Race division looms in Second Suffolk fight

I was raised in San Jose, Costa Rica and Ms. Chang's father is of Chinese, Japanese, Ameridian descent and his mother is Costa Rican.

For those of you who are not aware her father is Franklin Chang Diaz who attended elementary and then part of high school in Costa Rica, then moved to the U.S. to finish high school, he earned a B.S. degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Connecticut and a Sc.D. degree in applied plasma physics from the MIT. For his graduate research at MIT, Chang-Diaz worked in the field of fusion technology and plasma-based rocket propulsion.

NASA Career

Chang-Diaz was selected as an astronaut candidate by NASA in 1980 and first flew aboard STS-61-C in 1986. Subsequent missions included STS-34 (1989), STS-46 (1992), STS-60 (1994), STS-75 (1996), STS-91 (1998), and STS-111 (2002). During STS-111, he performed three EVAs with Philippe Perrin as part of the construction of the International Space Station. He was also director of the Advanced Space Propulsion Laboratory at the Johnson Space Center from 1993 to 2005. Chang-Diaz retired from NASA in 2005 and lives now in Costa Rica. In Costa Rica we are very proud of both Sonia Chang Diaz and Franklin Chang Diaz.

 

Yawu, an observation to this interesting political race, on surnames: As a Latina while living in Puerto Rico or visiting Latin America or Spain, it would be frown upon if I did not identify myself with my full name including second surname, my mother’s surname. However, it's not common, except by adoption, to carry a grandmother’s name, which is what Sonia Chang-Diaz is doing.  That would be misleading – her mother is not a Diaz -- what is her mother’s surname?  That dash after your surname implies your married name or your mother’s surname in case of Hispanic/Spanish culture.  I learned a long time ago that not everyone who has a Latino name identifies or can identify with the culture and struggles. I’m not implying that Ms. Chang-Diaz doesn’t, I don’t know that, but I feel it’s misleading because I thought Diaz was her mother's or husband’s surname.

         I think I said that the disturbing trend is that progressive whites don't care as much about who communities of color see as their leadership.  I didn't mean to make a blanket statement about progressive whites or anyone else.

       Wilkerson's write-in campaign announcement at Prince Hall was not just about rallying the African American community to support one of their own, although nationalist sentiments have found expression on both sides of the race.

         I neither support Wilkerson supporters denying that Chang-Diaz is a woman of color or calling her name "exotic" nor Chang-Diaz supporters playing on nationalist sentiments in the Latino and Asian community as a way to get votes.

         But what I heard and identified with at Wilkerson's Prince Hall event was the common voice of Asian, Latino, gay/lesbian, and African American activists talking about how to best strengthen critical community struggles around the foreclosure crisis, public safety, health care, affordable housing, jobs, and civil rights.

         While Chang-Diaz is also a woman of color, she has had little connection to much of the district, which is understandably anxious about losing a strong advocate with deep roots in the community.  The other "majority minority" district today is represented by Senator Hart of South Boston.

         Progressives of all races, whichever candidate they support, should be concerned about the racial divide in September's voting results. 

         In 2001, leaders in the communities of color came together to push for new senatorial district lines that created two districts with a majority of minority residents, rather than one, hoping to increase opportunities for minority representation.  In the process, Wilkerson gave up the political security of representing a heavily African American district and added Chinatown, Jamaica Plain, and other neighborhoods to her district.  Sadly, the political risk that Wilkerson took by doing the right thing during the 2001 redistricting does not seem to have increased minority empowerment.

The statements of a few individuals does not constitute total race division in the communities. I don't believe that all whites are staunchly behind Diaz. I also do not believe that those whites who do support her are doing so simply because she is not the "black" candidate. To expect that "anyone" not just blacks, but "anyone" would have un- wavering support for a candidate regardless of what is being said about them is absurd. Everyone should seek out the truth and make their decisions accordingly.

What I feel personally, is the obligation to defend the candidate. I can understand making mistakes. I can understand having people exaggerate and lie to discredit me. I can understand working hard and feeling as if somehow, a mistake can overshadow years worth good deeds, hard work, and rightfully earned respect in the eyes of those who merely tolerated my presence to begin with. It's as if people were looking for a reasons to replace me my entire tenure. If this were just about a black candidate, the black community could just find another black to replace her. This is about realizing that she has done well in the eyes of her supporters and that no one is perfect. To many, the skills she has developed and the goodwill she cultivated is irreplaceable.

To me, its personal. As a Black American, I have experienced what she is going through, and understand. I am still a good person, hard worker, and the good that I have done should not be overshadowed by a few personal mistakes.  It should not preclude me from being able to work for the greater good as long as I am capable and I make better personal choices going forward. I am sure the are many people who would also agree. (not just black people)

right on!