AAPI Newsletter 2021

AAPI NEWSLETTER

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What it Means to be Asian American

By Austin Kim

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he word “Asian” is a term with various applications and meanings. It refers to the largest continent in the world, the various ethnicities, and traditions that reside within the continent, etc. Adding “American” immediately to the end of “Asian” reveals an entire set of new definitions we didn’t have before, yet I grew up thinking there was only one definition of “Asian American”: you MUST speak your mother tongue, be a first-generation immigrant, and eat cultural foods for each meal.

My first recollection of questioning my Asian American identity was when I was five years old at a Korean restaurant with my cousin. Up until that point, I could only use a fork while my cousin was impressing everybody with his chopstick skills.

Jealous, I tried to replicate what he was doing but only embarrassed myself. That two-hour dinner is nothing compared to the 16 years I’ve been alive, yet that dinner was enough to kick-start how I define myself through my Asian American identity.

Likewise, growing up in a predominantly white

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private-school system did not help either. I felt held back socially because I was the only Asian in a group of White students. I grew resentful of my Asian features like my smaller eyes, monolids, and flat nose. I can guarantee that my search history on my iPad from 2nd grade is filled with YouTube tutorials titled “How to get Double Eyelids” or “How to Make Slanted Eyes bigger.”

It wasn’t until high school that my definition of “Asian American” became what it is today. I walked into the 9th Grade Windward Orientation looking at the new faces joining our class and noticed a new student with Asian features in the crowd. We made eye contact and immediately knew what we were

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"...I grew up thinking there was only one definition of “Asian American”: you MUST speak your mother tongue, be a first-generation immigrant, and eat cultural foods for each meal." others are 2nd and 3rd Generations whose Korean heritage is not as prominent in their lives.

As I take the time to reflect on my experience and the friends I’ve made, it is important to note that we all carry different passions, ambitions, and levels of cultural connection. However, we are all unified through the history and struggles in which we or generations before us took to call ourselves “Asian American.” Along the journey, our cultures and lifestyles became a way to form friendships, spread awareness, and serve as an identifier. The definition of “Asian American”, therefore, is diverse and varies for everybody depending on their connection, history, and environment.

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both thinking: “There’s another Asian!” In addition to feeling a bond with that student, seeing that our new Dean of Students was Asian-American only added to my comfort. I eventually reached out to both of them and found out that they have very different histories of immigration: the student was born in Asia and immigrated to LA in elementary school while the Dean of Students has had family in Hawaii for several generations. Currently, all three of us are in frequent communication in the APIDA Affinity Group and extracurriculars. In that same year, I branched out and made Asian American friends through sports, food festivals, and camps. Some of them are Korean citizens with strong connections to Korea while

Photo Analysis: Austin Kim

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uring the beginning of my grandparent’s time in America, my Grandpa put stage directing to the side in order to work at a hotel. He worked as a kitchen worker and made many bonds with staff and hotel guests despite not being able to speak English well. The most impactful bond he formed, however, was with a wealthy Real-Estate manager from Encino who visited San Francisco and the hotel often. My Grandpa was fascinated by the Real-Estate industry since he assumed that everybody in it is very wealthy, so he asked if there was anything that he could do to join the manager’s team. The manager said that he can join if he passed the Real Estate Exam required to become qualified.

Eventually, my grandpa passed the test even with the language barrier and moved my grandma, mom, and aunt to Encino. Things were going great

for my grandpa until the business got into some trouble. Therefore, he quit his real-estate career and moved the family once again to Anaheim Hills.

My grandparents began a furniture shop together that became especially popular with the Korean population since that region of Orange County was, and currently is, home to a large Korean population.

As decades passed, my aunt and mom went off to college and eventually began families in different parts of LA. My grandparents eventually retired and still live in Orange County playing golf and keeping in close contact with us! There is still so much I have yet to learn about my grandparent’s experience of immigrating to America as Asians, but I’m more than proud to call them my grandparents! AAPI Heritage Month is a time to celebrate the process that you and/ or your bloodline took to immigrate to America.

