What Are Your Blind Spots? Conquering Misconceptions Surrounding the U.S. Asian-pacific Community

The U.S. Asian-Pacific community, spanning more than 50 racial/ethnic groups and speaking more than 30 languages, isn’t easily defined.

The term “Asian American” was coined in 1968 to help establish a collective identity in the U.S. at a time when communities with Asian roots could benefit from embracing their shared history. But simplifying racial categories has brought both benefits and setbacks.

Decades later, we see the effects of this broad terminology via the rise in generalization of Asian Americans in the U.S. Members of this community encompass a wide spectrum of race, ethnicity, culture and heritage that has largely gone unnoticed. Today, two-thirds of Asian Americans identify primarily with their specific ethnicity, according to the research organization AAPI Data. This choice to reject homogenization is a clear indication of the need to recognize this group’s nuanced differences.

This May, we’re focused on changing the conversation by recognizing and conquering our blind spots. By addressing some misconceptions surrounding the Asian Pacific American community, we hope to celebrate the unique identities and experiences of all members of this group. 

Click here to read about some common misconceptions.