API Social Movements and Interest Groups

Anne Mancio
Section A02
Blog 1/Week 1
September 29, 2015

In the article, "API Social Movements and Interest Groups," the author included the Opposition Movement in the Filipino-American community, which caught my attention since I identify as Filipino-American. Every movement had a group that catered to a different social class, such as workers, immigrants, students, church-affiliated Americans, etc. These groups demonstrated successful panethnic cooperation driven towards one goal. As these groups came together and stayed vigilant, they overcame obstacles set by authoritative figures, such as Marcos, and accomplished their main goals.The persistence of these groups is important because it reminds me, as an Asian American, to not give up when fighting for what I believe in. Growing up in an Asian community, I never realized Filipinos were considered the minority. Even though Asian Americans are not as prevalent as whites, past experiences from these specific movements proved there is strength in numbers, thus many alliances and coalitions were formed.
My questions are, what exactly is the collective memory and cultural construction that the author briefly mentioned in the first few paragraphs? Why must Asian Americans who side with the opposition and follow "norms" set by the whites create tension when they are also being ridiculed for their race?

Coalition Against Marcos Dictatorship