Our Asian ethnicities, cultures, and backgrounds are not the same. So why is it still important to organize under the label of Asian American?
The term Asian American was born out of the civil rights movement in the 1960s. In 1968, Berkeley students of Asian descent came together in response to the political unrest at the time including the Vietnam War and the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy. With no established place to respond and organize, two PhD students Emma Gee and Yuji Ichioka held a meeting in their home, created the Asian American Political Alliance (AAPA), and effectively kickstarted a new generation of Asian American political activism.
"AAPA sparked the nationwide Asian American Movement: uniting Americans previously divided by ethnicity - Filipino, Japanese, Korean, Chinese, and others - and stereotyped as 'Orientals' or 'silent minorities.'
AAPA joined African American, Latino, and Native American groups in the Third World Liberation Front, which led the 1969 Third World Strike at UC Berkeley. The strikes here and elsewhere spurred the creation of ethnic studies and social justice programs and encouraged community self-determination."
(Berkeley Historical Plaque Project, 2018)
In light of how this movement originated, one is not born Asian American; rather they actively take on this political identity and become Asian American and be mobilized towards a common direction.
What are some forces that tie us together in Asia?
Shared history in Asia. Before immigrating to the US, Asians shared similar experiences of trade, cooperation, and war. Various wars (list here) had vast impacts in Asian countries.
Colonialism, capitalism, and imperialism. These systems all contributed to the subjugation of Asians through the push towards expansion and economic exploitation of new markets and new resources. Colonization and imperialism was seen all throughout Asia: Spain in the Philippines, the Dutch in Indonesia, the French in Indochina, the British in China, Hong Kong and India, the US in Hawaii and Guam, and finally the Japanese and Chinese throughout Asia. These forces then directly impacted Asian migration to the US and the subsequent development of Asian American values.
What are some forces that tie us together in the US?
Policies. Consider immigration and refugee policies and how they have shaped our communities. Certain immigration laws restricted entry to the US including the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, the Asiatic Barred Zone Act in 1917, and the Immigration Act of 1924. These laws came from a place of fear and belief that Asians do not belong in the US.
Anti-Asian hate crimes. Consider the Oak Creek shooting in 2012 and the Atlanta shooting in 2021. We share the pain and trauma inflicted on Asian and Asian American groups.
Perceptions of Asian Americans and the model minority myth. From the inside, it's easy to see and celebrate the unique cultural aspects, stories, and experiences that make us different from one another. But that may not be the case from the outside. The model minority myth introduces additional misunderstanding of our experience and creates a wedge between Asians and other minority groups, minimizing the role of racism its impact on us (Chow, 2017).
So in response, what exactly are we mobilizing towards? Here are some instances of organization against oppression in the contexts of both Asia and Asian America.
The Delano grape strike began in 1965 in Delano, California. Larry Itliong led a group of Filipino grape pickers to fight against the exploitation of farm workers and call for better working conditions. The unexpected multiracial front and partnership with Mexican farmworkers led to the creation of the United Farm Workers (UFW) labor union, ultimately revolutionizing the farm labor movement in the US.
Farmer's protests in Punjab. In response to controversial farm bills that privatized the agricultural sector in 2020, farmers and farm unions joined in protest against these laws and create a minimum support price. Most of these protests took place in Punjab, but also spread to other states. A year later in November of 2021, these agricultural bills were repealed.
The passage of the TEAACH (Teaching Equitable Asian American Community History) Act in 2021. This act effectively amended Illinois School Code, so that a unit of Asian American history would be required to be taught in every public elementary school and high school. Illinois became the first state to adopt an Asian American history requirement within its education system.
Locally, we saw the creation of Chicago's first Asian American majority ward (Ward 11) in 2022, following months of advocacy by community leaders. Previously divided into multiple wards, Chinatown residents are now represented by one Alderperson, Nicole Lee. Similarly on the north side of Chicago, Asian American and immigrant communities that were previously divided into three wards were joined into Ward 33, enabling greater community engagement and mobilization towards issues impacting their own communities. Special thanks goes to local organizations including Asian Americans Advancing Justice | Chicago, the HANA Center, Alliance of Filipinos for Immigrant Rights and Empowerment, and the Cambodian Association of Illinois (AAAJ, 2022).
Effective community mobilization requires strong partnership, relationships, and community building. It cannot be done alone. Asian Americans need a space to mobilize not just to enact policy change, but also to heal from the painful aspects of our history colored by capitalism, colonialism, and imperialism. Again, Asian American identity is actively adopted, not passively received. While much work continues to be necessary, the good news is that as human beings, we are geared to be in relationship with one another, to create communal spaces that align with our values. We have a long history of organizing against oppression and we will continue to do so, learning from older generations and looking forward to advocate for what our communities need.
Thank you to Anooshka Gupta, Asian Americans Advancing Justice (AAAJ), Rooshey Hasnain, and DHD 420 course collaborators for providing enlightening course content and insightful dialogue.
References
Asian Americans Advancing Justice (2022). Asian American leaders celebrate creation of Chicago's first Asian American majority ward in Chicago united map. Retrieved from https://www.advancingjustice-chicago.org/asian-american-leaders-celebrate-creation-chicagos-first-asian-american-majority-ward-chicago-united-map/
Berkeley Historical Plaque Project (2018). Berkeley history: Birthplace of the Asian American Movement. Retrieved from http://berkeleyplaques.org/plaque/birthplace-of-the-asian-american-movement/
Chow, K. (2017). 'Model Minority' myth again used as a racial wedge between Asians and Blacks. NPR Code Switch. Retrieved from https://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2017/04/19/524571669/model-minority-myth-again-used-as-a-racial-wedge-between-asians-and-blacks
Hossaini, S. (2018). 50 Years later, former UC Berkeley students celebrated the Asian-American movement they began. The California Report. Retrieved from https://www.kqed.org/news/11705621/50-years-later-former-uc-berkeley-students-celebrate-the-asian-american-movement-they-began
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