Internally wrestled with making this thread all day because it seems petty. But I also think it's important, so here goes.
I know lots of big things are happening right now, but we're also watching the erasure of Preeti and Subhas Nair's work happen in real time.
I know lots of big things are happening right now, but we're also watching the erasure of Preeti and Subhas Nair's work happen in real time.
This thought was prompted by @Jenlky's question following discussion of the racist, xenophobic letter published by Zaobao.
On April 8, Preeti released this video on her youtube channel. She explains some issues faced by migrant workers and appeals for funds to help 2 NGOs working with them.
This campaign met its goal of $100,000 in just 12 hours, and is currently at $300k
This campaign met its goal of $100,000 in just 12 hours, and is currently at $300k
On April 9, AsiaOne was the only news website to have covered this. TodayOnline covers it, but Preeti's fundraiser is buried within the article. nbd, just context! 
I know we make a lot of jokes about our "154th media" but this is kinda weird. In the week since, Singaporeans have received their Solidarity payments, and many more fundraising campaigns have cropped up.
The Straits Times covers a few of them:
The Straits Times covers a few of them:
CNA covers a couple more
Mothership, which covers anything and everything, including a video of Tommy Koh talking and a lady buying $100 worth of food, also makes no mention of Preeti's campaign. Extra conspicuous when there's a whole article on community initiatives 👀
Have they been blacklisted? Is this not 'newsworthy'? Does it matter?
Idk. I care because whether we have freedom of the press or not, these are 'primary' sources. A newspaper article is going to last a lot longer than a youtube video. This goes into the national archives!
Idk. I care because whether we have freedom of the press or not, these are 'primary' sources. A newspaper article is going to last a lot longer than a youtube video. This goes into the national archives!
And I fckg love the archives. I spend a lot of time randomly searching for old shit because it's fun.
And what happens is patterns emerge.
In Singapore, people who stir up too much trouble slowly fall off the radar.
And what happens is patterns emerge.
In Singapore, people who stir up too much trouble slowly fall off the radar.
It happened with Mary Lee in the 70's
It happened with Catherine Lim in the 90s
mothership.sg/2019/09/cather…
mothership.sg/2019/09/cather…
It's a little different now, of course. Preeti and Subhas can keep reaching out to their audiences directly, with or without mainstream coverage.
But what gets memorialised is them as no-good, racist, rap-making troublemakers.
But what gets memorialised is them as no-good, racist, rap-making troublemakers.
anyway, here's Subhas with Utopia, a collaboration with migrant workers, that CNA dropped with a quickness last year
and here's a link to the fundraiser, every dollar makes a difference. or maybe you just want to see what amount it needs to reach for @STcom to cover it 😜
give.asia/campaign/preet…
give.asia/campaign/preet…
If you're making a donation, i'd recommend TWC2. TWC2 has worked with HOME on migrant worker advocacy for a long time. And advocacy, as we've learnt, means you don't get to be government-approved, even when your expertise is valuable and desperately needed.
some options to make donations directly
BY THE WAY. Preeti & Subhas were 100% right about brownface being racist af and i bring Receipts From The Archives!
update! 🧐🥳
