Rice Paper
A semi-annual publication of Indiana University’s Asian Culture Center
a unit of the Office of Diversity, Equity & Multicultural Affairs
Spring 2016
Acknowledging the Role of Asian American Voices in
Cultivating Inclusive and Equitable College Environments
Written by: Samuel D. Museus, PhD
1. Racial Harassment: Participants discussed
experiencing overt racial harassment from
peers on their campuses.
2. Vicarious Racism: Some also talked about
vicariously experiencing racial harassment
and violence. In other words, racist incidents
that happened to others had a chilling effect
on the broader population by diminishing
feelings of safety and inducing fear.
3. Racial Isolation and Marginalization:
Participants discussed experiencing isolation
and marginalization from the mainstream
cultures of their campuses. Specifically,
students discussed feeling isolated and
marginalized in both academic and social
environments on their respective campuses.
On July 4th weekend in 1999, a White
supremacist went on a random drive-by
shooting spree in Illinois and Indiana,
targeting members of racially minoritized
populations. After shooting six Orthodox
Jews, killing a Black former Northwestern
University basketball coach, and shooting
a Black minister in Illinois, he shot and
killed Won-Joon Yoon, a 26 year-old Korean
Indiana University graduate student who
was leaving his church in Bloomington,
Indiana.
Although this event is one extreme case,
it does reinforce the notion that racism
shapes the lives of Asian Americans and
other marginalized populations. In 2015, a
colleague and I published the findings of
a study about the continuing significance
of racism in the lives of Asian American
college students. The article was based on
our analysis of 46 interviews that had been
conducted with Asian American college
students throughout the nation. Although
participants in this analysis did not share
any experiences with mass shootings, they
did tell stories about the ways in which
racialized views of Asian Americans shaped
their daily experiences in college.
They experienced racism in 9 distinct ways.
4. Pressure to Racially Assimilate: Several
participants discussed how they felt pressure
to assimilate to the predominantly White
environments on their campuses. This
pressure to assimilate included feeling
pressure to dress, talk, and act in ways that
were congruent with the White majority on
campus.
5. Pressure to Racially Segregate: Participants
underscored how the unwelcoming
environments of their campuses diminished
their desires to interact across racial
lines and resulted in their immersion in
Asian American subcultures, such as
Asian American Studies programs and
predominantly Asian American student
organizations.
6. Racial Invisibility and Silence: Several
participants also discussed the lack of
visibility and voice that Asian American
students had in campus spaces and
curriculum.
7. The Perpetual Foreigner Myth: Regarding
the perpetual foreigner stereotype,
participants shared several instances in
which their peers made categorized and
characterized them as foreigners, or not real
Americans, despite the fact that almost all of
them had grown up in the United States or
immigrated as young children.
8.The Model Minority Myth: Participants
also discussed being stereotyped as model
minorities. On the surface, the model
minority myth may not appear to be a
negative stereotype, but participants
described how it is associated with
several negative assumptions about Asian
Americans. Some assumptions associated
with the model minority stereotype included
assumptions that Asian Americans are nerdy,
socially inept, have a genetic predisposition
toward math and science, have an
unfair advantage because of that genetic
predisposition, shouldn’t need help because
of that predisposition, and are abnormal if
they do seek academic support.
9.The Inferior Minority Myth: Although
Asian American participants were generally
stereotyped as model minorities, some
Southeast Asian American students also
discussed being stereotyped as an inferior
minority, who originated from “ghetto” and
from substandard social classes.
This is not an exhaustive list of the ways
in which racism functions to dehumanize
Asian Americans in college. For example,
other research that colleagues and I have
conducted have illuminated the ways
in which racism and sexism converge
to emasculate Asian American men and
sexually objectify Asian American women
thought the perpetuation of pervasive
gendered racial stereotypes. Yet, these
findings both reinforce the notion that racism
is still a reality on college campuses and
highlight the importance of engaging Asian
American voices in larger conversations
about race, diversity, and equity in higher
education.
