Asian Americans and Policing Webinar/SRO Teach-In

 

A webinar on the history of Asian Americans and policing, in addition to the presence and structural inequality of SROs in MCPS. 

 

Panelists: Professor Tamara Nopper 

Sarath Suong

 

January 9th, 2021 4:00-5:30pm EST

 

• Led presentation on history of interactions between Asian Americans and law enforcement, including:

  • The L.A. riots, 1992

  • The shooting of Akai Gurley, 2015

  • The murder of George Floyd, 2020

  • The incarceration of Asian American individuals

  • the increase in immigration detention and deportation for AAPI populations, especially for Southeast Asian individuals

• Led panel discussion and Q&A of panelists, introducing panelists’ backgrounds and research focuses

• Discussed presence of SROS in MCPS, and how they effectively assist the school-to-prison pipeline, do not advocate for restorative justice, and can target students of color

• Listed action steps and ways to get involved with advocating for the prevention of SROS in MCPS

 

Instagram Live with Calista Ogburn

 

AAPSU representatives interview Calista Ogburn, the author of “This Is It,” about her poetry collection and Anti-Asian hate, mental health, and her experiences as an Asian American woman.

 

February 3rd, 2021 4:30-5:30pm EST

 

Mental Health Event

 

A chill event for stressed students to wind down and learn more about their mental health. 

Panelist: Sami Sapkota

 

February 6th, 2021 4:00-5:00pm EST

 

• Provided statistics on mental health within the Asian American community and listed opportunities for personal self-care

• Interviewed panelist and garnered insight on mental health awareness and strategies to advocate for personal wellbeing

• Initiated de-stressing activities, including guided meditation

 

Safe Space Event

 

An attempt to form deeper levels of partnership with AAPI and/or ESOL students, introduce students to issues and proposed solutions and get their perspective on them, and receive

student input centered around diversifying ESOL staff and opportunities for ESOL AAPI students

 

February 14th, 2023 5-6pm EST

• Facilitated open discussions where students could voice their concerns and provide valuable input to AAPSU

• Discussed recent events such as the Monterey Park shooting. 

• Provided students with resources and ways to help communities affected by the shooting. 

• Coordinated with other Asian-American leaders and SGA’s around the county to discuss current discrepancies and open up collaboration such as being guest speakers for future Safe Space Events. 

• Reviewed the AAPSU Demands list and examined current MCPS ESOL policies. 

• Comprehensive summary of the event was compiled, allowing for careful planning and consideration of these concerns for the upcoming year at AAPSU

 

General Meeting

 

We will be hosting a General Meeting/Discussion on body image, beauty standards, and colorism within the AAPI community. For the general meeting component, we will be going over AAPSU’s plans for the coming month and discussing future programming with your input.

 

March 6th, 2021 4-5 pm EST

 

• Updated participants with recent events and future initiatives spearheaded by AAPSU

• Led a discussion around body image, beauty standards, & colorism within the Asian American community

• Received feedback on future opportunities with AAPSU

• Facilitated a conversation around the effects of racism and colorism

 

Instagram Live with Dr. Sarah Webb and Eileen Huang

 

Instagram Live on body image, beauty standards, and colorism within the AAPI community. We will be discussing these topics with Dr. Webb and Eileen Huang!

 

March 17th, 2021 4-5 pm EST

 

• Discussed topics surrounding body image, beauty standards and colorism affecting the AAPI community 

 

Asian American Feminism: History and Practice

 

Join us for a webinar on Asian American feminism featuring the Asian American Feminist Collective, National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum–DC Chapter, and Womankind. We will be addressing a range of issues that AAPI women face from gender-based violence and reproductive rights to economic and immigration justice.

 

Panelists: 

Tiffany Diane Tso, Asian American Feminist Collective

Angela Wu, National Asian Pacific American Women's Forum (NAPAWF), Washington, D.C. Chapter

Rayhan Karim, Womankind

 

March 20th, 2021 4-5:30 pm EST

 

• Facilitated 45-minute discussion with panelists surrounding Asian American feminism

• Led 30-minute Q&A session with individual panelists

 

AAPSU X MoCo4Change’s Anti-Asian Violence Healing and Processing Space

 

This space will be a place where we can come together to reflect, share, and heal. While all are welcome, AAPI voices will be centered and uplifted. This event will have a guest facilitator, Vi Bui, an Asian-American college student activist who advocates for connecting, social justice, and movement building. 

