Teaching Asian American Studies Webinar Recap
On Tuesday, May 11, the ARTLC's webinar on "Teaching Asian American Studies" engaged a diverse crowd of more than 120 teachers, students, educators and administrators.
UConn professor Jason Chang and Yale professor Lisa Lowe discussed the contours of the field of Asian American studies. Chang noted that the term “Asian American” originated as a political identification in resistance to the Vietnam War in the 60s and 70s, and it reflected a commitment to anti-racism rooted in solidarity across ethnic groups. Lowe traced the history of Asians in America, and how the long, varied history of Asian immigration and racialization in the US created stereotypes of Asian Americans as perpetual foreigners and racial enemies. Finally, they both discussed teaching Asian American studies with an interdisciplinary approach, bringing literature, music and art into the classroom.
Boston Public Schools teacher Katie Li shared principles and practices for teachers. First, it’s important to take time to learn and “ground” ourselves in how Asian Americans have been racialized and positioned, and counter the dominant narrative. For example, the American Dream for Asian immigrants is a “myth.” “Our reality as Asian Americans in this country is that we were colonized, we were coerced for our labor,” she said. “We were lynched, we were beaten, we were blamed and scapegoated, excluded, surveilled, erased, run out, deported, incarcerated, gaslit—and this continues to today.
Second, she highlighted the way that Asian Americans have always “survived” by “taking care of each other.” From family associations and mutual aid associations, to current programs to escort the elderly and protect them from violence on the streets, Asian Americans regularly “form community in order to take care of each other.”
Lastly, she said, “We're not quiet. It's not ‘our culture’ to be quiet.” She traced the history of Asian American activism and organizing’s impact on US policies, including birthright citizenship, bilingual education, school desegregation and anti-discrimination laws.
Finally, Joyce Fang and Jaime Kim, students at Farmington High School and East Lyme High School respectively, discussed the importance of teaching Asian American studies from their perspectives as students. Fang described that in her schooling, “Asian American history has always been tangential to the main narrative of U.S. history.” She learned about figures lie Grace Lee Boggs and events like the murder of Vincent Chin through her own research and chance. “Leaving these narratives out leaves Asian Americans today very confused and very lost about what their place in America is,” she said. Kim encouraged teachers to incorporate content about and from Asian Americans and to teach against the model minority myth, as well as “familiarize themselves with the values, traditions and customs of our various cultures.”
Written by the ARTLC Team