Yuck!!
One of my friends posted this on his facebook profile (yes, facebook CAN be a tool of valuable communication, community empowerment, and learning). There are *so* many things that are absolutely appalling about this article and its contents. In addition to obliviousness about racism, there's also the obliviousness about the intersection of race and privilege ... I mean, what the hell, I thought people knew better by now.
Asian American Students and School Stereotypes
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/01/08/AR2008010802038.html
Some choice quotes:
"What she describes is not a cabal of brainiacs trying to steal all the academic glory from their non-Asian competitors, but a collection of industrious and ambitious American teenagers trying to emulate their equally achievement-oriented white classmates, while society and government shove them into an artificial group called 'Asians and Pacific Islanders' on the census forms."
'Tsai wrote in her paper: "Among blacks, 'acting white' is socially stigmatized, but Asian students who 'act white' usually occupy the more socially prestigious positions. Because 'acting Asian' is equated with acting foreign or like a nerd, 'acting white' among Asian people becomes a source of pride, and is valued as the ability to assimilate into American society. While both performances are frequently practiced, the Asian students who 'acted white' are more likely to achieve extracurricular activity status within the school, which often led to admissions into more prestigious colleges."'
(who the hell did she interview? Oh yeah, a completely representative sample of 15 Asian-American students who both graduated from prestigious magnet high schools and then went to Harvard).
On another note, something that I noticed this past fall, but it took a back burner amongst all the other stuff that was happening at the time; but I thought of it when reading the aforementioned article and it makes me happy now:
Count Me In Campaign
http://apac.berkeley.edu/cmipress.
Finally, recognition of the diversity - in terms of ethnicity, yes, but also implicitly in terms of the modes of immigration and socioeconomic privilege that come with it - that's contained within the broad generalization of "API." In a few years, let's hope they include "Burmese" too.*
*Ok, I think a lot of the reason that Burmese wasn't a category that was included was that, during the time of this campaign, we Burmese Cal students and alums had our attention focused on other stuff ... namely, the popular uprising in Burma. It is interesting to note that "Burmese" IS a separate category on various California social services forms, e.g. the questionnaire for ADAP (AIDS Drug Assistance Program) enrollment.
Asian American Students and School Stereotypes
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/01/08/AR2008010802038.html
Some choice quotes:
"What she describes is not a cabal of brainiacs trying to steal all the academic glory from their non-Asian competitors, but a collection of industrious and ambitious American teenagers trying to emulate their equally achievement-oriented white classmates, while society and government shove them into an artificial group called 'Asians and Pacific Islanders' on the census forms."
'Tsai wrote in her paper: "Among blacks, 'acting white' is socially stigmatized, but Asian students who 'act white' usually occupy the more socially prestigious positions. Because 'acting Asian' is equated with acting foreign or like a nerd, 'acting white' among Asian people becomes a source of pride, and is valued as the ability to assimilate into American society. While both performances are frequently practiced, the Asian students who 'acted white' are more likely to achieve extracurricular activity status within the school, which often led to admissions into more prestigious colleges."'
(who the hell did she interview? Oh yeah, a completely representative sample of 15 Asian-American students who both graduated from prestigious magnet high schools and then went to Harvard).
On another note, something that I noticed this past fall, but it took a back burner amongst all the other stuff that was happening at the time; but I thought of it when reading the aforementioned article and it makes me happy now:
Count Me In Campaign
http://apac.berkeley.edu/cmipress.
Finally, recognition of the diversity - in terms of ethnicity, yes, but also implicitly in terms of the modes of immigration and socioeconomic privilege that come with it - that's contained within the broad generalization of "API." In a few years, let's hope they include "Burmese" too.*
*Ok, I think a lot of the reason that Burmese wasn't a category that was included was that, during the time of this campaign, we Burmese Cal students and alums had our attention focused on other stuff ... namely, the popular uprising in Burma. It is interesting to note that "Burmese" IS a separate category on various California social services forms, e.g. the questionnaire for ADAP (AIDS Drug Assistance Program) enrollment.