In the face of hate, people once chose compassion.
In the face of fear, they chose justice.
Dr. Melissa Borja helps us gain courage from history. In the 1970s and 1980s, Southeast Asian refugees faced fear, hostility, and violence. Yet, in the midst of division, Americans chose compassion—welcoming over a million refugees from Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos.
“We can choose to look at the hostility all around us [now] and say, ‘We’re going to do the right thing right now.’”
Then & Now is a new video series where APARRI scholars connect history to the present, telling stories about APA religions and cultures and why they still matter today. In this first video, Dr. Melissa Borja (University of Michigan) discusses the importance of choosing justice and compassion in the face of fear through the lens of Southeast Asian refugee history. Watch the video (& follow for more updates) here!