If colleges and universities want to minimize
the toxic effects of racism on their Asian
American and other minoritized student
populations, they have to create more
inclusive and equitable campus cultures.
(Continued on page 6)
Film Review...p3 * Student Group Updates..p4 * Feature Article...p5 * Photos...p7
Rice Paper
From the Corner of
10th and Woodlawn:
A Message from our Director
“There is a
high level of
participation and
collaboration on
diversity efforts
among all IU
Bloomington’s
divisions across
the campus,
including the
large majority
of the academic
schools and
departments. This level of participation is
rarely seen at other universities.”
Like any other resource office on
campus, a typical day at the ACC
starts by responding to emails and
voice messages that contain a mixture
of inquiries about our programs and
requests for co-sponsorships, program or
project support, and event collaboration.
There is a genuine desire among many
organizations to address and improve the
climate of inclusion on campus through
programming, and the critical part is
always in the early stages of the planning.
The initial questions we ask ourselves
when we receive partnership and
collaboration requests are: “what
learning outcomes should we expect?”
and “what messages do we want to
convey?” This has always been the
guiding principle when we partner with
any group. We actively work to avoid
planning for diversity related events that
This was one of the highlights of the report are tantamount to “ordering diversity”,
shared by Halualani & Associates on their like ordering a pizza. We appreciate
mapping of IU Bloomington’s diversity
efforts from January 2010 through October
2015. Their assessment included an
examination of 1,950 diversity actions,
categorized into 27 types.
Page 2
the importance of collaboration, but we
also recognize that a successful outcome
requires work. An extensive amount
of time in brainstorming and planning
should be given priority to prevent a
“quick and easy” or “show and tell” type
of diversity initiative. Email inquiry is a
good start, but a follow up discussion over
a cup of coffee or tea goes a long way.
Of the 1950 diversity actions included in
the assessment, Halualani & Associates
identified the top four types of
diversity efforts: Events (59%), Student
Organizations (15%), Diverse Student
Recruitment (6%), and Campus Resources.
For us, these percentages and numbers
reflect thousands of hours of time
investment, not only in conceptualizing
and planning the program, but also in
networking and connecting with the
people around us. Collaboration, in
essence, is a partnership and at its best is
about building lasting relationships.
This finding made me reflect on the
kinds of programs and initiatives at the
Asian Culture Center that were born
out of collaborative efforts with many
organizations and departments. These
partnerships helped create programs
that promoted critical thinking, civic
awareness, and conversations about
and beyond differences. A few such
events this year come to mind: Blending
Cultures, Blending Cuisines; Exploring
Race and Identity: Rachel Dolezal, Donna
Chang, and the Social Constructs of
Race; Themester on Labor: Voices of
Economic Justice; Asian American and
Pacific Islander Experiences in Higher
Education: A Forum on Policies and the
Model Minority Myth; the Movement:
Asian American Film Series; Gauguin’s
Legacy and the Construction of Polynesian
identities at the Indiana Art Museum;
and the Productive Differences: Reaching
Across Divides conference.
These events were all the result of people
sitting down together and enjoying the
process of thinking and strategizing about
how to approach a joint project with
clearly defined goals.
Photos (from top): Our spring 2016 staff photo; ACC staff and visitors with Over a Cup of Tea “Permission to Narrate”
presenters journalist Sarah Macaraeg and Prof. Jakobi Williams, IU Dept. of History
Rice Paper
Giap’s Last Day At The Ironing Board Factory:
An AAPI Heritage Month Event
On March 29th, IU Cinema showcased a
documentary film created by Seymour,
Indiana’s Tony Nguyen. The film, Giap’s
Last Day at the Ironing Board Factory, is a
moving look at Asian-American struggles
and family ties. It recounts the difficult
journey from Vietnam to the US made
by Tony’s mother, Giap, in 1975, when
she was seven months pregnant with
him. Giap endured harsh conditions
and emotional distress to seek refuge in
America in the aftermath of the Vietnam
War. Once she settled in Seymour, Giap
began to work in an ironing board factory.