 

March 26th, 2021 7-8pm EST

 

• Provided resources and information about further events sponsored by AAPSU to participants

• Asked students to reflect on their experiences with and perspectives surrounding Anti-Asian hate, as well as their feelings surrounding the Atlanta Spa Shootings, of which the victims were primarily women of Asian descent

• Led a grounding activity centered around mindfulness

 

Yoga Stress-Buster Event

 

In a time of fear, anxiety, and uncertainty, we all need a break from the world. Join us this Sunday at our Yoga session led by Archana Gupta that focuses on de-stressing. During this yoga session, we can also talk about our emotions and experiences as this is a safe-space for all.

 

March 28th, 2021 4-5:15 pm EST

 

General Discussion: Anti-Asian Hate Incidents and Data

 

We’ll be going over our plans for this month and having a discussion on Asian American issues.

 

April 10th, 2021 4:00-5:00pm EST

 

• Led discussion based on the 2021 American Experience with Discrimination Survey by Survey Monkey and AAPI Data and “Anti-Asian Hate Incidents and the Broader Landscape of Racial Bias” by Janelle Wong and Karthick Ramakrishnan.

• Discussed takeaways from the article, including:

  • The factors driving hate incidents and racial discrimination

  • the “perpetual foreigner” myth and eurocentrism

• Analyzed 2021 American Experience with Discrimination Survey and discussed how the “perpetual foreigner” myth harms the Asian American community

• Analyzed disparities in access to housing and education for racial minorities

• Led discussion surrounding potential biases in data collection, takeaways from data analysis

• Provided resources such as donations, petitions and statements, and safety resources for participants

 

Women of Color Feminism: Understanding Intersectionality and Women in Politics

 

For this event, we will be collaborating with the Minority Scholars Program at Richard Montgomery High School to celebrate women of color leaders in Montgomery County. 

 

Moderators: 

• May Soe Min, one of the co-founders and co-presidents of AAPSU

• Lauren Payne, president of the Minority Scholars Program and member of the RMHS Black Student Union.

Speakers: 

• Tonia Bui, Montgomery County Commission for Women

• Anusha Chinthalapale, a student organizer and activist at George Washington University

• Diane Fink, Emerge Maryland

 

April 11th, 2021 from 4:00 - 5:30 p.m. EST

 

• Facilitated a 30-minute discussion open to all panelists, with questions surrounding:

  • The importance of intersectional feminism

  • Ways of building solidarity between Black and Asian American feminists, and the importance of looking back on our history of cross-racial solidarities in the development of contemporary movements

  • The panelists’ experiences of being women in politics

  • The connection of beauty standards with the concept of intersectional feminism

 

• Led a 15-minute Q&A discussion with questions delivered to individual panelists, of which topics included:

  • (Open to All): The expectations of beauty and body image as defined within an Eurocentric lens, the expectations of beauty and body image as defined within our own Asian community, and the importance of these two concepts within conversations about beauty and body image in relation to the Asian American community

  • Struggles of being a woman of color that are not commonly discussed

  • Ways in which our nation can move towards a more widespread usage of diverse curriculum that doesn’t overlook the historic achievements of women of color

  • (Anusha): The culture of activism at George Washington University

  • Ways for women entering college to get involved with activism 

  • (Tonia): The impetus for starting ‘Politics Within Politics’

  • The importance of women of color pursuing careers in politics

  • (Diane): How Emerge MD has pushed for more women of color to participate in running for Congress

• Offered 25-minute breakout room discussions surrounding specific topics related to feminism, facilitated by each panelist

  • Tonia: Feminist Theories and intersectionality

  • Diane: Politics and Policy

  • Anusha: Youth organizing and student activism

 

MCPS Asian American Studies Visioning Meeting

 

Interest and visioning meeting about the implementation of an Asian American Studies course at MCPS.

 

April 14th, 2021 4-5 pm EST

 

• Spoke to participants about the need for an Asian American Studies course at MCPS

• Discussed process leading up to the implementation of the curriculum

• Led brainstorm session pertaining to how the course should be titled

• Received feedback from students over topics the course should cover

• Led additional brainstorm session providing participants the opportunity to assist with the planning of the course and to research APIDA curriculum already implemented in local and national institutions

 

Asian American Immigration Event

 

This event will cover the history of Asian-American  immigration, the policies that were put in place, and the on-going implications of such policies.

 

April 24th, 2021 4-5:30 pm EST

 

• Facilitated 50-minute discussion with panelists surrounding Asian American immigration

• Discussed history of Asian American immigration and undocumented and refugee Asian American immigrants

• Led 30-minute Q&A with individual panelists

 

MCPS Listening Session

 

Join us for a listening session with the MCPS Equity Initiatives Unit, featuring a panel of AAPI students from across the county! The panel will focus on the Asian American student experience, our experiences with racism, and how we want staff members to respond.

