Week 8 - Jiaqi Huang

Jiaqi Huang
Section 2
Week 8: Student Activism

This week’s reading includes “What Asian Americans Are Bringing to Campus Movements” by Mark Tseng Putterman. It concludes the Asian-American activism movement’s relation to other minority groups and the role we have in the overall social goal (against racism).

First of all, even in an environment where Asian Americans are a majority (as in UC Davis), there are only a few of us who actually participate in any social movement. Just as Putterman said, this community houses many different Asian ethnicities as well generations of Asian-Americans. Just by this reason among many, the experience we share is different AS Asian-American. A third generation member would never understand a first generation member’s cultural assimilation. Would an assimilated (third, fourth, generation…etc) Asian American parent provide the same experience and resources as a first generation immigrant parent? I believe that the background behind an Asian-American activist can really affect our view towards other minority groups, especially the Black community.

I am a 1.5 generation child and also the first to go to college in my immigrant family. If you asked me how the older members in my family feel about Blacks, it would not be a pretty response. However, I don’t blame them because this is how the American society has been built and without a proper shield (education), they accept it without inquiry. First generation families are vulnerable because their perspective about society is created by those in power. Given this idea, how would my family react if I joined a movement alongside Blacks? Obviously, my case is specific, but it does give a reason for why the Asian American movement seems so small.

Question: Do you think social activism, especially race should be restricted to the people of that race?

I know Professor Valverde is not a fan of stats without specific background information but this seems accurate. 

References:

1. Putterman, M. (2016). What Asian Americans Are Bringing to Campus Movements for Racial Justice.
2. Reifowitz, Ian. "Second-Generation Success." Web log post. Http://inthefray.org/. N.p., 13 Feb. 2013. Web. 21 May 2017.