Please Support an Asian American Studies Program at UIC!

For over a decade, dedicated individuals have struggled to establish an Asian American Studies program at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Despite the bureaucratic barriers (limited funding, limited building space, etc) that are used to refute the need for diversity and multicultural education, I sincerely hope that this will be the year when students’ desires for an Asian American Studies program at UIC are actualized.

The University of Illinois at Chicago is currently communicating a negative message about diversity and simultaneously neglecting to properly address a sincere problem on its campus. Approximately 25% of UIC’s student population identify themselves as Asian or Asian American. However the Asian American Coalition Committee cites that “Asian Americans are not included as a legitimate minority on UIC’s diversity webpage” (http://www.uic.edu/portfolio/diversity). This is outrageous!

We need to hold institutions of higher learning, such as the University of Illinois at Chicago, to higher standards. Universities and colleges have an ethical obligation to promote and endorse cultural diversity. How can we expect younger generations to appreciate multiculturalism, diversity, and sensitivity if we fail to promote it through our educational structures?

Washington DC: I was blessed to take this picture on a gorgeous Wednesday afternoon!  

Participants in the 2006 JACL/OCA Leadership Conference :) 

Making Better Americans for a Better America: Reflections from the JACL/OCA Leadership Conference in Washington DC*

The JACL/OCA Leadership Conference in Washington DC has an admirable reputation for enriching minds and empowering participants to make a difference in their communities. Indeed, the 2006 Leadership Conference profoundly impacted my life and strengthened my personal commitment to the Japanese American Citizens League’s honorable mission to secure civil rights and preserve Japanese Americans’ cultural heritage. After five days of intense workshops, presentations, and a special visit to Capitol Hill, I can honestly state that the 2006 JACL/OCA Leadership Conference changed my life.

As a graduate teaching assistant, my educational background in speech communication and psychology has fostered a theoretical awareness and appreciation for civil rights advocacy, strategic communication, and persuasion. However, I lacked a thorough understanding of the political and legal framework for fighting discrimination and injustice in America. Advocacy for civil rights and social change is deeply intertwined with the United States’ political system. To successfully promote equality and justice, I needed to learn about the underlying procedures and rules that guide social change. The Leadership Conference exposed me to a variety of information about our current political and legal systems that can promote or hinder the advancement of civil rights.

In addition to its educational value, the Leadership Conference was a rich site for social networking and coalition building. Throughout the conference, I was able to establish and strengthen relationships with members of the JACL, OCA, and other APA organizations. I made many new friendships and was impressed by the high caliber of people who attended the conference! From Honolulu to Portland to Houston to New York, the participants hailed from all areas of the United States and came with very diverse backgrounds. The workshops and presentations provided a forum for constructive dialogue about current APA issues, such as immigration, hate crimes, and assimilation.

Finally, the Leadership Conference provided a unique opportunity to meet some truly outstanding individuals who have championed issues pertaining to civil rights and APA issues. We were fortunate to have dinner with the United States Secretary of Transportation, Norman Y Mineta. Also, several distinguished political leaders spoke to us, such as Congressman Mike Honda, Senator Okaka, and Congresswoman Doris Matsui. A personal highlight was shaking hands with Bruce Yamashita, a courageous Japanese American who fought overt discrimination in the military. Meeting all of these dynamic leaders in person was truly inspirational.

In closing, the 2006 JACL/OCA Leadership Conference in Washington DC was an educational, empowering, and inspirational experience. I am extremely grateful to the JACL, OCA, and State Farm Insurance for sponsoring this incredible conference! Special thanks to Floyd and Irene Mori, Keith McAllister, John Tateishi, the MDC of JACL, and those who dedicated their time and talents to the success of the 2006 Leadership Conference.

*This article was originally written for the Hoosier Chapter of JACL's newsletter. I thought it was applicable to this blog site! If anyone is interested in becoming a member of JACL or learning how to apply to participate in this leadership conference, please email me at hanasolk@muohio.edu.

Faces of the Past, Voices of the Present

The atrocious civil rights violations against Japanese and Japanese Americans during World War Two can never be forgotten. On February 19, 1942, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the notorious Executive Order 9066. Subsequently, over 120,000 Japanese and Japanese Americans were robbed of their freedom and civil liberties. Forced to “evacuate” from the west coast, their lives were abruptly altered. Leaving their homes, businesses, friends, and memories behind, thousands of innocent Japanese and Japanese Americans were quarantined into “internment camps.”

Although many APA communities continue to commemorate the significance of these events, many individuals from the mainstream public do not receive an adequate education about Japanese Americans’ experiences during World War II. Our history books fail to appropriately address the government’s hideous civil rights violations, and many history teachers do not include it in their lesson plans.

“Faces of the Past, Voices of the Present” uses the brilliant rhetorical elegance of personal narratives to bring the historical experiences of Japanese Americans to life. Created by students at the Ohio State University, this project uses oral history to educate others about the past and articulate multiple perspectives that transcend beyond the meager captions in school textbooks. You can actually watch the finished product of this amazing collection of true stories at: http://digitalunion.osu.edu/r2rsummer05/duberstein.2/index.htm.

For more information about the Japanese Americans’ experiences during WWII, please check out the following:

http://www.jacl.org/ed/curguide.html
http://www.janet.org/janet_history/ja_history.html
http://www.njamf.com/memorial.htm - National Japanese American Memorial stands proud in Washington DC. I was fortunate to visit it during a Leadership Conference last week. I strongly encourage you to visit it, if you are in the area!

