As the cultural and economic displacement of low-income people of color intensifies in New York and throughout urban America, the parallel strivings of Asian- and African-Americans force activists to deeply consider their alliances and how to navigate battle lines. This week on Third Rail we examine the state of Black-Asian relations in gentrifying New York through a rich conversation with Cathy Dang. Ms. Dang just completed her tenure as Executive Director of CAAAV: Organizing Asian Communities, which is building grassroots community power across diverse poor and working class Asian immigrant and refugee communities in New York City. The child of ethnic Chinese-Vietnamese immigrants, Dang spent her childhood in her parents’ nail salon in pre-gentrified Downtown Brooklyn.
Segment One: Dang shares her personal stories growing up as a social justice-minded witness to the complicated relationship between Asian store front entrepreneurs and their mostly Black and Brown customer base.
Segment Two: We examine what are the common interests between Black and Asian folk in New York, and what threatens to keep us apart.
Segment Three: “Tell ‘Em Why You Mad”
Intro and Outro theme Music: “City Survival” by MC K-Swift featuring TreZure Empire.
Episode Music: “Tanzen”, KieLoBot