Q: What is the “Part II” to this story?
Tony grew up emotionally distant from
his mother but as he filmed her last day at
work, his documentary transformed into
something unexpected – a journey of selfdiscovery. Tony’s narrations throughout
the film add humor, while allowing
the audience to join him in his attempt
to improve his relationship with his
mother. Giap’s Last Day at the Ironing Board
Factory becomes Tony’s first step toward
understanding himself and his loved ones.
A: In some ways. I’ve definitely learned
a lot more about my mother. I have a
greater appreciation of who she is and
what she’s done. I can’t even imagine
being in my late 20s or early 30s and
having to leave the United States to move
somewhere where they don’t speak my
language. Let alone in the context of war.
My mother was pregnant with me and I
do feel like there is this intergenerational
trauma that can get passed down. But I
didn’t live through war and I don’t know
that. So in many ways, I feel closer to her
in that sense.
The film screening was followed by a
brief Q & A session with Tony himself.
The session was moderated by Ougie Pak,
visiting lecturer at the School of Media.
Here are some highlights:
A: So it’s a continuation of the “why is
Tony so messed up” type of storyline.
But it’s going to focus on the men in my
life. I’m also looking at other VietnameseAmerican men around the country -- those
behind bars, those that are doughnut shop
owners, artists -- but with me again as the
center.
Q: You brought it up in the film that you
were hoping to improve your relationship
with your mother. Would you say the film
has helped bring you two together?
Q: Could you talk a little bit about the
genesis of this project?
A: During the summer, we went to a
farmer’s market and there was a stand
where they sell cookies and sandwiches
that you could eat on an ironing board. So
my mother walked up to it and she was
inspecting it and looking at it. I was a little
embarassed but I asked her why she was
doing that. She said, “This is what I make
at work.” It made me feel like I’ve been
a bad son this whole time; I had no idea
what she did. And then she told me she
was retiring and I asked her boss if I could
film her last day at work.
Potsticker
The column where we seek
answers to one of those questions
that just seems to stick around.
We asked a group of IU freshman:
How would you like to see
diversity on campus?
What does diversity mean to you?
Here’s what they had to say:
• International student representation
in campus leadership organizations.
• More panels and representation in
terms of speakers at the panels.
• I would like to see diversity on
campus by having many club and
student orgs. to collaborate on a
campus-wide project. Diversity to
me, means different ideas and people
being able to coexist freely.
• I would like to see more professors
that are from different backgrounds
• I would like to see people of
different races, nationalities, cultural
backgrounds, majors, etc come
together and get to know each other.
• Diversity is extremely important to
me because it allows for interesting
discussions with people from a variety
of backgrounds and a mixing of
ideas.
Q: At what point did you realize your
voice should be in there?
A: I think because I was the one that shot
the footage, I felt compelled that it be from
my perspective -- not only the lens, but
the film from my voice.
Page 3
Written by Sushuma Yarlagadda (2017), ACC Student
Assistant. Photos (top): Promotional photo for film; Giap,
Tony and family at the Mar. 29 IU Cinema screening.
Rice Paper
Page 4
Groups Scholars Program Expands Reach
The Groups Scholars program at
as good as one would want to see, perhaps
this has a direct correlation to the fact that
they are non-native English speakers,”
says Elaisa. “This partnership gives special
considerations to this situation, and we are
appreciative.”
Indiana University helps students, who are
the first in their family to attend college,
overcome barriers to success. The program
provides tutors, academic advisors,
specialized courses, financial support, and
access to a comprehensive resource center.
