The Gainesville Iguana A progressive newsletter April 2021 Vol. 35, Issue 4 Elections recap Desmon Duncan-Walker takes City Commission’s District One by James Thompson In a historic race for Gainesville’s City Commission District One seat, public arts and community history advocate Desmon Duncan-Walker unseated incumbent Gigi Simmons with 52.5 percent of the vote. Commissioner Simmons earned 47.5 per- cent. In the At-Large Commission seat, incumbent Gail Johnson handily defeated her opponent. The precinct totals for the Duncan-Walk- Stop Asian hate! er/Simmons race were not nearly as even keeled as the overall results, as each can- More than 200 people marched in Gainesville on March 27 in solidarity against didate won by about a 60-40 split in all Asian violence and in memory of the lives lost in Atlanta during a mass shooting on but one of the nine precincts. March 16� Photo courtesy of Anti-Hate Team� District One is not just a “Black Dis- trict” like many White progressives from Alachua County folks gather in rage and grief other parts of town imagine. Like all our Gainesville Districts, it weaves into the by Jyoti Parmar This was the first large political gathering of center of the city up to the university and On March 16 a gunman targeted and AAPI in Alachua County in at least 30 years, has pockets of gentrification, almost en- and possibly ever (we are researching this). killed six Asian women in Atlanta – the tirely White neighborhoods, mixed com- latest attack on people of Asian and Pa- The purpose of our event on the 27th was munities, student housing, and of course cific Islander origins in America. to stand together as A/AAPI, to raise our lots of over-priced multifamily housing. voices and speak out against the violence On March 27 the people of Alachua It’s hard to tell how the lopsided precinct against A/AAPI fueled by Trump and his victories may reflect this, or if it was County gathered in rage and grief to build right-wing followers who falsely blame simply a result of where the candidates a unified response to these horrific kill- the Chinese for Covid-19. chose to make phone calls and knock on ings and the escalating violence against See ELECTIONS, p.20 Asians and AAPI. We gathered to educate us all about the history of racial violence and discrimina- About 200 of us marched from Bo-Did- tion against AAPI, to put it all in the con- REGULAR FEATURES dley Plaza to Depot Park and about 400 text of historical racial violence in Amer- From the Publisher � � � � � � � � � 3 A/AAPI/BIPOC and allies gathered at the ica, and to stand united with the A/AAPI And the Good News is � � � � � � � 5 Vigil at Depot Park. communities against racism. Editors’ Picks ������������� 9 At this event, AAPI shared their testimony Most of all, we came together to honor the Oral History � � � � � � � � � � � 18-19 of Asian Hate, and BIPOC and allies gave dead and to fight for the living. Directory. .21-23 their testimony in the spirit of solidarity. See HATE, p.2 From HATE, p. 1 After the anti-hate march in Gainesville on March 27, about 400 people gathered in a vigil at Depot Park to hear AAPI share their testimony of Asian hate and to demonstrate a unified response to horrific killings and the escalating violence against Asians and AAPI� Photo courtesy of Anti-Hate Team� From HATE, p. 1 in the context of being in America that we When a politician blames immigrants for Txong Moua, the march organizer said, are now Asians. Asians in America is a ra- “taking our jobs,” we are attacked; when “When I decided to help with this event, cial category – West Asians (people from Fox news blames “illegals,” we are at- I knew I wanted to organize a march. It the middle-east) are classified as white in tacked; when a man wants to eliminate was important to show the Asian presence the racial categories in the U.S., and many temptation, we are attacked. We, who are in this community – although a huge part of us disagree with it and feel invisible. not one thing – are attacked for not being of me was uncertain about whether I The challenge of being Asian/Asian that one thing that we have been defined could get Asians of different ethnicities American/Pacific Islander is that we are as not being – White. to come together. It’s important now, that not any one thing, we have no single shared We are also used to bludgeon other mi- we set aside our differences and join in experience – except in how America noritized communities – look at the this movement because it affects all of us. perceives us, and how America treats us. Asians, they are told – they are doing so This is a defining moment for who we are. Four of the six Asian women who were well – as if to say there must be some- I’m sure every Asian American person killed on the 16th were Koreans – the at- thing wrong with you if you are not doing has experienced some sort of racism or tacker did not know that and he did not as well ... The racism against us is hidden, aggression that we’ve had to dismiss or care. To him, they were just Asians – often hidden even to our own selves – un- process. We don’t need to comply with Asian women – whom he was allowed to til we look at the long, historical patterns, stereotypes anymore when our lives are treat as objects, inconvenient objects he at policies and systems, and until we com- at stake. We demand justice and equality. was allowed to eliminate because, appar- municate across Asian communities and The increase in anti-Asian attacks since ently, he was having a bad day. While we across generations. Trump’s presidency and during this do not know the women who were killed My name is Jyoti Parmar and I am the pandemic is outrageous. The systemic – we also do not need to have known founder of the Anti-Hate team in Florida. racism ingrained in us may be difficult to them directly and personally – we know I am a first-generation Indian-American dismantle but with the help of our allies, that their lives mattered and that they woman and I remember the day I became a we can right the wrongs and find the were deserving of whole human dignity “person of color.” I remember the day I re- strength we need right now to carry on.” and to live their lives without fear. alized I was losing my ability to be outraged We, the A/AAPI community are not one This is certainly not the first incident of at extreme, casual, racial insults. I claim my community after all – we are many com- anti-Asian hate or mass killing. On Aug. right to live without fear, or exploitation, to munities. We only become Asian/Pacific 5, 2012, there was an attack on a Sikh be able to aspire to and work for my dreams Islander in the American context. Before Gurdwara in Wisconsin. Six “Asian” and I claim this right for all ... no, I demand we became American, we were Chinese people were killed. There was not the it – for all the people in America, regardless or Japanese, Korean or Indian or Paki- public outcry then as there is now. Then of race, color, creed, or gender. I work to stani or Bangladeshi or Vietnamese or the people murdered were killed because restructure exclusionary systems. Thai or Indonesian. Before we became someone was scapegoating Muslims – and I will not stand down, and I invite you all “Asians” we were just people – individu- in the American context, Sikhs looked like to join us at the Anti-Hate Team to dis- als – whole human beings – people deal- Muslims to the killer. Just as all AAPI look mantle hate in all its forms, wherever we ing with their own “-isms,” but it is only like Chinese to those attacking us now. may find it.D PAGE 2, IGUANA, APRIL 2021 GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA From the publisher Subscribe! Big truths we can’t forget The Gainesville Iguana We are here on this planet at an absolutely stunning time is Alachua County’s independent of knowledge and awareness. In all the vastness of time progressive newsletter. past, our present science and technology give us a clear window of understanding into the timescale itself, the Individuals: $15 mechanics of living organisms, and the components that (or more if you can) make up our physical world, that of the other planets and Low/No income: What you can galaxies beyond. Groups: $20 Joe Courter Gainesville Iguana Never in history have we humans been able to know so P.O. Box 14712 much, have the tools and ability to enhance our lives and life experience. Yes, we are Gainesville, FL 32604 making an environmental mess, but damn, what a time to be alive. Comments, suggestions, contributions That said, as usual, huge amounts of poverty and repression exist throughout the (written or financial) are welcome. To world. We who are immune to the pain and insecurity need to have in our minds list your event or group, contact us at: these truths as well: 352-378-5655 • The wealth, technology, and ability to improve the quality of life of the masses of the [email protected] planet exist but are bottled up by greed, nationalism, and mistrust.