“How can we say that we know ourselves without understanding our context? To say that being a Christian and being Asian have nothing to do with one another goes against how we have been created in our own particular histories. . . . I think it is deeply theological, it’s historical, it’s sociological, it’s cultural—it’s the water that we swim in.”
+ David Yoo, professor of Asian American studies at UCLA, reflecting with Fuller faculty and guests on race, politics, and justice from Asian American perspectives. The evening was moderated by Kevin Doi, adjunct professor of Asian American ministry, and the panelists included Daniel Lee, director of the Asian American Center at Fuller Seminary, Grace Yia-Hei Kao, associate professor of ethics at Claremont School of Theology, and Miyoung Yoon Hammer, chair of the Department of Marriage and Family at Fuller Seminary. Musical hosts: Jason Chu, hip-hop artist, poet, and activist Joe Kye, violinist and vocalist. Learn more about the Asian American Center here.
“Silence is powerful and silence affirms what is being said. When somebody says something, when somebody commits a violation or speaks in a way that degrades another person, when we’re silent we’re affirming the last message that was spoken. Any time a human being is being degraded, we all are impacted by that. People think that the people in positions of privilege are untouched by oppression. I absolutely disagree. If people are in positions of privilege creating systems of dehumanization, they’re also complicit in that and becoming dehumanized themselves.”
+ Miyoung Yoon Hammer, associate professor of marriage and family therapy and chair of the Department of Marriage and Family, reflects on immigration and a political theology based on compassion and healing.
“Racism says race isn’t a problem. Racism says why should I get involved with the struggles of my neighbor? I didn’t make them, I won’t solve them. Racism relies on distance and mistrust to keep revolving.”
+ Jason Chu shares a spoken word piece on the complexities of race and politics.