In 1968, Groups welcomed its inaugural
class of 43 students. Since then the program
has grown, welcoming over 200 students a
year. As it has grown in size, it has grown
in diversity as well. According to Mary
Tourner, who is in her third year as Groups
Director, “It’s a really UN-type program,
which I’m excited about.”
Recruiting directly from Indiana’s high
school student population, the program now
has Latino, African American and Native
American students, as well as those from
Haiti, Africa, and Arabic countries. Burmese
American students, many of whose families
relocated to Indiana as refugees, have also
been part of recent cohorts. La Erh is one
such student.
La Erh left his home country when he was
just six months old. In 1997, his family fled
religious persecution in Burma, headed for
the border with Thailand. They arrived to
find a barbed wire fence.
“They put the fence up with barbed wire
but it didn’t stop the people from entering
the country because they were trying to
find refuge and the only place to go was
forward,” says La Erh, recalling stories that
have been passed on to him by his parents.
La Erh grew up in the Tham Hin Refugee
Camp, east of Bangkok, where he went to
school and learned things like basic British
English, an English that would evolve as he
started public school in Indianapolis.
“I left the camp on November 6, 2006 and
I got here on November 8,” Erh recalls. “I
Groups has gone beyond special
consideration of this fact, establishing an
on-campus partnership to help non-native
English speakers excel in the classroom.
started school at Spring Mill Elementary
School, second semester as a fifth grader.
During those times, I had to get adapted to
the languages, the culture, everything, in a
short period of time.”
La learned of the Groups program several
years later as a high-schooler.
“[The Groups program] caught my attention
because I have some older friends who were
part of it and from their stories it was really
interesting. And also my counselor was a big
IU fan,” he says.
“After I applied and got in, I went to sixweek program over the summer. Classes
met every day from 8:30 - 3:30, something
like that. That helped me a lot with time
management and getting to know the
campus, getting to know what to expect in
real college, when school actually started.”
La’s participation in Groups was made
possible by its unique system for finding
students, which relies on recommenders
from across the state. Recommenders, who
are often school counselors or community
leaders, identify students that fit the profile
of an ideal Groups scholar.
Elaisa Vahnie is a Groups recommender
and the Executive Director of the Burmese
American Community Institute (BACI) in
Indianapolis. For
her, the Groups
program is
important, because
it recognizes
students who might
not otherwise have
the opportunity to
attend college.
“Our students
usually have a
high GPA, but the
SAT scores are not
Mary Tourner explains: “We work with the
Department of Second Language Studies
(SLS) at IU and they test our students. It’s
pretty intense, because we test them in their
writing ability, their speaking ability and
their reading ability. We want to make sure
wherever their deficit is, we help them to
overcome that.”
Second Language Studies now has a special
fall class built just for Groups – not only for
Burmese students, but for new Americans
from all over the world. The class is further
complemented by professional writing and
reading tutors available to all students.
All of this means two important things,
the first of which is a more diverse IU
community.
“A diverse classroom is so important and I
think higher education is now learning that:
not just racially diverse but socio-economic,
all of that,” said Tourner. “We all bring
something different to the table and that
experience helps us to learn more.”
The widening reach of the Groups program
also means that more students are able to
pursue their dreams and ambitions. Students
like La Erh, who now wants to work for the
UN.
“When I was little, they would have the
UNHCR or UNICEF personnel come into
the camp and those people were my role
models. Ever since I’ve wanted to work with
the United Nations, especially with children
and the United Nations High Commission
for Refugees,” says La Erh who is pursuing
a degree in International Studies, with a
certificate in International Business.
This summer La Erh he will get his first
chance to return to Southeast Asia, as
a volunteer with GlobeMed at Indiana
University in Cambodia.
Written by: Kayleigh Burgess, ACC Graduate Assistant.
Photos (from top): La Erh; Burmese Groups scholars visit
ACC during their summer 2015 orientation.
