The Model Minority Myth from a Vietnamese Person's Perspective
(*Disclaimer: I don't speak for all Vietnamese students at Central. This is only my personal experience.)
My parents are Vietnamese immigrants who came to the United States during their early twenties. All my life they emphasized the importance of “hard work” and “education,” values of which I find are held of great importance in many other Asian households similar to mine.
I grew up in a household where the issue of racism (or politics, really) was never fully discussed. My parents rarely recounted any of their personal experiences with racism, nor did they provide any comments on the racism that is rampant in this country. Yet, looking back on my upbringing, the idea that we are the “model minority” was implied anytime the conversation topic shifted even a little bit to the subject of race. While my parents didn’t know they were specifically perpetuating this myth, I found myself constantly surrounded by older family members that downplayed racism, poverty, or being uneducated (problems that many BIPOC individuals disproportionately face) as something that “happens” when you don’t work hard enough in life.
Hence we get the definition of the model minority, which commonly applies to Asians in particular: Asians seem to be able to achieve more success compared to their Black counterparts because they were able to “overcome” discrimination and “gain” respect in America by working hard and emphasizing education. However, this statement also comes with a direct attack against the Black population, making the model minority myth an inherently racist statement. THIS was what the older adults in my life were always implying. This was their view of the world.
We did not have white supremacy constantly and purposefully depriving us of equal economic opportunities (e.g. the sharecropping system that prevented African Americans from becoming economically independent after slaves were emancipated). We did not have white supremacy constantly depriving us of humane treatment by the police (Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, Elijah McClain, George Floyd, Tony McDade, and countless others should ALL be alive today). And we did not have white supremacy constantly depriving us of racial equality for our children in the education system (segregation between Black and white populations was made LEGAL in the form of laws for over a hundred years, and there are still local ordinances that still target minorities disproportionately to this day.) What we failed to take into account is the fact that Black Americans have been systematically oppressed for the last 400 years of this country’s history. We did not take into account that what happened in 1619 permanently set Black Americans on a long journey full of suffering, dehumanization, and brutality. We did not take into account the FACT that we have NEVER suffered the way Black Americans have in this country. We did not have history to hold us down for that long.
We failed to take into account the privilege that comes with being Asian in the United States.
It’s not enough to simply confront our privilege. If you grew up in an environment where it’s virtually forbidden to speak out against older adults like I was, it will not be easy to confront our parents about their beliefs. It’s easier to stay quiet. But we have to try. As the younger generation becomes older an entirely new shift in thinking needs to happen in this country for us to address racism effectively. But change must first take place in our homes. By having these difficult conversations, we can spark a larger environment of discussion in our communities.
It's not enough until everyone, no matter what race they are, stands on equal economic, social, and political footing. As part of the young generation, we must carry this momentum forward.
Reading Material:
Segregation in the United States, History.com
'Model Minority' Myth Again Used As A Racial Wedge Between Asians And Blacks, NPR.org
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