Nearly 1,000 Chinese community members gathered at Seattle Hing Hay Park in Chinatown against the backdrop of a national campaign challenging Asian hate. 在一場挑戰亞洲仇恨的全國性運動的背景下，近 1,000 名華人社區成員聚集在唐人街的西雅圖興海公園.
On February 12, 2022, on an unusually clear day in Seattle, Together, they marched in the Chinese Expulsion Remembrance Rally in commemoration of the 1886 Seattle Riot against Chinese residents.
It was nearly 150 years ago when hate-driven mobs forced more than 300 Chinese families to board ships for San Francisco. Several Chinese Americans were killed. Those who weren’t robbed of their lives were ravaged for everything else. Elected officials from all levels of government came to the memorial event and spoke out against this ugly chapter in Seattle’s history, emphasizing the need for Washington state to facilitate diverse, inclusive cities as to make sure history won’t repeat itself. Those in attendance included former Ambassador to China and former Governor, Gary Locke, U.S. Congressman Adam Smith, King County Executive Dow Constantine, Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell, Seattle Police Chief Adrian Diaz, former Seattle Deputy Mayor Mike Fong, Bellevue Mayor Lynne Robinson, former Bellevue Mayor Conrad Lee, and others.
In his closing remarks, Haipei Shue, President of United Chinese Americans (UCA), recalled the discrimination and violence against Asian Americans, especially after the Chinese Exclusion Act in 1882 was passed.
“Today, a new brand of racism and nationalism is on the rise. Asian hatred is prevalent, and mistrust of Chinese and Asian Americans is on full display,” said Mr. Shue. “If we do not remain vigilant, history may certainly repeat itself. We simply cannot allow this tragedy of the past to return to our city, our state, or our nation. Never again!”
After the speeches, UCA Washington Chapter President, Winston Lee, called for the march to begin. Participants held banners and signs, chanting while retracing the same route their ancestors had taken when they were violently driven out of Seattle. The city’s Police Department led the way, escorting the crowd all the way until the parade’s end in Chinatown. Some notable participating groups include the Olympia Area Chinese Association and the Bellingham Northwest Chinese Cultural Fellowship, along with community representatives from Spokane, Tacoma, and many more.
As the leading organizer of the Seattle 2022 Rally and March, UCAWA will continue the Seattle project to remember the past and rectify the future. With these efforts, we believe Washington can truly be a progressive, forward-looking state where communities of all backgrounds can live together in peace and prosperity. We would like to express our heartfelt thanks to all the participating community leaders, organizations and volunteers who made it a success!
UCA Washington Chapter
Johnson Choi Biz 