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Model Minority: The Biggest Lie

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By Meiyi Wang

A graphic representation of how societal expectations that come with the model minority myth creates a racial wedge between other minorities, particularly invalidating the struggles of Black people in our country.

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Most people have heard of the term model minority, yet few understand the history and meaning behind the phrase.

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The assumption that Asian Americans are wealthy and successful omits a very significant wealth disparity within the demographic. In 2016, data reported that the top 10th percentile of Asian Americans in the U.S earned 10.7 times more than the bottom 10th

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he model minority myth is a stereotype typically associated with AAPI, often generalizing the demographic to be academically excellent, hardworking, and moderately successful. However, there’s a catch: they are submissive, they do not hold leadership positions, and they will not speak out against injustice. For decades, popular media has exploited the term model minority to use against and invalidate the struggles of other ethnic minorities in America. In the model minority myth, a false narrative constructs itself as a reality where the American Dream, or the belief in social mobility, is achievable through diligence with few societal barriers. White Americans purposely chose a light-skinned demographic to send a message to people of color in America to argue that racism doesn't exist; hardships due to stereotypes, segregation, and injustice are invalid through the success of “hard work and merit.”

percentile. The educational expectations put on AAPI in American education also disproportionately damages the mental well-being of Asian American students. AAPI students feel that they have to "live up" and "prove" themselves worthy to their classmates, teachers, and parents. They’re forced to overlook the racial and socioeconomic barriers that stand in their way, keep their head down low, and move on. Microaggressions deriving from students and teachers—an example being the stereotype that a student is intelligent just because they are of AAPI descent—perpetrates the academic pressure and stress caused by the model minority myth. In return, students, when performing at the same level as their peers, feel inferior because teachers, parents, and other classmates label their accomplishments as “underperforming” for an Asian. The unhealthy mentality AAPI students go through early in their lives continues to follow them throughout adulthood.

According to the U.S Census in 2019, 6.1% of the U.S population identifies as AAPI, and out of that

6.1%, 15% have reported having a mental illness the past year, likely to be more because conversations regarding mental health are considered taboo in AAPI communities.

A graphic representation of what is portrayed in the model minority myth: Asians live in disciplined, docile, and submissive families that are able to achieve the American Dream by overcoming little to no societal barriers, guarded by their strict and unforgiving “Tiger Mom.”

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As Asian Americans, we begin to fall for this fabricated minority advantage, unaware that white Americans continue to perceive us as perpetual foreigners. The false sense of security leads to racism within AAPI communities, particularly in older generations towards other disadvantaged minorities in America.

Despite the hardships and discrimination that us Asian-Americans face, we must remember that the U.S emerged from the colonization, enslavement, imprisonment, and the exploited labor of Black, Brown, and Indigenous peoples before us. We need to continue to respect and advocate for other ethnic minorities and continue to dream and fight for a brighter and just future. Racism is contagious, and that contagion is what makes solidarity crucial in achieving racial justice.

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The History of Asian American and Black Solidarity

The controversial phrase “Yellow Peril Supports Black Power” was initially used to show solidarity between the AAPI community and the Black community. Recently, however, this phrase has been deemed outdated and inappropriate. The term “Yellow Peril” doesn’t represent the entire AAPI community and the phrase implies equity between two histories of oppression when they are not as a lot of the privileges AAPI enjoy are also built on anti-black oppression.

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Richard Aoki was a student at the University of California, Berkeley, and the first Asian American to hold a leadership position within the Black Panther Party. He armed the Black Panthers and often spoke on behalf of them in talks about Asian Americans and Black solidarity. Although he has long represented and celebrated as the symbol for uniting the Asian American and Black communities, after his death, documents revealed he was an FBI informant, which many argue take away from his upstanding legacy.

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Youa Vang Lee speaks in front of thousands of people attending a memorial rally for George Floyd at the Minnesota State Capitol on May, 31, 2020.

During this time, it is crucial for Asian Americans and the Black community to unite in solidarity so that we may support each other.

