Andrew Yang is not the only Asian American running for president in 2020. Senator Kamala Harris of California and Representative Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii are the two other Asian American candidates. Yet, despite being one of three Asian American candidates, many have labeled Yang as the “Asian candidate.”
“My Asian-ness is kind of obvious in a way that might not be true of Kamala or even Tulsi,” Yang told The New York Times. “That’s not a choice. It’s just a fairly evident reality.”
In an interview with The New York Times, Yang discussed representing the Asian American community in his campaign. The article noted that Yang embraces both his Taiwanese American identity and the stereotypes that are often associated with Asian Americans. During a rally, Yang invoked one of his popular campaign slogans.
“The opposite of Donald Trump is an Asian man who likes math,” Yang said.
In his campaign, Yang has embraced his nerdy side and love of math. He recently announced a line of campaign hats that say “Math” on the front. Some, however, worry that this strategy places an emphasis on stereotypes that contribute to the model minority myth.
I love Andrew Yang.
— Clayton Winman (@PrinceAwkwardII) March 19, 2019
But isn't this kind of leaning into a stereotype? Or is that the point?
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In The New York Times interview, Yang said he and his campaign team try to be mindful of the model minority myth.
“It’s heartwarming when people are excited to see me because they feel like I represent their community,” Yang said. “And I will admit that there are many Asian-Americans who are looking at me and my candidacy and want to make sure I reflect positively on the community, so I’m very aware.”
Yang added that while he is mindful of the model minority myth, emphasizing his love of math has helped him create a campaign that is true to himself. He hopes that people won’t assume that all Asian men like math just because he does.
“It would be unfortunate if you say, ‘I’m an Asian guy who likes math, thus, all Asian guys like math,’” he said. “Hopefully, people will see our community is very diverse.”
While Yang is happy to provide meaningful representation for the Asian American community, he also wants to ensure that voters know he is running to improve the lives of all Americans. This morning he tweeted about The New York Times article, which largely focused on his Asian American identity. In his tweet Yang said that he was “proud of [his] heritage,” but stressed that his campaign was “focused on how best to improve Americans’ lives and how to solve problems of the 21st century.”
Many believe it is highly unlikely that Yang will win the nomination or the presidency. However, he still has the potential to influence the race. Yang will be participating in the upcoming Democratic debates. Other candidates have also begun to take note of Yang. According to Politico, Mayor Pete Buttigieg believes Yang is “a very good, smart, earnest man” and a potential vice president pick.
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