Shirley Shia and CAPA-BC preparation group (Feb 2023)
We called on everyone to participate in various CAPA-BC activities in the article "One Flower, Two Flowers..." However, our mobilization work is currently far from sufficient, and there are few registrants. This is expected because as a new organization, we are still unfamiliar to many. Now, with this new article, we hope to discuss the principles and guidelines for our community and organizational development with everyone and encourage more people to join our team and engage in community building.
Community building is everyone's responsibility! Time is a luxury for most of us in this group. We all have busy jobs and numerous family affairs, especially with children who have various activities that take up most of the parents' leisure time. Therefore, some people hesitate to participate in community activities. Our children are our weaknesses but also our armor. Initially, we came out to stand up for our children, knowing that parents are the best teachers for their children, and that leading by example is the most effective way of education. Parents who can organize activities are already setting a good example for their children. Children can learn many things by participating in community activities, such as leadership, communication, conflict resolution, etc., which can have many positive impacts on their future lives. When organizing activities, parents or children can take turns, reduce the burden on each family, and allow each participating child to gain experience.
We also hope that parents who are already empty nesters or will soon be empty nesters will contribute to community building. If a group of parents has no time when their children are young and no motivation when their children are grown up, then this group will never stand up. In my hometown, an old man once said to his son before he passed away, "Do not hesitate to do good deeds, no matter how small they are." This kind of "good deed" of community building is far more significant than other small good deeds. In the long run, your contributions to the community will directly or indirectly affect the social status of Chinese Americans in the United States. Many years ago, a large group of young people, who pursued their dreams of democracy and freedom, left their hometowns, relatives, and friends, and came to the United States. We worked hard, endured loneliness and the pain of not being able to accompany our parents (especially in the last three years), and struggled step by step for work and family. After decades of accumulation, we found that compared with other groups, Chinese Americans have already taken a leading economic position. However, our political position has not correspondingly improved. On the one hand, Chinese Americans must oppose "Asian Hate" in the United States, but on the other hand, we must also be wary of the "American Cultural Revolution." Why should we be subject to others and not stand out? We are not inferior to anyone! How can we justify our sacrifices over these years? Only by changing the current situation, expanding the living space of Chinese Americans! If we want to change the status quo, we must start by changing ourselves and stepping out of our comfort zone. Chinese Americans are generally introverted and tend to follow the saying "Being a good man by himself". Coupled with our cultural and historical reasons, we are naturally insensitive to organizations. The democracy we pursue is not just voting every few years, but rather every individual's participation in civic engagement in our daily life. We hope that everyone can sacrifice some personal leisure time, integrate their own interests and expertise into community development, and care about issues that affect the rights and interests of Chinese Americans.
Encouraging everyone to participate is also beneficial for mutual understanding. Often, giving suggestions and making requests is much easier than actually doing the work. Only through the process of doing things can one understand the difficulties of organizing: everything from human resources, materials, time, and funds must be considered. With more people participating, more information is obtained, more feedback is given, and the organization can start to function. The charm of democracy is that organizers can consider issues from various perspectives, reducing the possibility of taking a wrong turn. As the ancients said: "Listening to different opinions will enlighten you, but listening to one side will only make you blind."
On the other hand, as more people get involved, opinions from different sides will also increase accordingly. Everyone must have felt tired of the bombardment by various media in the United States in recent years. Whenever you read a piece of news online, the comments below always show a two-tier polarization. The disadvantages brought about by democracy, such as inefficiency, quarrels, and division, are not something that our group can bear. Perhaps we are constantly thinking about what kind of political system can achieve efficiency in unity, freedom, and democracy. Therefore, why not make community construction a small experimental field and create a new type of community that integrates the essence of Eastern and Western cultures based on democracy, freedom, and equality? (To be continued)
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