Today’s Love: South Asian Americans Share Impact of 9/11

Three thousand miles away from Ground Zero, the South Asian Network of Southern California opened a space for community dialogue and healing.

By Bryan Gerhart Sep 09, 2011

People around the country are using the anniversary of September 11 to look forward and push for a more peaceful, promising future. Recently the South Asian Network, an organization working to advance the empowerment and solidarity of South Asian Americans in Southern California, led a community hearing on the effects of 9/11 in their daily lives. More than 150 people came out from around Los Angeles to share personal experiences of the people and the policies they’ve faced over the past decade.

While their stories of violence, bullying and harassment are based in the misplaced rage of others, these Southern Californians didn’t assemble to wallow in retributive hate or anger, but to unite in the understanding that the damage of the attacks didn’t cease when the sun rose on September 12.

Along with the individual accounts — some of which have been posted here — the event featured breakout sessions where South Asian Americans of all ages engaged in dialogues about what can be done to improve community relations in Los Angeles. They demonstrated their love for one another, their communities and their country by working to better them all.

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