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2020 Catalog

Proposition 16 Community Discussion

Co-Led with Dear Asian Youth

 

Presentation on the importance of advocating for Proposition 16 and Affirmative Action.

 

August 8th, 2020 7:00-8:30pm EST

 

  • Discussed components of Proposition 16 in California, as well as the ballot proposition’s history and its supporters

  • Analyzed history of Affirmative Action in California and why participants should support it

  • Examined opponents of Affirmative Action (including Students for Fair Admissions) and debunked myths about affirmative action’s effect on Asian American students, including:

    • The myth that Asian Americans have to score higher than other racial groups to be admitted into elite colleges

    • The myth that “personality” is used in assigning personal score ratings

    • SFFA’s misleading claim that the application files are filled with stereotypical comments by admission officers about Asian American students, despite only six comments being flagged in relation to Asian American applicants. These comments were also used in notes about White, Latine, and African American applicants, as well.

  • Dispelled the notion that Affirmative Action hurts Asian American populations, as:

    • Proposition 209, a ballot proposition that prohibited the UC college system and other state universities from using race, ethnicity or sex as factors while reviewing applications for public education, has allowed discrimination against Asian American Business Enterprises

    • Analysis from recent data collected by Harvard University shows the admission rates for Asian Americans is the same overall rate as all applicants.

  • Discussed harmful effects of Proposition 209 for California applicants, including:

    • How representation of Latinx and African American student populations in the UC college system has declined since Proposition 209 went into effect

    • How race-neutral policies have failed to create equitable opportunities for Californians to have the opportunity to feasibly attend a university in the UC college system, regardless of socioeconomic status

  • Provided participants with ways they can help support Proposition 16 including their participation in AAPSU’s programming, organizing individually or with external community alliances or coalitions. 

  • Led discussion surrounding how participants can take action to promote race conscious admissions, how opposition to Affirmative Action coincides with the promotion of the model minority myth

 

Anti-Blackness in the Asian American Community and Building Solidarity

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A webinar on Asian and Black solidarity in the United States and the history of Anti-Blackness within the Asian American community. The first panel explores the historical connections and tensions that exist between Asian-Americans and Black people, and the second panel explores contemporary issues regarding Asian-Black relations and action steps for solidarity building.

Panel 1: Afro-Asian Historical Connections and Tensions

Co-Moderator: Professor Diane Wong

Panelists: Professor Crystal Anderson

Professor Diane C. Fujino

Professor Margo Okazawa-Rey

Professor Yuichiro Onishi

 

Panel 2: Contemporary Issues and Solidarity Building

Co-Moderator: Professor Tamara Nopper

Panelists: Annie Tan

Tiffany Diane Tso

Sahana M.

Scot Nakagawa

Kim Tran

 

August 22nd, 2020 6:00-8:00pm EST

 

  • Interviewed panelists on current and historical anti-blackness in the Asian American community, what we can learn from cross-racial solidarity, and how we can center Black voices in our advocacy

  • Analyzed historical inter-ethnic conflicts such as the 1992 Los Angeles riots, as well as Asian American activism history and how social movements in Black America and Japan forged solidarity against white supremacy

  • Provided list of resources recommended by panelists on Afro-Asian solidarity


 

Instagram Live with Professor Janelle Wong, UMD

 

Instagram-based Webinar on Asian American data collection and civic participation.

 

September 19th, 2020 1:00-2:00pm EST 

 

  • Analyzed 2020 Asian American Voter Survey, and discussed:

    • Disparities in representation of the Asian American community with regards to critical political issues

    • How COVID-19 has impacted Asian American views on certain political issues

    • How political participation varies by demographic

    • The rise of Asian American conservatism in recent years

    • Obstacles Asian American voters may face when going to the polls in the November 2020 election season

    • Why data disaggregation is important in evaluating Asian American civic participation, and how we can advocate for greater civic participation among Asian American individuals, as well as for data disaggregation

 

Race and Education with MSP:

 

Webinar on Educational Equity and school-to-prison pipeline.

 

Guest Speakers: Zakiya Sankara-Jabar

Carlean Ponder

Stephanie Joseph

Renuka Rege

 

December 12th, 2020 4:00-6:00pm EST

 

  • Provided short introduction of SROs and their history of employment in Montgomery County

  • Discussed how students of color and students with disabilities are disproportionately affected by and targeted by SROs

  • Discussed racial bias in treatments of black and brown students by SROs, and how disparities in punishments of black and brown students, coupled with over policing within schools, perpetuates the school-to-prison pipeline

  • Analyzed school-to-prison pipeline and how school policy has impacted it, as well as the disparities in educational opportunities given to Black and Brown students compared to white students and disparities in treatments of Black students compared to white students

  • Analyzed the effects of racial bias by school administrators, lack of cultural sensitivity, and pathologizing of Black students in educational experiences for Black students

  • Discussed potential solutions to school-to-prison pipeline, including Restorative Justice

  • Interviewed guest speakers on the adultification of students of color and how it relates to criminalization, how the school-to-prison pipeline has affected children in the juvenile justice system, and the disparities in punishment of white students and students of color in schools who employ SROS


 

Underrepresented AAPI Populations

 

Webinar on underrepresentation of specific Asian American and Pacific Islander populations when evaluating Asian American data and perceptions of the Asian American community.

 

Panelists: Sina Sam

Tavae Samuelu

Irade Kashgary

  • Interviewed panelists, with questions and topics surrounding:

    • Potential policy measures that would facilitate a better environment for Southeast Asians and Pacific Islanders and provide protection against deportation

    • How COVID-19 has affected specific AAPI populations

    • How to combat religious discrimination and celebrate religious diversity among Asian Americans

    • The importance of data disaggregation and greater representation in politics

    • Strengthening relations between the Uyghur American and Chinese American communities

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