Victor Martinez Week 8

Victor Martinez
Section 002
Week 8

The articles this week had a common theme, which was that of Asian Americans and their role in political protests. In particular, the article"What Asian Americans are Bringing to Campus Movements for Racial Justice" addresses were the Asian American community fits in relation to other minority groups in the realm of social justice. I realize just how much it talks about how Asian Americans are ignored and the mainstream American narrative continues to make racial inequality a "black and white" issue that shuts out the experiences of injustice other communities have. It seems like a divisive tactic used by the elite to keep groups from working together. However, Asian Americans have been defying the model minority label and participating in  protests to attack the discrimination institutions inflict upon minority groups. What I got from the article is that the hardest part of participating in demonstrations is that very same model minority status. It makes it seem like Asians have lots of privilege, when it isn't true for all Asian American people. Instead this seems like it ties back into the concept of ethnic cover where the token gestures the mainstream grants to some Asian Americans are used to de-legitimize  the claims of others and keep the Asian American community out of these issues. However, it is good that the Asian American community is not docile and will not allow itself  to be silenced by their oppressors.

Question: How can student activists work to draw attention to the work done by Asian American protesters?

References

[Digital image]. (2016, October 19). Retrieved from http://asiasociety.org/blog/asia/why-some-brown-asians-feel-left-out-asian-american-conversation

Putterman, M. T. (2017, March 28). What Asian Americans Are Bringing to Campus Movements for Racial Justice. Retrieved from 3/28/2017 What Asian Americans Are Bringing to Campus Movements for Racial Justice | Race Files https://www.racefiles.com/2016/02/01/what-asian-americans-are-bringing-to-campus-movements-for-racial-justice/