Notes: 8 October – 14 October

Tuesday Morning p.1 – Library Research Workshop

Admitantly, I was not actually in attendance for this workshop. However, I’ve had the pleasure of attending a different research workshop by Stokley and can guess most of the content.

The library includes resources, more than just books such as audio, original art prints (rare book room), and videos. There are also services such as the various labs and the online research databases. History texts are sufficient but primary and secondary sources are exceptionally useful as well.

Tuesday Morning p.2 – Hoppin’ on A-Pop

Why do we as a general society use the term Asian American? Why cross currents? We (APIA among many other communities) pass on our hopes, dreams, achievements, and memories to our progeny and those like it. From the way we dress to the things we believe, we can pass them on through the content we create.

Tuesday Afternoon – Better Luck Tomorrow

A film of successful yet unfulfilled APIA high school students who turn to illegal activities to find a sense of self. They cast has two things in common: APIA identities and academic excellence. The movie screams one word to me, “happiness.” But what will make them happy? Drugs? Money? Power?

I personally struggle with this concept as well. I was raised to believe that anything less than a 4.0 meant I’m probably not going to go to a prestigious college and will most likely die unhappy and unsuccessful if I don’t succumb to depression and “well-deserved” poverty. It’s obviously internalized classism – being taught to believe a mercy kill would save me time and money if I don’t get into Harvard (which I did ironically and I still don’t feel fulfilled).

My biggest concern with the plot was the idea that these kids were invincible. With guns, intellect, and money, they could get away with cheating, drug moving, and even murder. There was no proper conclusion and an implication that only the people who get caught face the consequences. At face value, this movie may perpetuate the idea that APIA are some elite organization of masterminds if not scrutinized.\

Also, these characters were three dimensional. Money, smarts, sports. What else? Virgil clearly expresses some form of depression or anxiety? Why? School? Parents? Some trait about him that would build his character past “the dumb one” stereotype? What about Ben? Why does he want to succeed so much? Was it his parents? Does he actually want to be a doctor? Who are these kids?

Wednesday – Writing Workshop/Discussion

The term Asian American is hegemenous and commits erasure due to media’s focus on East Asian heritages. However, this term came out of necessity for simplicity. The traditions and historical roots of APIA are wide and diverse, not rooted and concentrated like Black Americans or Latinx. But the construction of race was for division, not a symptom.

And it is that division that that we focus on today to come together. It is a powerful phrase and identity, though not perfect.

Friday Morning Seminar – Part of coming of age is coming to terms with the parts of yourself you did not have control over such as race, family, heritage, etc. Donald Duk, the main character of the novel of the same name by Frank Chin, explores his Chinese-American heritage through his family history, cultural tradition, and dream sequences.

With the guidance of his father, uncle, and self-insert dream sequences, Donald comes to appreciate who he is. He is not perfect and “completely rehabilitated” but he has acknowledged his internalized self hatred and society’s racism and fetishization of who he and his family is.

Much like Otsuka’s When the Emperor Was Divine, both boys of the family were exposed to mainstream white culture, most likely because of their wealth. They identified with this culture and initially rejected that part of themselves. But through their dreams of home, they come to accept it was part of them. But Donald was proud of it, he became part of the “they” he resented where as the boy from Otsuka’s novel accepted who he was but subscribed to a life of second class citizenship.