JEFF BARTOS (“Jeff Bartos Announces Bid for US
Senate,” March 18) still proud to say that he voted for Donald
Trump, an inveterate liar who was impeached twice, reinforced
divisions among our people, refused to accept the results of an
election that was proven numerous times to be legitimate and
used repeated lies to foster an insurrection on our Capitol?
The first time, perhaps, we could excuse a voter for making a
mistake. But, twice, after so much had been revealed about this
misguided and soulless person? Other than Israel, Trump has
treated our allies with disrespect and our countries of concern
with undeserved generosity and praise. Surely Bartos knows
that there is more to being a good Jew and a good American
than supporting the settlements in Israel and moving the U.S.

embassy to Jerusalem.

Quite honestly, I felt ill when I read this article. I couldn’t
sleep. So, I ask Bartos to reconsider his loyalty to Trump. If he
truly wants to help our country fulfill its potential and unite
all Americans, he will distance himself from Trump and all of
his enablers. This is the time for men and women of integrity,
honesty and a genuine understanding and appreciation of who
we are to help lead America out of the expanded wilderness that
Trump created.

Alexis Gerard Finger | Bala Cynwyd
Co-author’s Anti-Semitism Should Have Been
Acknowledged Jesse Bernstein’s review of the book “Except for Palestine:
The Limits of Progressive Politics” (“Reviews: Failed Case,
Compelling Treasure Hunt,” March 18) neglects to mention the
most crucial fact: Marc Lamont Hill, one of the co-authors, was
fired by CNN for his anti-Israel comments before the U.N., and
was also condemned by Temple University, whose trustees said
that Hill’s comments are “widely perceived as language that
threatens the existence of the state of Israel” that “has been used
by anti-Israel terror groups.”
Furthermore, the trustees said that Hill’s words were criticized
as “virulent anti-Semitism” and “hate speech.” Surely Bernstein
should have mentioned that, in addition to being “muddled and
confusing,” the cogent fact about the book is that Hill, one of the
authors, has reiterated his genocidal call for an end to Israel as
the Jewish state a recent interview. The Exponent owes its readers
book reviews that provide such critical background to prospec-
tive readers. l
Stephen A. Shalet | West Chester
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