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Being the “Smart Asian Student”

By Meiyi Wang

"Are you asking what grade I got?" I turned around to the student who tapped my shoulder. They held up the recent math quiz and nodded.

Little did the classmate know, I always struggled in my math class since I entered middle school. My father, who had always been the one to guide me in math, left for China, and my mother, nearly illiterate, was busy taking care of my younger brother that started elementary school that year. Suddenly, at 11 years old, I was thrown into the unknown world of independence and forced to deal with the neverending demands of teachers and classmates around me, who all expected me to excel because I was Asian. I nearly failed the first math test I took in 6th grade, my mind fumbling over pre-algebra, unable to piece numbers together to ascertain meaning. I cried over getting continuous C’s and B’s despite my effort because I learned that A’s meant Average, B’s meant Bad, and C’s were short for “Can't-get-theiPad-for-the-week-and-cry.”

"A 95%, why?" I sighed as I folded the edges of my paper in half, running the edges of the fold with the tip of my thumb until it was crisp and clean. The classmate's face scrunched up in annoyance.

"Oh, of course, you did. Why did I even bother asking the smart Asian?" The student replied, rolling their eyes at me and turning away to another student to begin a fruitful conversation on how challenging the test was. I remember going back home that day in middle school, frustrated, sad, and angry at myself and the classmate.

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Once I got home, in a debate with myself, I became the plaintiff. I argued out my case in my head as I stared at the imaginary defendant, "You don't understand what I have to suffer through to get this ‘of-course’ score approval from you! I work just as hard as anyone else! My good scores don't come to me naturally because I'm Asian! I'm not naturally astute, so don't roll your eyes at me! And maybe you got a C because you always ask for answers from me instead of comprehending the material!"

Over my 6th Grade year, I forced myself to skip lunch to meet with the teacher, surf Khan Academy, and borrow "Pre-Algebra: For Dummies!" from the public library. I was immature, but I understood that my education was in my own hands now, and it

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was up to me to take responsibility. With immense misery and perseverance, I barely managed to pass with an A- at the end of the school year. Most people would say that is impressive, but me? I cried over an A- because, to me, it meant failure. I kept thinking about every story about other Asians acing their exams with cold and deadly precision, and here was me, a short and chubby Asian girl who got an A- at the one subject Asians excel in! I continued to uphold myself to ridiculous standards, wearing out my physical, mental, and emotional health gradually in an attempt to achieve that perfect reputation as a hardworking student, and eventually, I did start excelling in math.

into my mathematical skills was gone in a 'poof' with the assumptions that come with being Asian American and the words "the smart Asian" that came out of my classmate's mouth.

That was my educational journey, but how would the classmate know? On the surface, all they knew was the image the media portrays of AAPI as the model minority. The model minority tells Americans that Asian Americans, like me, are educated, well-off, and so intelligent and diligent that we bypass all hardships and racial injustices with the tap of the magical wand, "merit." All the hard work I had put

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I regret that I didn't speak up at the time. I couldn't find my voice to shoot back at the classmate and tell them to start working hard and stop relying on those "smart Asians" if they thought the test was hard. As AAPI, we need to give ourselves a break from the stereotypes and academic pressures that plague our insecurities. For allies, we ask that you take time to think about a moment that you might have hurt an Asian American without realizing the various AAPI microaggressions prevalent. While we have a different appearance from you, different lifestyles, and values, we are all equal in nature, and that is why we need to work hard to love and respect one another.

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AAPI Diversity

By Austin Kim

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API influence is present in nearly all of our lives, whether through films, dance, tourism, school curriculum, and even our closest friends! It is important to note, however, that each culture is unique and distinct from the other. For example, Hawaiian Culture is separate from Samoan Culture despite both falling under “Polynesian.” The same idea can be applied to each region of these continents, like how Korean Culture is separate from Chinese Culture despite both falling under “East Asian.” While some regions share similar histories and human origins, the practices of people in certain regions of a shared history become distinct and form an ethnic group with different genetics and practices.

