Special Episode "I am Not a Virus!" - Helen Lee, Seana Reavis, Eugene Cho & Judy Wu Dominick

SPECIAL EPISODE “I Am Not A Virus”

We are living in uncharted territory as the entire nation shuts down in order to #flattenthecurve and slow the spreading of COVID-19. Individuals, families, communities, businesses, and entire cities are experiencing firsthand how utterly reliant we really are on one another. 

Another difficult reality we face as Asian Americans is the continual “othering” and blame due to the virus originating in China. Many friends, their children and family members have experienced verbal harassment, bullying, and worse. The fear of being mistreated and even harmed simply being Asisan is real. 

I am so grateful and honored my friends would rally on short notice to tape this special edition episode. Eugene, Helen, Seana, and Judy are all seasoned leaders in their fields and bring needed perspective, expertise, and validation to what is happening in our communities and abroad as a result of COVID-19. 

Thank you to our listeners of all backgrounds for your willingness to learn, your support, understanding, and voice in confronting the misdirected fear, blame, and harmful words that hurt our Asian community. For our Asian American friends, I hope this episode is helpful to validate your experience and give you resources to help speak out against prejudice directed not only at our community, but also other marginalized communities.

Thank you for taking the time to listen to our conversation and please share this special episode with your friends!

Helpful Terms:

Epidemic: When a disease spreads over a wide area and many individuals are taken ill at the same time

Pandemic:  a global outbreak of a disease

Perpetual foreign syndrome: when members of ethnic minorities will always be seen as the “other” in the White Anglo-Saxon dominant society of the United States which may have negative implications for them. 

COVID-19: abbreviation “coronavirus disease 2019” is a respiratory disease caused by a new coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2.

SARS-CoV-2: A the virus that has its origins in bats that causes COVID-19 

OUR EPISODE’S GUESTS

Eugene Cho

Eugene has been honored as one of 50 Everyday American Heroes , a recipient of the Frederick Douglass 200 – included in a list of 200 people around the world who best embody the spirit and work of Frederick Douglass, one of the most influential figures in history—and also the recipient of the 2017 Distinguished Alumni Award from Princeton Theological Seminary. He is the founder and visionary of One Day’s Wages (ODW) – a grassroots movement of people, stories, and actions to alleviate extreme global poverty. Eugene is also the founder and former Senior Pastor of Quest Church – an urban, multi-cultural and multi-generational church in Seattle, Washington. He has recently taken on the role as President-Elect of Bread for the World.

Learn More About Eugene:
Website: Eugenecho.com
Twitter: @EugeneCho
IG: @eugenecho
Eugene’s Book new book, “Thou Shalt Not Be A Jerk”
President-Elect of: Bread for the World

Helen Lee

Helen has a B.A. in bioethics from Williams College, an MBA, Babson College, and an M.A. from Wheaton College is an award-winning author and writer. She is the Associate Director of Strategic Partnerships and Initiatives for InterVarsity Press, and the director of content and resource development for Missio Alliance. She has previously served as an editor and marketer at IVP and acquired, edited, and marketed numerous books, in particular those by authors of color.

Learn More About Helen:
Twitter: @helenleebooks
Instagram: @helenleebooks
Facebook: @helenleeprofile
www.helenleebooks.com

Judy Wu Dominick

Judy is a cross-cultural bridge builder. She holds a B.A. in history from Rice University a M.S. in epidemiology from the University of Texas School of Public Health, and a M.S. in Physician Assistant Studies from Baylor College of Medicine. She previously worked as a physician assistant at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center.

Learn More About Judy:
IG: @judy.dominick
www.Lifereconsidered.com
Twitter: @judydominick

Seana Reavis

Seana is an Epidemiologist, health coach, and author. She has a B.A. on sociology and human nutrition from the University of Florida and an MPH in Epidemiology from University of South Florida College of Public Health and a clinical research background in infectious disease with National Institutes of Health, Moffitt Cancer Center, and Florida Dept of Health.

Learn More About Seana:
IG: @seanareavis 
Twitter: @seanareavis
http://www.seanareavis.com

Links & Resources

WHO: Best Practices for Naming Diseases
https://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/notes/2015/naming-new-diseases/en/

Eugene Cho’s interview with the Washington Post: https://www.washingtonpost.com/religion/2020/03/17/evangelical-leader-denounces-trump-calling-coronavirus-chinese-virus/

Real-time COVID-19 updates: https://www.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.html#/bda7594740fd40299423467b48e9ecf6

Reuters Univ has a live blog full of tracking data and live updates.
https://www.reuters.com/live-events/coronavirus-6-id2921484

John Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center:
https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/

How to Talk to Your Kids About COVID-19 | Dorina Gilmore
https://dorinagilmore.com/how-to-talk-to-your-kids-about-covid-19/

1. "Confronting Anti-Asian Discrimination During the Coronavirus Crisis," by Ed Park, March 17, 2020. https://www.newyorker.com/culture/culture-desk/confronting-anti-asian-discrimination-during-the-coronavirus-crisis

2. "Conservatives Try to Rebrand the Coronavirus," by Thomas Levenson, March 11, 2020. https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2020/03/stop-trying-make-wuhan-virus-happen/607786/

3. "Commentary: No, China's Fresh Food Markets Did Not Cause Coronavirus," by Christopher St. Cavish, March 11, 2020. https://www.latimes.com/food/story/2020-03-11/coronavirus-china-wet-markets 

4. "Reducing Stigma." Centers for Disease Control. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/symptoms-testing/reducing-stigma.html

5.  "Stigmatization Complicates Infectious Disease Management," by Phil Perry and Fred Donini-Lenhoff. https://journalofethics.ama-assn.org/article/stigmatization-complicates-infectious-disease-management/2010-03

6. "Don't blame 'China' for the Coronavirus--blame the Chinese Communist Party." https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/global-opinions/dont-blame-china-for-the-coronavirus--blame-the-chinese-communist-party/2020/03/19/343153ac-6a12-11ea-abef-020f086a3fab_story.html