Interview: Asking Alice, Part 2: Model Minority, Role Models, Wisdom

In Part 1 of my interview with Alice, she allows us to enter her world to understand the transition from  attending a great high school in Taiwan to experiencing the mixed messages (pun intended) of a highly selective university in the US. In Part 2 of Alice’s interview, she describes her transition to graduate school and gives us an idea of what her future might hold. In between, she gives essential advice for students and parents. In addition, she detailingly describes some issues that need a voice in this country. Alice speaks out and I hope that many will hear her words and take them as an opportunity to begin to institute positive change.

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·      You have been enrolled in a graduate program. Can you tell us about it? 

 Yes, I just graduated from a master’s program on international affairs at The New School. I had a great time just delving deeply into subject matters that I wanted to be a part of. I was particularly interested in human rights on an international level. My region of interest is East Asia with focus on human rights and advocacy.  

·      In talking with you are among the few Asians students who consciously calls herself a minority in ways that seem to fit in with other minority groups in the US. Why do think this is?

This is a really complex topic so I’ll touch only on a couple of things – ignorance, prejudice and the model minority myth. I think that a lot of Asians/Asian Americans hesitate to call themselves a minority for reasons of feeling more excluded or the label just meaning more – like a politically charged identity. Ignorance is a huge factor; there’s a lot about the history and tragedies that are just not in American history books. Japanese internment camps were often implicitly justified in textbooks and other than the two-line mention about Chinese immigrants working on the transcontinental railroad, we are completely invisible. If we are not educated and the history of our struggles in the United States, or if it’s not even documented - how can we really build solidarity and take on the politicized side of the minority label? How do we build awareness?

In many ways, Asian Americans also struggle with internal divisions that are deeply tied to our parents’ nationalities. Those histories and experiences do not disappear with immigration and certain prejudices do persist. We are not a monolithic minority, our families that immigrated are from different countries for different reasons.

I also think many Asian Americans are also misguided in thinking that we, as a minority, are doing well. This somehow makes us seen as honorary white people. I hope people realize that the perception of Asian Americans doing well is only a minute part of an incredibly complex demographic. Just like all races, there are some of us that do really well and some of us that are also extremely disadvantaged. I will talk more about the model minority myth in answering the next question.

·      How pervasive do think racism (and sexism too) against Asians is in the US. What forms does it take?

I find it hard to gage how pervasive it exists but even in New York, which is seen as a very diverse place, I have experienced it on streets (“Konichiwa! Ni hao!”) and in professional settings. A study just came out reported that Asian-American youth reported the highest incidence of bullying out of any group of students of color. The fetishization of women, as submissive and exotic creatures, is another way racism plays out for us. We are seen as the perpetual foreigner, that we will never assimilate and seen as Americans and much less, individuals.

·      Why do think so few educators seem to overlook the racism that Asians face in education and in jobs?

If the media portrays all of us as Ivy-League engineers and doctors, it’s hard for people to recognize our struggles and our communities in need. Others will think, well – they all go to college and become professionals with steady incomes, why do they need welfare? It is actually silencing our needs and pitting us against other minorities. We are overlooked by educators because of the idea that all Asians will excel academically.

·      Could you explain, briefly, the model minority myth?

The model minority myth is a stereotype that we are all hardworking, studious, politically inactive and passive people that have gained economic equality through those qualities. And yes, some Asian Americans have achieved great success. Our poor population has grown over 30% over the past 4 years but the media insists on telling our success stories. I actually had a recent experience where my school organization was asked to be interviewed on why Asian Americans have a low rate of unemployment “compared to other racial minorities” during the height of the recession. And that Asians have excelled while “minorities are usually held back by language, culture and educational barriers”. I get really angry with this because obviously they wanted to produce yet another story about what a great, hardworking minority Asians are! They have jobs, unlike other minorities who must be being lazy and not studying! If we think about it, what are these stories actually saying? This type of myth is, again, comparing us to other minorities instead of looking at who really has control of the economy and the power. It’s awful.

·      What is your response to some of the YouTube videos, made by Asians, that makes fun or talk about Asians in ways that promote stereotypes?

