Natalie Lortz Week 3 A03

Moua highlights the disturbing reality of not just the underrepresentation of women, but Asian women, especially in graduate education and literature. Racial formation definitely has a place in this outcome as Asian women are often erased or pushed out of positions seen to require strength, academically or otherwise. There are often only depicted in subservient positions such as a secretary, receptionist, or assistant of some kind, usually to an intelligent man. Additionally, previous research on Asian Americans does not include low-income groups or those that are not shown as successful in education. Therefore, lower income, Southeast Asian women are further marginalized. The lack of representation causes a need for much more narratives, leading to the initiation of autoethnography into research. Autoethnography is a form of research that is becoming increasingly important. The reality of misrepresentation calls forth Asian Americans of all ethnicities to share their stories and connect them to underlying social constructs and themes in an attempt to create a space for themselves where their experiences are valid and can be shared in an official capacity. It not only educates the masses on the variety of Asian American experiences and highlights the diversity of a population otherwise categorized as homogenous, but allows others who share the same emotions or experiences to foster a sense of community. Furthermore, it permits analysis of cultural misunderstandings within Asian American experiences such as Moua’s with her graduate school advisor. Her desire to show her advisor that she is anything but an inadequate or fussy person, led her advisor to believe she was unsuitable for the PhD program. The divulgence of personal analysis and experiences may also open the eyes of other individuals who may perceive Asian Americans stereotypically and promote understanding of the cultural mindset. 

Question: What can we do to encourage other Asian Americans to share their stories?

References:

Moua, M. (n.d.). Navigating Graduate Education as a First-       generation, Hmong American Woman: An Autoethnography.          Hmong Studies Journal, Volume 19(1).

Chen, Jessica (Photographer). (2017, October 11) AAPI Data [digital           image]. Retrieved from http://aapidata.com/blog/se-aa-  achievement-gaps/