In Movement: Our Mission
So yesterday we received the following message:
We'd very much like to address the problem to save from future misunderstandings. We are very grateful for the feedback and continue to encourage feedback. We recognize that perhaps our questions were not properly phrased so we first apologize if there was an offense that was made. But as an Asian American studies project, we are indeed focusing on Asian Americans and here's why:
In Movement's mission is to highlight Asian American involvement in the Southern California hip hop dance community. While not all members of this diverse community identify as Asian American, we find it important to raise awareness of those who do and who use their talents to express themselves through outlets not previously occupied by those of Asian descent.
We wish to examine dance as not just a hobby, but a lifestyle. We want to examine hip hop as a way for Asian Americans to build community and to make themselves known.
If we look at all the facets of hip hop, we realize there's a deficit of Asian American representation in all these areas. But here in Southern California, many Asian Americans have found their niche in dance and have become inspirations to those like just like them. We watch YouTube videos and see these people who look just like us doing something we love to do, allowing us to find that positive Asian American image in our generation's main form of media (YouTube) that strays from the stereotypical representations, like the tech savvy geek, the math nerd and the woman warrior, that we often find in mainstream media such as film and television.
Regardless of the topic, the genre or the medium, we will always fall under this burden of representation... but that's just part of the battle. In light of the new generation and all our hopes to keep moving forward, we are pleased to spotlight and commend those who have stepped forth in movement of the Asian American Movement, whether they realize their historical impact or not.
Because we are all pioneers of a new movement. We are all In Movement.