Directly below Central Asia is South Asia. South Asia is made up of Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, The Maldives, Nepal, and Bhutan. The terrain of South Asia is one of the most diverse in the world with the tallest mountains in the world (Himalayas) to the North and tropical archipelagos

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To start off, Asia is commonly broken down into four main regions: Central Asia, South Asia, Southeastern Asia, and East Asia. Central Asia is bordered by Russia to the West and China to the East. The following nations make up Central Asia: Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Afghanistan. All of these countries end with -stan because “-stan” means “land” in various Turkic Dialects spoken throughout this region. Central Asia is most famous for the Silk Road that influenced both Asian and European society centuries ago. The majority of the population identifies as Sunni Muslim and often eats a variety of bread and sheep meat!

harsh winters to humid summers, rice is the staple crop of East Asia and is incorporated into the diets of nearly each East Asian nation. East Asia is also home to large technology companies that have taken over the world, like Samsung, Hyundai, and even Tiktok. Therefore, East Asia is often considered “more modernized” and progressive, yet many rural populations embrace tradition. For example, 90% of Rural Mongolia lives in Yurts, which are portable tents that can be moved across vast plains and have been resided for generations.

and rainforests to the South. As a result, linguistic, ethnic, and religious diversity are immeasurable.

Some cultures and languages cannot be understood by people a couple of communities away in certain parts of South Asia as a result!

Next, is Southeast Asia, made up of Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Singapore, The Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, East Timor, and Brunei. Like a majority of Southern South Asia, Jungles make up a majority of Southeast Asia’s terrain and have greatly influenced their

The Pacific Islands span a vast distance and are therefore broken up into three primary subgroups: Polynesia, Micronesia, and Melanesia. Polynesia is the largest Subgroup of them all, spanning from the Hawaiian Islands to New Zealand. A triangle is often used to describe the large shape which encompasses New Zealand, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, Samoa, and various territories that are a part of Non-Polynesian countries like Hawaii (Ruled by America) and Easter Island (Ruled by Chile), Polynesia is generally characterized by higher-elevated lands and shared Polynesian languages. The Maori people of New

religion and history. Countries within Southeast Asia like Vietnam and Thailand have beautiful mountains that seem straight out of sci-fi movies! While Southeast Asia primarily associates with Theravada Buddhism, the archipelago nations of Malaysia and Indonesia have historically had an Islam-majority population, not to mention Christian minorities in Brunei and East-Timor.

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Finally, East Asia is made up of the following nations: China, Taiwan, North Korea, South Korea, Mongolia, and Japan. While the climate varies from

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despite being distinct from them. Melanesians are descendants of Micronesians, meaning that they are also descendants of Taiwanese sailors. While all of the cultures that make up the Pacific Islands are distinct from each other, many have commonalities like using night stars for sailing navigation, a giving-culture, and language roots, which is why the Maori language has some similarities to the native Hawaiian Language despite being separated by 4,606 miles!

Zealand make up the largest ethnic population and fight for Polynesian rights and culture! Polynesians are also descendants of sailors from Taiwan 3000 years ago.

Northwest of Polynesia is Micronesia. Micronesia is made up of Kiribati, the Caroline Islands, Mariana Islands, and Palau. Despite being made up of many islands, Micronesia is the least populated out of all of the subgroups. Micronesia’s cultural and historical connections, however, are still very strong with Polynesia and Melanesia. People in Micronesia share the same roots as Polynesians and reside on lowerelevated islands compared to Polynesia.

Melanesia is the final subgroup which is made up of New Caledonia, Fiji, and the Solomon Islands.

Melanesia is the closest geographically to Northern Australia and the Indonesian archipelago. In many cases, portions of the Indonesian archipelago like Papua New Guinea are considered Melanesian and Asian at the same time. Therefore, Melanesia has had historical ties to Aboriginal Groups in Australia and ethnic groups in the Indonesian archipelago

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During AAPI history month, it is important to acknowledge ongoing issues and events going on in Asia, the Pacific Islands, and North America. It is also just as important to celebrate AAPI heritage, culture, and accomplishments. Therefore, as readers and allies, I ask that you educate yourself and others about the distinction of AAPI cultures, ongoing injustice, and spread awareness since my rundown of continental Asia and the Pacific Islands is merely the surface of understanding AAPI Heritage Month.

