Week10 - Yuchen Qu

Yuchen Qu

Section A03

Week 10

        In this week’s article “The Time to Fight is Now”1: When Asian American Women in Academia Go Rogue ”, though there was a “promise”that education in universities can change the lives of Asian American women, they are still at the bottom of the universities and also the society. In addition, their roles in universities can only be servants instead of leaders and revolutionists. Racists and sexists still exist in universities and they not only have negative effects on Asian American women both physically and mentally, but also prevent them from achieving what they should achieve in academia. This article reminds me the heart-breaking story of the process that Professor Valverde fighting for her tenure in UC Davis. The Asian American Studies Department was filled with discrimination and hostility. Colleagues and several department leaders prevented her intentionally instead of helping her through the hard time. Fortunately, professor didn’t lose hope and lower defense, and she is still fighting for liberation and justice towards Asian American women. This is the last blog, and it reminds me the topic of our presentation, the corporatization of universities, and I understand it better now. Apart from tuition hikes, universities are becoming similar to companies because there are definite hierarchies, discrimination and racism also exist, and people are often judged according to their races and colors of skin. I learned a lot through 9 weeks, and sometimes, universities are not the utopia as I thought in the past.  

Question: 

Injustice in the universities always exist, and Asian American women are the minorities, just like Asian Americans in the society. Is there a better way to fight against it instead of movements? 

References:

1. Valverde, C. & Dariotis, W. M. (2017). “The Time to Fight Is Now”: When Asian American Women in Academia Go Rogue. Retrieved November 26, 2017.

2. Pinterest. (2013, December 15). [Digital Image] “NotYourAsianSidekick Unites Thousands To Discuss Asian-American Feminism And Stereotypes” Retrieved November 26, 2017 from https://www.buzzfeed.com/tanyachen/notyourasiansidekick-unites-thousands-to-discuss-asian-ameri?utm_term=.ayYW3jD8g#.mxBlpP8q5