Still no seat at the table for nation’s ‘model minority’
Amy Wu says in the aftermath of a wave of heinous hate crimes against Asian-Americans in the US, they continue to be under-represented in most diversity and equality initiatives
This time last year, during Asian-American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, I received a torrent of “Happy AAPI Month” messages from friends and colleagues, accompanied by a smiley face or, perhaps, a dumpling emoji. While I thanked them for their well wishes, the sceptic in me noted that it was both politically correct and trendy to mark AAPI month, coming as it did on the heels of a shooting spree that killed six Asian women in Atlanta, Georgia.
This May also marks two years since the revival of the #BlackLivesMatter movement following the killing of George Floyd. In the aftermath of the killing, public and private institutions in the US and elsewhere ramped up efforts to improve diversity, equity and inclusion. Their actions have spawned a whole new job title. Type in these three words on job search platforms such as LinkedIn or Indeed, and you’ll find hundreds of openings at companies, universities, hospitals, law firms and so on. Entire departments, fellowships and even certificate programmes (note Cambridge, Stanford, Cornell) are being born out of the inclusivity and diversity movement.
Along with the #MeToo Movement, #BlackLivesMatter has spawned a greater focus on diversity that is, at least on the surface, changing the work landscape. There have been several milestones.
In the US, many firms have adopted Juneteenth Day as an official federal holiday that marks the emancipation of enslaved African-Americans. Kentanji Brown Jackson became the first black female Supreme Court Justice in American history. And Kamala Harris boasts a litany of firsts: the first woman, the first black American, and the first South Asian American to be elected vice-president.
While #BlackLivesMatter has ignited opportunities for blacks, indigenous people and Hispanic/Latinos, this has not been the case for Asians. Post-Atlanta, there has been a rise in anti-Asian sentiment; according to the 2022 American Experiences with Discrimination survey, 54 per cent of Asian-American respondents experienced a hate crime or incident in 2021 – an increase from 45 per cent in 2020.
Change occurs with action, and for me this means celebrating our contributions and acknowledging the histories of discrimination
At the start of this year, there was a series of attacks against Asian women in New York, including one that led to the death of Michelle Go.
Anecdotally, a number of Asian-American friends noted that despite explicitly expressing interest in diversity positions at their companies, they received no response from supervisors. These positions were most often filled by black or Hispanic women.
While I celebrate the amazing women of colour who are leading such initiatives, the point here is that more Asians (especially women) need a seat at the table when it comes to being advocates for diversity, equity and inclusion. Without being appointed to such positions, we have no official voice.
Perhaps the important question is, why haven’t Asian-Americans gained more representation when the timing seems so ripe?
Is it a lingering perception that Covid-19 is a “Chinese virus”? Is it the unspoken reality that many Americans continue to blame the pandemic and economic uncertainty on the Chinese? Or perhaps it is the stigma of the “model minority”? The median income for Asian households is higher than that of any other race in the US.
When it comes to equity and inclusivity, Asians are on the bottom of the invisible totem pole. Change occurs with action, and for me this means celebrating our contributions and acknowledging the histories of discrimination with the goal of creating a better tomorrow. It means being vocal and sharing our perspectives and stories.
The Museum of Chinese in America in New York’s Chinatown features an exhibition called “Responses”, which includes a timeline of anti-Asian racism in America, and invites visitors to add their own stories. And a new award-winning documentary on rock journalist Ben Fong-Torres is also an immigrant story that tells of his family’s move to California from China.
For many of us, action means running for public office, applying to sit on company boards, and amplifying our personal histories, but it also means remembering that diversity, equity and inclusivity are more than just a job title.