AsAmNews ran a story earlier this week that minorities and women who push for diversity are penalized in the workforce in the form of lower job performance reviews. Yet, researchers at the University of Colorado concluded its the exact opposite for white males who are rewarded for advocating for diversity.
The article hardly caused a ripple as it was virtually ignored by most readers of this blog.
But an article by J Mijin Cha in the Huffington Post titled We Are Not White challenges those Asian Americans who feel its just better to try to fit in.
Cha says the social status that Asian Americans have gained set up a false notion of who we are.
I’m not exactly sure what social status Cha is referring to. Perhaps she’s referring to Asian American women, because as an Asian American man, I don’t feel exactly high on any social hierarchy.
I suppose Cha is referencing the model minority stereotype, but I wouldn’t equate that to social status.
Yet that point is trivial and we shouldn’t lose sight of Cha’s larger message. Asian Americans shouldn’t take a back seat to anyone. We have the right to be at the head of the board table as much as anyone else. Nor should we ignore those coming behind us and should extend a helping hand to others.
Read Cha’s argument in the Huffington Post and see if you agree.
RE: Huffington Post: Asians are not white: I think the header “Asians are not white” is a reaction to the online “controversy” over this article: http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/volokh-conspir…
Criticism of Volokh here: http://www.racefiles.com/2014/06/03/how-the-asian…