So much has been going on with the killing of 8 people in Atlanta, Georgia, including 6 Asian women, on March 16th.
I want to share the importance of Asian Americans and their experiences in America. COVID-19 has resulted in an increase in Asian American hate and their voices need to be heard. I have taken Asian American Studies classes and learned so much about the history, cultures, and experiences. Some of the books we read includes The Making of Asian America: A History by Erika Lee and The Best We Could Do by Thi Bui. Both books do a great job of showing the historical and personal experiences of Asian Americans in America. Lee starts with the immigration of Asians into America and tells about a great deal of the history of Asians making their way in America. Bui’s book is actually a graphic novel on her family and their experiences as immigrating from Vietnam to America. I highly recommend them if you are wanting to know more about the Asian American experience.
Asian American Studies has also helped me come into my identity as an Asian American. It helped to show me that no Asian American experience is the same, but we all face similar triumphs, setbacks, and hurts like being defined by Yellow Peril and the model minority myth. The shootings in Atlanta are a devastating event that have reminded us of that we are still seen as Other and that people’s response from COVID-19 has only aggravated it.