meta_pixel
Tapesearch Logo
Log in
Code Switch

One Korean American's Reckoning

Code Switch

NPR

Society & Culture

4.614.5K Ratings

🗓️ 29 July 2020

⏱️ 27 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

At a Black Lives Matter protest in Los Angeles, a young Korean American man named Edmond Hong decided to grab a megaphone. Addressing other Asian Americans in the crowd, he described the need to stop being quiet and complacent in the fight against racism. On this episode, we talk to Edmond about why he decided to speak out. And we check in with a historian about why so many people mistakenly believe that Asian Americans aren't political.

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

Just a warning, this episode contains language that some people may find offensive.

0:30.0

I'm Shireen Marisol Maraji.

0:37.0

I'm Jean Demby, and this is Code Switch from MPR.

0:43.0

And that other voice you just heard belongs to Edmund Haugh.

0:46.0

Here he is again.

1:01.0

Edmund Haugh is Korean American, and what you're hearing is a speech he made at a protest in the heart of LA's Korean town.

1:10.0

That rally happened about six weeks ago at the start of June when protests were erupting all over the country.

1:16.0

I went to Black Lives Matter as a skeptical observer, as a silent Asian American.

1:25.0

And I went there and my heart was broken.

1:27.0

And my conservative bubble and world view was shattered.

1:31.0

And it set me on this long journey to figure out what the fuck was I believing my entire life.

1:41.0

Believing that injustice against black people isn't worth fighting for or just isn't your fight, ignoring your own relative privilege.

1:49.0

Edmund said, speaking to the many Asian American people in the crowd in front of him,

1:52.0

that engoncated no more.

2:23.0

Edmund says when he and his fellow Asian Americans leave rallies when they leave protests, they can just go home.

2:47.0

In his case he said he goes home to his gated house and to his white roommates.

3:18.0

You know Edmund never planned to make that speech.

3:27.0

It wasn't written down ahead of time.

3:29.0

And when he got to the rally he says he was just overcome with all these thoughts and all these emotions.

3:35.0

And he just had to say something.

3:37.0

You can hear in his voice like he was moved by the spirit.

3:40.0

Yes.

...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from NPR, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of NPR and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.

Copyright © Tapesearch 2025.