When Michelle Go and Christina Yuna Lee were murdered in New York City earlier this year, followed by targeted attacks on Asian women, I was still a student at Columbia Journalism School. Living in Manhattan, I became fearful. In class, I expressed my anxiety around taking the subways in broad daylight. My professor, a white man, casually responded, “Don’t jump to think that they are hate crimes. It could’ve happened to any woman of any race.”
Educators, Your Asian Students Could Use Your Support
We need your help to dismantle the “bamboo ceiling,” improve our mental health and well-being, and contribute to the healing of our community at large.
May 27, 2022
· Long read
HBR Staff
Summary.
Hate crimes against Asian people in New York City rose by 361% between 2020 and 2021. More than 10,900 incidents were reported. In this article, Evelyn Nam discusses her experience as a journalism student at Columbia University during this time, and what the school, and other higher education institutions, can do better to support their Asian student body. She writes: “The belief that Asian students don’t need the same support as other marginalized groups is a byproduct of racism.” What can educators do better?
- Acknowledge your Asian student community and educate yourself. As a leader in academia, you can help to change the system by educating yourself on anti-Asian racism.
- Help debunk the model minority myth. Ask yourself: How does my institution treat this group in comparison to other racially marginalized groups? How do our polices compare in their treatment and implicit assumptions of Asian people?
- Remember that belonging is as important as inclusion. If you are in a position of power in academia, approach Asian students with an aim to make them feel supported, seen, and welcome. Just like students from other marginalized groups, your Asian students need mentorship and allies to feel like they belong.