Please read on to view a list of AAPI Resources that you can become involved with!

AAPI Fun Facts!

• Around 3 Million People live in the Pacific Islands, while 4.675 Billion People live in Asia

• May has been designated as AAPI Heritage Month because the first Japanese-American arrived in North America on May 7th, 1843, while the Transcontinental Railroad was completed on May 10th, 1869 primarily by Chinese laborers who didn’t receive the credit they deserved

• There are 18.9 Million people of Asian descent residing in the US and 1.4 Million people of Pacific Islander Descent, accounting for roughly 6.1% of America’s population

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• The first Asian Americans to arrive in North America were Filipino Sailors known as Luzonians, who sailed from Manila (The Capital of The Philippines) to Morro Bay on October 17th, 1597

• Hawaii is the state with the largest Pacific Islander Population, comprising 10.0% of the total Hawaiian population, while California is the state with the largest Asian population, comprising 5.4% of the total Californian population

• There are about 2,000 Islands in Melanesia, 10,000 Islands in Micronesia, and 2,100 Islands in Polynesia, adding up to a total of 14,000 Islands within all three regions

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Photo Analysis: Austin Kim T

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he images depicted are of my Grandma and Grandpa from my mother’s side of the family.

While in South Korea, they lived quite normal lives. My grandpa served in mandatory military service and went to college with a major in stage directing (Which will be talked about more very soon!). My grandma was very active in school and a social butterfly. She joined sports teams, had many friends, and had a very lively personality. With my Grandpa’s stage directing knowledge, he organized music events for the military in the midst of the Korean War as well as directed international performers. My Grandpa worked with a Texan Country singer named Eddie Dean who was performing in South Korea at the time. Eddie Dean and my grandpa became great friends and were eventually encouraged to immigrate to California, where Eddie Dean would teach my Grandma and Grandpa about American customs, finances, etc. My grandparents agreed and moved to San Francisco, where my aunt and mother would eventually be born.

AAPI Resources The best way we can help, other than to contribute and participate in these fundraisers and non-profits, is to educate ourselves about the culture, history, and oppressions that AAPI and other minorities face in this country. Educating ourselves is as simple as reading books, articles, watching films, or reaching out to an AAPI student, faculty member, or friend!

StopAsianHate https://stopaapihate.org/

Asian Americans Advancing Justice https://www.advancingjustice-aajc.org/

Addresses Asian hate-crimes and xenophobia throughout the Pandemic

• Encourages the participation of disconnected AAPI in civil matters through education and avocation

• Provides linguistic-support to those who can’t speak English • Advocates for the rights of AAPI • Educates those on Hate-crimes and more

Donations to the families of the Atlanta Spa Shooting Victims: • Delaina Ashley Yaun Gonzalez:

resources

Delaina Yaun Gofundme • Elcias Hernandez Ortiz: Elcias Hernandez Ortez Gofundme

Asian Mental Health Collective

https://www.asianmhc.org

• Hyun-Jung Kim:

• Provides mental support for the AAPI community • Recognizes mental health issues in AAPI Diaspora as a whole

Hyun-Jung Kim Gofundme • Paul Michaels: Paul Michaels Gofundme • Soon-Chung Park: Soon-Chung Park Gofundme

AAPI Women Lead

https://www.imreadymovement.org/

• Sun-Cha Kim: Suncha Kim Gofundme

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• Empowers AAPI women to assume leadership roles in various fields by forming movements to overthrow existing stereotypes and obstacles • Works alongside various BIPOC organizations

• Xiaojie “Emily” Tan: Xiaojie Tan Gofundme • Yong Yue: Yong Yue Gofundme

AAPI Community Fund

AAPI Community Fund Gofundme • A Gofundme which combines various funds for victims of Anti-AAPI Hate Crimes, Safety Precautions, and AAPI movements

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Japanese-American residents of Los Angeles wave a farewell to relatives and friends who are being deported to Japan in October 1941.