Thread by @ProfHsieh

Dr. Grace Yeh speaks about the importance of knowing our histories as #AsianAmericans, but also the necessity of responsibility & care for other communities of color & indigenous peoples. #Ethnicstudies

I also love learning about Dr. Yeh and her work, like the "Filipino Love Stories" project to highlight immigrant lives on the central coast: sanluisobispo.com/news/local/art…

Dr. Yeh talks about the history of #AsianAmerican studies, of ethnic studies, highlighting the solidarity in the early movement & work of the TWLF, their demands & that #ethnicstudies wasn't just about diversity & multiculturalism but power & empire

Dr. Yeh reminds us that #AsianAmerican is a collective socio-political identity. She reminds us of the resistance to the term "oriental" by Richard Aoki -- we are not rugs to be stepped on. #Ethnicstudies

She notes racism & #microaggressions that are part of our unique #AsianAmerican experiences: COVID-19 racism, "your English is so good," "where are you from?" "What are you?" #ethnicstudies

Dr. Yeh then asks a series of questions that highlight complex trajectories of the #AsianAmerican diaspora & #PacificIslander experiences, histories so often left out of US narratives #ethnicstudies

Side note: I totally resonated with the idea of studying English & literacy as a form of resistance to the "your English is so good" & #modelminority stereotypes that emphasize #AsianAmerican strength in math/science

These conversations matter. On an individual level, we internalize beliefs about who we are & our belonging, on the interpersonal level, in our interactions w/ others & on the institutional level, through discriminatory policies against #AsianAmericans #Ethnicstudies

Side note #2: I really need the transcripts for these live events. There is so much knowledge being dropped here & though I know most of it, I'd love to share it all w/ you & am only getting bits & pieces #AsianAmerican #Ethnicstudies

Who does the nation belong to? Who belongs on this land? Our collective imagination has been stolen by pervasive dominant narrative we have been fed since birth in the US. As POC, we need to expand our collective imagination & reclaim our narratives #AsianAmerican #ethnicstudies

Whew, Dr. Grace Yeh in what @TonyThurmond says is a "drop the mic" moment. Such truth. She ends w/ urging us to recreate our society on pillars of care, creativity & justice. POWERFUL. I'm so moved by this #AsianAmerican #ethnicstudies forum.

👏👏👏YES!!! A student asks when we should start talking about #AsianAmerican histories & #ethnicstudies -- Dr. Grace Yeh says: "Preschool, maybe Kindergarten if they're not in preschool" (in age appropriate ways). Couldn't agree more!

Side note: we do this at home thr representation on our bookshelves (w/ our 5yo & 14yo), conversations abt #AsianAmerican #Latinx & multiracial stories, histories & contemporary issues, language & power inc our own family’s stories & histories

Karen @korematsu reminds us that if we learn more about our histories, we can find strength. It's important to know history if we want to make changes to stop repeating the past #AsianAmerican #ethnicstudies

Karen @korematsu -- We need to know about the histories of mass incarceration. We need to know about each other's cultures & histories so we don't make the same mistakes. Her father decided to fight bc he believed in this country & the constitution #AsianAmerican #ethnicstudies

"If you know your own story, you can appreciate other people's stories. These stories are important, not only for ourselves, but for all Americans....for citizens & non-citizens" -- Karen @korematsu #AsianAmerican #Ethnicstudies

Wow, I didn't realize that Fred @korematsu had a federal prison record for FORTY YEARS after his arrest as part of Japanese mass incarceration, a record which went on to prevent him from getting his real estate license & could have prevented him from voting in many states

Nor did I know about the vilification that Fred @korematsu faced from the Japanese American community prior to his conviction being overturned in 1983 out of fear that association w/ him could lead to retribution. #AsianAmerican #Ethnicstudies

But after his conviction was overturned, @korematsu used his experience to speak about the importance of voting, of knowing our histories, of bridging communities #AsianAmerican #EthnicStudies

Finally, Karen @korematsu reminds us that #Ethnicstudies is for ALL OF US. We need to be learning for, from & about one another. #AsianAmerican #EthnicStudies

Yes, I'm on board for Fred @korematsu Day of Civil Liberties and the Constitution. Find out more here: korematsuinstitute.org/homepage/

Interesting 1st student Q about finding contemporary #AsianAmerican role models v. looking towards organizations. Karen @korematsu says that it's an individual journey to find stories we resonate w/; we have to look to our communities to find who can represent us.

Student speaker F. Suavillo shares her own experiences feeling that she had to "whitewash" herself & shun her Filipino identity; speaks about erasure of #AsianAmerican contributions to the US. #Ethnicstudies must be available to young students.

There is so much lost when we grow up feeling like we don't belong. There is so much lost when we don't know our own histories & our family histories. There is so much lost when we feel ashamed of our own identities. #AsianAmerican #ethnicstudies

Student speaker L. Kong notes her heroes in her grandparents as well as in histories like Fred & Karen @korematsu #AsianAmerican #ethnicstudies

I loved this webinar on #AsianAmerican #ethnicstudies sponsored by @CADeptEd w/ Supt @TonyThurmond -- really beautiful, plenty of student voice, powerful speakers. Next week's webinar is on #indigenous voices in #ethnicstudies next Tuesday 7/28 at 2pm PT: facebook.com/events/7306142…