A message for the presidential candidates: Asians vote, too.
Tag Archive for 'america'
I’m not sure if this is a new lesson, but [campaigning for the American presidency] reinforced my belief that we’re not as divided as our politics would indicate. You meet with the average person—I don’t care whether they’re Republican, Democrat, conservative, liberal—they don’t think in labels. They’re not particularly ideological. Everybody is sort of a mix of what you might consider some liberal ideas, what you might consider some conservative ideas. But there is a set of common values that everyone buys into: Everybody thinks you should have to work hard for what you get, everybody believes that things like equal opportunity should be real, not a slogan.
– Barack Obama from “A Conversation with Barack Obama”, Rolling Stone
May is Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. Since I lack the time or money to travel to the various festivals around the country, I’ve spent my time commiserating at the Asia Society YouTube channel, where names such as Giant Robot founder Eric Nakamura, actress Sandra Oh, and Senator Daniel Inouye, speak about their experiences, thoughts, and hopes as Asian Americans. The stories vary in topic and scope, but all touch upon community and the desire to have more representations, in all forms, of Asians living in a Caucasian-dominated society.
I nodded to each video, amused at the absurd assumptions—Asian Americans have to be immigrants from Asia, not born in America—and saddened at the memories of discrimination. Each story mirrored a thought or experience that I have had myself, but I especially identified with those that spoke about alienation and stereotypes.
Growing up in New Hampshire, I lacked an Asian community. Everyone else was Caucasian. All my friends were Caucasian. I was twelve before I met another person of Asian heritage who was not immediate family. I identified largely with mainstream Caucasian America, and was shocked when I learned that I was not part of that culture. I was different—nerdy and industrious, shy and submissive, a chink, a dangerous dragon lady. I was alien.
I couldn’t believe that those stereotypes were all that I was. I still don’t believe it. I won’t accept the people have the audacity to tell me who I am or who to be. I don’t want to see any more effeminate Asian men. I don’t want to see any more nerdy Asian women with large unattractive glasses. I want to see people—real or fictional—that move me, not because they are Asian or American, but because they are human.
That is what this month is for. It’s not just about the celebration of an ethnic identity. It’s about connecting Asia America to America. It’s about Asian Americans exercising the right to define themselves, as a group or individually. It’s about understanding that America—including Asia America—is rich and diverse. It’s so easy to get lost in the stereotypes. These are the times when we remind ourselves that we don’t have to listen, that we could be so much more.
I believe that the dearth of accurate representations of Asian Americans in the media and in the arts has led to misrepresentation of Asian Americans. Very often Asian Americans are perceived as highly competent, hardworking, and non-belligerent—that being the “positive” image—or they are represented as devious, inscrutable, and megalomaniacal. Whichever way it is done, these images do not fully represent Asian Americans I know. If an Asian American, or anyone for that matter, is not given a voice and language with clear expression and evidence of feeling, his humanity is denied.
– Min Jin Lee
In celebration of National Poetry Month, I will share a poem that I love every day. Enjoy.
I, too, sing America.
I am the darker brother.
They send me to eat in the kitchen
When company comes,
But I laugh,
And eat well,
And grow strong.
Tomorrow,
I’ll be at the table
When company comes.
Nobody’ll dare
Say to me,
“Eat in the kitchen,”
Then.
Besides,
They’ll see how beautiful I am
And be ashamed–
I, too, am America.
– Langston Hughes
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In celebration of National Poetry Month, I will share a poem that I love every day. Enjoy.
Read More
- Alix Olson’s MySpace
- “Built Like That” from CD Baby
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