Asian American students at the University of Virginia have launched a series of events to counter the model minority myth, reports the Cavalier Daily .
The model minority initiative is the work of the Asian Students Union with the support of the Vietnamese Student Association and Organization of Young Filipino Americans.
Organizers hope to educate the student body that stereotyping all Asian Americans as high achieving math geniuses ignores the reality of poverty, under education and diversity of the various Asian American communities.
“[This] ignores the needs of Asian Americans such as education, mental health and academic and professional development,” said Aaku Tamrakar of the ASU.
Students will be sharing their personal stories at tables set up around campus.
Also this week, a seminar entitled Do the Math featured Asian American Studies Prof. Sylvia Chong talking about the impact of the model minority myth on the lives of Asian American and Pacific Islander students.
RE: Students launch not a model minority initiative: I am not a model minority. I am BETTER than that. I am the product of my struggles, that have made me stronger. I am the minority who has been discriminated against, disrespected and given half the chances. I am the minority that all other minorities are jealous of in terms of academics, intelligence, work ethic, drive, the ability to endure suffering/bitterness and rise again like a fiery phoenix. There is nothing model about being an Asian American Pacific Islander minority. There is nothing easy, nor glorious about it. My math skills are subpar, even though my mother was a genius and finished all of her math in high school without a calculator. I could never match her mathematical genius. I could never match anyone else, because I am only me. The only thing to be modeled about our suffering, is the ability to endure and succeed. Where other groups also endure suffering and misery. Our people sacrifice for the long term. They study and work hard, to advance and improve their lives. This is ingrained in them through their ancient cultural roots. This is something that cannot be easily emulated or copied. It is a yearning to not only survive, but thrive. In the end the real attribute that AAPIs posses, that should be emulated as a model minority group, is our passionate drive…