By: Leela Xie
Ever since America came to this world
Talking about revolution, equality, freedom, and solutions
Fighting wars, leading charge, with many people paving the way.
Building the society, we now know and live in.
Back in school we were taught about the people who contributed to society
About the Europeans, Africans, and Native Americans
Hold on, I feel like something is missing here.
Where are the ones of my heritage,
The Asians that immigrated to the land of the free,
What contributions did they make,
To build the society we know.
Now that I think about it loud and clear,
I barely hear about the ones of my heritage.
In the news all they talk about are Africans Americans and politics,
The ones about police violence
And about the politicians stripping away women’s rights.
But something I don’t hear are the positive views on Asian countries
The news brings negative information.
It’s the American Society that’s at fault
What about us, what about us
What about us, what about us
The almost nonexistent minority among the millions in the United States
They claim that they are free, where the people are equal
But the only equality I see are the movements about Africans Americans and the LGBTQIA+ community
Their achievements are framed in history loudly and clear.
It really does feel like something is missing here.
The American Society forgetting about the others that were there.
Out of all the things I hear about the noble contributions to this land,
All are about the larger minority of African Americans,
But what about us? It seems we are invisible.
What about Dr. Mabel Ping-Hua Lee?
A Chinese immigrant and women’s suffragist advocate.
She was born in Guangzhou, China in 1986.
After she immigrated to the US as a teenager,
She marched in suffrage parades in New York City.
Not only did she write essays promoting women’s rights,
She encouraged others to get involved like her.
Although the 19th amendment was passed,
She still couldn’t vote due to the Chinese Exclusion Act.
But in 1921, she received a doctorate degree from Columbia University,
The first Chinese woman that’s for sure.
Following her father’s death in 1924,
Dr. Mabel dedicated her life to supporting her community,
As the director of the First Chinese Baptist Church.
And established the Chinese Christian Center.
Although she died in 1966, but her legacy lives on to those who knew.
What about us, what about us
What about us, what about us
The almost nonexistent minority among the millions in the United States
They claim that they are free, where the people are equal
But the only equality I see are the movements about African Americans and the LGBTQIA+ community
Their achievements are framed in history loudly and clear.
It really does feel like something is missing here.
The American Society forgetting about the others that were here.
Out of all the things I hear about the noble contributions to this land,
All are about the larger minority of African Americans,
But what about us? It seems we are invisible.
Being blocked out
What about the many others that contributed,
Into different aspects too.
I just wish that our voices could be heard, loud and clear.
So that the others could be remembered as well.
I am ashamed to say that I don’t know any more,
But I will pursue the knowledge head on too.
What about us? What about us?
It seems we are invisible, from the common people.