Michael Zhao’s Testimony
March 24, 2021
“Stop Asian Hate Solidarity Rally” in Columbia, MD
Hi everyone, my name is Michael Zhao, senior at Atholton High School and a member of the Howard County AAPI Workgroup. First I want to thank Dr. Ball for establishing AAPI Workgroup. I also want to thank the organizers for making this all possible and for giving me the opportunity to speak.
Today is my 18th birthday. I feel truly blessed to celebrate an important milestone with my family and the community that I love. However, not everyone is fortunate as I am. Tan Xiaojie planned to celebrate her own milestone just one week ago–her 50th birthday–when she was murdered, along with five other women of Asian descent and two others. This racially and sexually charged crime happened in the midst of rising hate crimes against Asian Americans. We MUST FIGHT and MUST NOT let these victims die in vain.
So how do we fight? I want to call on all students in Howard County, including the 15,000 students of Asian heritage, to take action. You may not be an adult, but that certainly doesn’t mean you don’t matter. Our society is broken, and the burden of fixing it cannot be pinned solely on the adults. You see the issues and you know we need change. So don’t just ask for change, BE that change. We’re blessed to live in one of the most diverse, safest, and wealthiest communities in America. It’s our privilege and duty to utilize our time, energy, and connections to start the change now. Let’s educate ourselves and our family members about minority history as AMERICAN History. Let’s denounce and fight discrimination in schools, social media, and anywhere we can. Let’s get involved in community service, where we’ll connect with people from all walks of life to understand each other and build a better community together. If we continue to fight, by the time that we’ve all become full-grown adults, that society won’t be the same one we live in today. It’ll be a better society, one fit for our children and our children’s children so that they’ll never have to go to bed, wondering if they’ll see their next birthday.
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