Spring Break in DC

“Some people come into our lives and quickly go. Some stay for a while and leave footprints on our hearts. And we are never, ever the same.” –Anonymous


Greetings from Washington DC! While many college students diligently bake their brains in booze (and simultaneously scald their skin on distant beaches), I have been spending my spring break as a participant in the 2006 JACL/OCA* DC Leadership Conference. The past five days have been an intense whirlwind of formal presentations on significant APA issues, inspirational stories of civil rights advocacy, and social networking. The conference enhanced my knowledge of the political, legal, and social framework of the current (and future) civil rights movement for Asian Americans. I met many amazing individuals and look forward to a reunion in the near future!

In addition to the cognitive and relational value of the DC Leadership Conference, I was able to explore the issue of Asian American Identity and Advocacy in America. As this semester unfolds, I will integrate my newfound knowledge and personal experiences into my blogs… Please enjoy!

*JACL is an acronym for the Japanese American Citizens League. You can learn more about the JACL at www.jacl.org. If you are interested in joining this amazing organization, please contact me ASAP at hanasolk@muohio.edu!!!

* OCA is an acronym for the Organization of Chinese Americans. You can learn more about the OCA at www.ocanatl.org.

Crash into Chaos, Conflict, and Controversy

Amidst the political spectacle of the 78th annual Academy Awards, at least one thing went right in Kodak Theatre last night. No-- I am not referring to Keira Knightley’s dress or the maverick performance of “It’s Hard Out Here for a Pimp.” I am not referring to John Stewart’s opening monologue or the movie clip montages that cluttered the (already too long) awards ceremony. Instead, I’d like to express my support for Crash and its recognition as the Best Motion Picture of the Year and Best Original Screenplay.


Crash boldly explores the taboo topic of race in America through a dynamic interplay of unforgettable narratives. This movie reveals a raw element of human nature- our seemingly innate tendency to engage in identification and disassociation with others. Emphasizing the role of racial divisions in Los Angeles, the film thrusts audience members into an uncomfortable (yet critical) position and robs them of ignorance and apathy toward the presence of racism in our current American society.


The movie flirts with the darker side of America and exposes the dangers of racism. As we struggle to balance the need to make sense of our world and manage heightened levels of uncertainty, we often make poor judgments about others—and even ourselves.


I highly encourage you to watch Crash. Although it is controversial (and possibly offensive) in our mainstream society, this movie urges viewers to reopen the dialogue about race in America.

Save Nihonmachi!!!

Please help!

Originally formed after a major San Francisco earthquake in 1906, Japantown (also known as Nihonmachi) represents a cultural and social niche that celebrates and preserves many unique Japanese traditions. From its annual Cherry Blossom Festival to its collection of rare Japanese boutiques, Japantown plays a significant role in preserving Japanese culture in the United States.

Last week, I was informed that San Francisco’s Japantown is in danger of being sold and torn down to build condominiums. We must prevent this from happening!!! One of my friends and fellow JACL member, Brandon Mita, explained that Japantown “represents a critical sector of the historical fabric of Japanese America…(we) cannot easily relinquish a cultural treasure.”

Therefore, I ask you to please visit the following link and sign the petition to save Japantown: http://www.PetitionOnline.com/jtown/petition.html.

Most Sincerely,
Lisa

Gotta Love the Girls! :) 

The Marginalization of Racial Groups in (Academic) America

Nurturing my intellectual desire to study race and interpersonal communication, I attended a seminar titled “Expanding the Notion of Prejudice: Why we study some prejudices and miss others.” Dr. Chris Crandall, a professor from the University of Kansas, analyzed academia’s tendency to research certain racial groups over others; he ultimately challenged his audience to recognize the importance of cultural and social influences on American prejudice. From a social psychologist’s perspective, Dr. Crandall made some strong arguments and several controversial statements that I hope to iron out in this blog…


To begin, Dr. Crandall defined prejudice as “negative affect toward a group of people or individuals who belong to a particular group.” Using this definition as a touchstone for his lecture, Dr. Crandall suggested that social psychologists tend to study groups that are personally relevant and also suffer from real- yet unwarranted- prejudice. Groups that seem to “deserve” prejudice (such as rapists, murders, and people who steal kids’ lunch money) and groups that seem to be “free” of prejudice (firefighters from 911 and other altruistic parties) tend to be overlooked in academia.


Overall, Dr. Crandall provided an interesting interpretation of research on prejudice and race in academia. However, several of his suggestions warrant further examination. He suggested that we need to challenge the prejudices our culture deems acceptable. Indeed, negative attitudes and affect toward child rapists, serial killers, and school bullies who stole are lunch money seem socially acceptable. When society embraces certain prejudices, it can have a dehumanizing effect. But what are the ethical ramifications if we try to erase the negative affect toward these groups of people? Is it wise to essentially portray these dangerous groups as victims of prejudice? Is it ethical to eradicate negative attitudes and affect to people who have committed truly atrocious crimes (for the record, I am NOT necessarily lumping the lunch money thefts in this category here…).


I strongly support Dr. Crandall’s argument that cultural norms shape commonly held prejudices. Our attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors are highly intertwined with our cultural and social contexts. However, we must continue to value the individual as an agent in the formulation and maintenance of prejudice. Individuals and cultural norms are important and are conceptually intertwined. They should not be portrayed as mutually exclusive. Asserting that cultural norms are the influential factors on prejudice undermines the personal ability and ethical responsibility of the individual human being. Asserting that the individual is the influential factor on prejudice is also problematic. We should be able to respectfully consider both factors while we study race and prejudice.

There are several other points that I would like to make (such as his avoidance of the word "conservatist" and his statement about the push for equality in America), but I just realized that this entry has become quite lengthy. If you would like to discuss the issue of research on race and prejudice, please send me an email or post a comment…