About

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.   First Segment: 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.  Second Segment: we examine what are the common interests between Black and Asian folk in New York, and what threatens to keep us apart.   Third Segment: we of course, Tell ‘em Why We Mad.    Intro and Outro theme Music: “City Survival” by MC K-Swift featuring TreZure Empire. Episode Music: “Tanzen”, KieLoBot