To commemorate Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, Changelab published blogger’s Scot Nakagawa list of five things you should know about Asian Americans. I’ve jotted down his list below and added my own spin to it.
1. Asian American don’t all look alike, nor are we all from East Asia. Asian Americans originally come from dozens of distinct regions and culture from the largest continent in the world, Asia. Seriously folks, do you really think billions of people all look alike? If you do, you aren’t getting to know us as individuals.
2. Asian Americans don’t fit into the black white framework. To compare us to black and whites is to put us in competition. That kind of thinking doesn’t serve to bring us together. Instead it sets us apart. We better figure out a way to come together. By 2040 its been said there will be no majority in the United States.
3. To put Asian Americans into a black white framework leads to the erroneously view of Asian Americans as the model minority. We no more want to be viewed as over achievers anymore than blacks want all to be viewed a superstar athletes. To pigeon hole any group, denies them the opportunity to blaze their own trail, to find their own strengths and to overcome their individual weaknesses.
4. Asian Americans aren’t naturally conservative. If recent voting trends are to be believed, we want an activist government and we support liberal causes like health care reform, affirmative action and immigration reform.
5. Asian Americans are human beings. Need I say more.
You can read Nakagawa’s own take on his list in Changelab . Do you agree? What would you add or subtract. Let AsAmNews know below.