THE STORY OF THIS ZINE
With the rise of violence against Asian communities since 2020 and prior, Megan Zheng looked for ways to get involved with the local Asian organizing community. At first an idea to craft stories on local Minnesotan Asian restaurants, Megan began expanding this seed to develop this zine with her sister, Irene Zheng. Both Megan and Irene are prominent leaders of their high school’s Asian American Student Union.
This zine seeks to uplift our Asian community in Minnesota through the love of food. Food and community care often go hand-in-hand in many Asian cultures. We feed each other because we care and though our parents and loved ones may not always outright say “I love you,” they will always ask us “did you eat?” This zine is about giving back, connecting the people with the food hubs we love and care about by showing our appreciation for the food.
HISTORICAL IMPACTS & MOVING FORWARD
This rising violence against our Asian community is nothing new, stemming from deep historical and ongoing impact of imperialism, misogyny, and white supremacy – from the Page Act of 1875, which banned all Chinese women immigrants, to the Chinese Exclusion Act in 1882; to present day where 33 Vietnamese men were deported and 3 Southeast Asian women were murdered in domestic violence cases. In Minnesota, more recently, an Asian family’s car was vandalized with hate messages and camera equipment was stolen; elected officials are still using “Wuhan Flu” to describe COVID-19; and Edina Public School students still create racist caricatures.
We must also work in solidarity with Black, Indigenous, Latine, Arab, Pacific Islander, and LGBTQI+ allies to transform climates of hatred and fear and build revolutionary communities of care, hope, and love. Expanding law enforcement and incarceration is never the answer.
We need sustained investments and resources for the families of victims and survivors including: access to victims’ compensation funds, fully funded violence prevention and restorative justice programs, and public infrastructure and institutions focused on public health and education.
We need alternatives to community safety and healing. We need equitable policies in our schools, our work place, and more. We need stable housing, access to quality health care, including mental health, reproductive rights. We need education and a liveable wage. We need the right to vote, for the right to organize, and for art and beauty in our neighborhoods.
This is the way we can move forward and heal as a community.
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