As for the YouTube video “the things Asian girls like”, it's quite silly. I definitely know a lot of girls who like those things and I really like some of those things too! I don't think the video is very harmful but I think it's a reflection of the same-ness of the Asian American upper class suburban community. I had a conversation with my friend about this once and that the famous Asian Americans on YouTube are really mainstream, "safe" (as in they only promote non-threatening parts of our identity) and are uncomfortable talking about racism and class. They can make fun of certain aspects of our culture because they are Asian and in some instances, they can also perpetuate certain stereotypes. We also came to the conclusion that, some representation in media is better than none... which really is kind of sad. And that the only place we can go to see people who look like us (and are recognized) in some form of media is on YouTube or in Korean dramas and not American TV or the movies. 

·      What writers/thinkers have most influenced you?

Grace Lee Boggs (activist), Amartya Sen (“thinker”) and Paul Farmer (doctor). All three have had incredible impact on my understanding of poverty, human rights and advocacy. They talk about different ways of imagining a just and caring world.  

“The increasing tendency towards seeing people in terms of one dominant ‘identity’ (‘this is your duty as an American’, ‘you must commit these acts as a Muslim’, or ‘as a Chinese you should give priority to this national engagement’) is not only an imposition of an external and arbitrary priority, but also the denial of an important liberty of a person who can decide on their respective loyalties to different groups (to all of which he or she belongs).” 
― Amartya Sen, The Idea Of Justice

·      If you could do anything in the future what would it be?

A combination of things! I want to continue to conduct human rights research, engage in rights advocacy and use the Internet as a tool for social good. My heart will always lie with women’s rights and the East Asia region, I would like to go back and work with those communities.

·      Do you have advice for parents who wish to send their children to the US?

My parents were very liberal with my studies. However, I did see my friends struggle with their parents’ expectations (aka become a doctor/engineer). So my advice would be to allow their children to explore different academic disciplines. Don’t be too hard on them; let them cultivate their passions and personalities.

Grace Lee Boggs

·      Do you have advice for students?

DON’T BE AFRAID!! I took a lot of classes that I knew I was unfamiliar with and I knew I was going to struggle in (Intro to Physics). Don’t let your fear of getting bad grades deter you from learning. Challenge yourself, academically and socially. Don’t be afraid to have a good time too. More than once, I have turned down a night out and ended up just surfing the Internet at the library. Don’t do that – go out! Also if you really feel like you have no one to talk to, definitely seek professional guidance and counseling. Your mental health is important.

·      Is there anything else you want to address that I have left out?

I just wanted to say thank you for allowing me to share my story, Parke. I really appreciate it. Answering these questions has allowed me to flesh out and reflect on my college experience. I worked hard to create my own space at my university where I felt comfortable and positive.

“Poetry might be defined as the clear expression of mixed feelings.” 
― W.H. Auden, New Year Letter

Once again, I would like to thank Alice for providing readers with views that are almost never aired in the media or by schools in the US. The issue of racism against Asians goes largely unremarked upon by educators. Although there are some recent studies that seem conclusive that there is de facto racism against Asians when it comes to admission at many highly selective schools, there are no headlines or efforts to bring this into the national spotlight. It is simply a fact that Asians scores need to be dramatically higher than those of whites or any other group. This data is indisputable. (See the data in the book "No Longer Separate, Not Yet Equal"). Alice points to an inconvenient truth: some Asians are doing far better than anyone else academically so these great students are used to often overlook some subgroups and individuals who are struggling.

Alice’s nuanced view of her education in the US lets the details of both the great opportunities in classes, with professors, and friends exist side by side with some experiences that are anything but positive. This is, of course, how life goes.

Unfortunately, colleges and universities in their publications or media almost never publish a nuanced view. They are marketing to ‘customers’ and the fear of saying anything critical means that the information about schools put forth by schools is incomplete at best. From a marketing point of view this makes sense, but I would argue that the educational mission of the school, the commitment to liberal arts and learning, would mean that giving a fuller picture of a school should supersede the need to paint perfect pictures and crop out anything that might not be positive.

There is a disconnect then between the educational mission of schools and the way in which they choose to market themselves to the world. But this also means that prospective students need to adapt what philosophers call a ‘hermeneutics of suspicion’ about the information released by the schools themselves. More and more parents and some in education are calling for greater transparency from schools: about costs, outcomes, and much else. Alice’s words have an authenticity that is much needed in education today.

Her commitment to making things better and her ability to say things well means she will make a significant impact in education in the not too distant future. I am lucky to have had the chance to share her talents here.