Jeannie Mai Shared A Powerful Message About Racism During The Coronavirus Pandemic, And It Needs To Be On Every Billboard

    "Our society continues to move backward in any progress that we've ever made when racism still exists."

    Terry Carter Jr.
    by Terry Carter Jr.

    BuzzFeed Staff

    In a forthcoming interview with BuzzFeed, Jeannie Mai, cohost of the Emmy- and NAACP Image Award–winning daytime talk show The Real, spoke out about racism in black and Asian communities during the coronavirus pandemic.

    "There's something bigger going on right now that's really important to me. And that's the conversation of racism," Jeannie, who is Vietnamese and Chinese, told BuzzFeed.

    "Let's be honest: Right now, there are two areas that have been highlighted during quarantine: the ongoing fight for the black community and the Asian community, which also has been dealing with a lot of backlash because of the terminology that we're using around coronavirus and where it's come from," she continued.

    "The most recent occurrence [of racism] with Ahmaud Arbery obviously got our attention and was absolutely deplorable, but it's also the fact that the black community and the brown community are getting hit more than ever during this time; economically and socially, it's been terrible for them," Jeannie said.

    S. Lee Merritt, Esq. @MeritLaw

    #AhamaudArbery’s mother has been unable to view the now viral recording. I want her to know we are so proud of her son. He gave these cowards the fight of their lives.

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    "This is a time where I really ask people to take an introspective look on what they are doing to help put an end to the racism in their conversations, in their homes, in their ideologies, and in their communities," she continued.

    "How are we putting a stop to it? Because no matter who racism attacks, it affects every single one of us. That's the one thing I don't think that we all understand. When something happens to our brothers in the black and brown community, that is happening to us," Jeannie added.

    "Our society continues to move backward in any progress that we've ever made when racism still exists," she stated.

    "I would like all of my nonblack friends to understand that racism affects us all. This time, we need to not only stand up for our brothers and sisters of other colors, but we need to protect them and speak out for them and take action as if it were our own blood. That is the only way we will win," she said.

    "Take whatever action you can to make sure that justice prevails, and have conversations with other people about what you read and how you feel," Jeannie urged.

    She continued: "The most important thing is, if you can scroll past the images and stories of people being attacked for hate crimes taking place, and you just kind of shake your head like, 'Oh, man, that sucks,' or if you have an overreaction and it keeps going up, something is wrong with that area of your thinking — if you're not allowed to process it, and really feel what's going on."

    She added: "It's okay to feel uncomfortable. You have to feel pain. And you do have to feel, 'Oh my god, what can I do?'

    "So don't just scroll past these images; actually take a moment to process it. ... Face the discomfort and actually feel the emotion, because that is truly when you understand the fight that these communities have to go through."

    Jeannie concluded: "We need to protect one another. When you ignore it and don't actually absorb the feeling, it's much harder to actually understand why they need our support."

    For more information on hate crimes and how to report them, click here.