 

April 29th 6:30-8 pm EST

 

• Co-facilitated discussion surrounding:

  • Stereotypes and microaggressions against Asian Americans, including the model minority myth

  • Xenophobia 

  • The lack of AAPI teachers within our school, and the lack of AAPI representation in the school curriculum

  • Generalized racism in our school

  • A potential increase in discrimination against AAPI students when in-person school resumes

  • The need for conversations facilitated by teachers as opposed to peer-to-peer conversations

  • Implicit bias training for teachers

  • How to pronounce Asian names and why it’s harmful to change people’s names to make them sound “easier” to pronounce

  • Why the responsibility for combatting racism should be put on the teachers instead of the students

  • Individual school town halls

  • Monthly healing spaces

 

General Meeting

 

We’ll be going over our plans for this month and having a discussion on Asian American issues. This is a great opportunity to network with other Asian American leaders and keep up with our programming!

 

May 8th, 2021 4-5 pm EST

 

• Spoke about the history behind Asian-American Pacific Islander Heritage Month 

• Discussed the significance of AAPIHM

• Facilitated conversation surrounding the participants’ connection to their heritage and what AAPIHM means to them

• Received feedback on future opportunities with AAPSU

 

History’s Impact on Contemporary Asian American Issues

 

This event is a webinar discussing the impact of historical events and policies such as immigration bans, wars, and racist color metaphors on current issues faced by Asian Americans. Panelists:

• Panelists Professor Phil Tajitsu Nash

• Hana O’Looney

 

September 25th, 2021  4:00 - 5:00 pm EST

 

• Provided a 15-minute presentation analyzing the effects of American policies and events on current issues affecting Asian Americans. These policies and events included:

  • The Page Act of 1875

  • The Chinese Exclusion Act of 1887

  • Japanese American Incarceration Camps

  • Wars in Asia

  • The racist metaphor “Yellow Peril”

  • Fetishization 

  • The Model Minority Myth

• The effects on current issues included:

  • Portrayals of Asian women in American media

  • Weeaboo culture

 

• Led 30-minute panel discussion and Q&A with speakers, with questions surrounding:

  • How the model minority myth singles out Asian Americans

  • The infantilization of Japanese culture and how it is often broadened to include East (and many Southeast) Asians

  • Current issues pertaining to Asian Americans that have been overlooked

  • The significance of being an Asian American woman in the advocacy field

 

• Facilitated group discussion with participants, with questions surrounding:

  • How Asian American issues have personally impacted participants

  • The continuation of these issues in media portrayals, and whether a shift towards better representation has been noticed

  • Whether a continuation of “yellow peril” is evident in the Anti-Asian hate attacks during Covid-19

 

General Meeting

 

We’ll be going over our plans for this month and having a discussion on our goals and priorities for the 2021-2022 school year. This is a great opportunity to network with other Asian American leaders and keep up with our programming!

 

November 6th 2021 4:00-5:00pm EST

 

• Introduced AAPSU, our impact and initiatives, and the history of the organization

• Explained structure of the organization and ways to get involved

• Received feedback on specific policies and values AAPSU should focus on achieving or advocating for during the school year

• Discussed Anti-Asian hate in MCPS

 

Day of Action

 

We will review and edit our 2021-2022 Demands List for a final time prior to being sent to the County Council and Board of Education. 

November 13th, 2021 12:00-1:00pm EST

 

• Reviewed and edited 2021-2022 Demands List, written by Amy Zhai and Kelly Ji, and describing ways in which MCPS can support Asian American students’ success

• Detailed aspects of the Demands List, including:

  • The recommendation that MCPS develop a task force including Asian American students and teachers that advocates for the inclusion of Asian American history in K-12 Social Studies and English curriculums.

  • acknowledgement of the differences between Asian American studies and Asian studies

  • The recommendation that MCPS examine the needs of underrepresented Asian populations, (including Southeast Asians, Central Asians, West Asians, and Pacific Islanders) and ensure they are represented in educational inclusion, data collection/disaggregation, and funding support

  • Professional development and teacher education, including teachers’ responses (proactive to prevent, stop and address Anti-Asian hate in schools) and cultural competency training

  • The recommendation that MCPS create spaces to discuss Asian American issues in classrooms

  • The recommendation that MCPS encourage and build connections with Asian American school clubs and leadership groups

  • The recommendation that MCPS make available long-term culturally competent mental health resources for all students, especially Asian American students

  • A better system for reporting racism/hate incidents in schools 

  • The recommendation that MCPS increase their hiring of AAPI teachers, especially from locations with higher AAPI populations and AANAPISIs: Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions.

  • Greater number of advocacy opportunities such as town halls and hearings focused on AAPI issues, the provision of resources in schools about organizations they can get involved in, including translated materials for ESOL students.

  • The inclusion of AAPI community members in all county workshops and initiatives.