Texas State Representative Gene Wu has ignited real conversation with his comments about the interconnected struggles of Asian and Black communities in the fight for civil rights.
Speaking on the podcast Define American with Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Jose Antonio Vargas, Wu discussed how the privileges many Asian Americans enjoy today were made possible by the sacrifices of Black Americans during the civil rights movement.
Wu, who represents District 137 in Houston, urged minority communities to recognize their shared history of oppression and the systemic barriers they face. “The day the Latino, African American, Asian, and other communities realize that they share the same oppressor is the day we start winning,” Wu stated on the podcast.
He went on to call out the pervasive “model minority” myth, which he argued has been weaponized to pit minority groups against one another.
“What I have been trying to teach the Asian community is like, friends, do you understand that your success, your prosperity, your civil rights that you enjoy right now was paid for with Black blood?” Wu said.
Wu’s comments have gone viral on social media, sparking discussions across platforms. Many users praised his acknowledgment of the civil rights movement’s role in breaking down barriers for all minority groups, while others pointed to the need for greater solidarity between communities in addressing systemic racism.
In the podcast, Wu discussed the importance of bridging gaps between communities, particularly between Asian and Black Americans. “The problem is our communities are divided,” Wu said. “For Asian Americans and for African Americans, we probably have one of the worst relationships between any community.”
Watch the full interview.