Max Li - Week 6 SS1

    As the conclusion and epilogue of the powerful collection of essays we have read over the past weeks, this week's readings serve as calls to action for academics and people of color at large. In "Academic Awaken: Power, Resistance, and Being Woke", Dariotis and Valverde advocate for a unveiling of the violence experienced in academia, as a symptom of the a larger system of oppression, and question the miseducation that has been introduced by dominant institutions. The phases of wokeness introduced are guidelines to how one can begin to act upon knowledge of systemic violence. These also include questioning who is responsible for fabricating these false histories and knowledge; as well as recognizing that while the violence occurs at an individual level, academics of color are not suffering from it "alone or as part of a differentiated, segregated group destined for suffering." (Dariotis and Valverde, 2019)
    The understanding of the power that structure academic and other dominant institutions, as well as the systemic nature of the violence, is not sufficient to create liberatory action. In order to break free from the shackles of academia, these theories must lead to action. Without practice, academics continue to live in the ivory tower and distance themselves from the communities they serve. However, it is also oppressive to prescribe a single model of change for different communities and people, as "what change looks like will vary based on specific institutional histories, local community variations, and other factors." (Dariotis and Valverde, 2019)
    With these concluding calls to action, I have reflected upon the wealth of knowledge I have obtained from this course. As suggested by the reading, I then turn to other self-reflective questions, such as: what do I do now? How can I act in the interest of my community? How can I build or help to build a collective that combats the violence of academia?

Question: How do the experiences of Asian American women in the academia differ from experiences of Asian American women within other fields?

References: 

Dariotis, W. & Valverde, K. (2019). Academics Awaken: Power, Resistance, and Being Woke.

Image:

http://harvardpolitics.com/harvard/harvard-failing-asian-americans/