Rice Paper
Page 5
Student Group Updates
The Indian Student Association had a busy semester holding cultural, social, religious, social
justice and philanthropic events that showcase Indian culture. During spring semester, ISA’s focus
shifts toward smaller events such as interfaith discussions and panels addressing major issues
involving South Asian communities. They hosted “Speed-Faithing”, a play on speed-dating, in
which participants of different faiths briefly interacted with one another and shared details of
their experience in their religion. Throughout all of our events, ISA has not forgotten to have fun!
On March 25th, ISA held its 2nd annual Spring Formal. IU students of all backgrounds enjoyed a
catered dinner from India Garden, before the dance floor opened up with Bollywood and Western
music. ISA also celebrated India’s Republic Day, commemorating the day the Indian Constitution
was instated.
Saturday, April 9, 2016 marked the day of the IUB Asian American Association’s 2nd
annual Indiana Asian American Conference. We were fortunate to have Phil Yu, aka
popular Asian American blogger “Angry Asian Man,” as our keynote speaker, as well
as several workshops led by Professor Jennifer Lee, Mai Thái, and the AAA board.
We had a lot of fun and enlightening discussions about AAPI history, identity, and
experiences, and are thankful for all those who could attend from IU Bloomington
and other schools across Indiana and out of state as well! We would also like to thank
our many sponsors, our faculty adviser -- Professor Lee -- and the ACC for their
continuous support along the way. Nearly 60 people were in attendance, which is
more than double from our first year. We hope to grow the conference even more in
the coming year, and hope to see you there!
The Malaysian Student Association is an organization that aims to not only strengthen the bond
between Malaysian Hoosiers, but to also make Malaysian culture more recognizable throughout
IU. As an association on campus, we actively participate in events that are held throughout the
university. One example is the annual IU World’s Fare. Recently, we organized an event called
“Chinese New Year Celebration” where we all celebrated and brought Chinese culture to the
night.
Samulnori Korean Percussion Ensemble (SKPE) is a student organization dedicated to raising
awareness of Korean traditional percussion music. The group met every Monday evening at the
ACC for weekly rehearsals and performed at several cultural events at IU and in Bloomington
including: Korean Night (hosted by East Asian Studies), IU Homecoming Parade, IU World
Language Festival (hosted by Center for Language Technology), International Evening (hosted by
the Project School in Bloomington), Lunar New Year celebration (hosted by Asian Culture Center
and the city of Bloomington). SKPE will be performing one last time this semester at AsianFest,
hosted by the Asian Culture Center and the city of Bloomington, on April 16th at the Bloomington
Farmers’ Market.
The Filipino Student Association hosted their annual Filipino Culture Night on Saturday, April
9 at Willkie Auditorium from 6pm-9pm. This year’s theme, “Two Worlds, One Heart”, celebrated
the bilateral identity of Filipino-Americans. FSA consists of approximately 50 active IU student
members, and the entire group had prepared for FCN for months. The night consisted of dance
performances, singing acts, guest speakers, a Filipino martial arts demonstration, a fashion show,
and of course, traditional Filipino cuisine. The event was free for IU students and $5 for non-IU
guests. By the end of the night, FSA raised more than $400 that will be donated to The Purple
Community Fund, an organization that provides quality education and resources to families in
the Philippines that are victims of poverty.
Rice Paper
Page 6
Venturing Nations: From Bloomington to Japan
Eric Langowski is a sophomore IU student
involved in many things. He’s a student
assistant at the ACC, a member of the Hutton
Honors College, and a Liberal Arts and
Management (LAMP) scholar, to name a few.
Eric is also a fourth-generation Japanese
American and a member of the Hoosier
Chapter of the Japanese American Citizens
League. Over spring break he traveled to Japan
for the first time with an exchange program
called The Kakehashi Project. The following
is an excerpt from Eric’s reflections on his
experiences, expectations, and realizations:
“Over spring break, I went out to dinner
with a group of preschool students and
their accompanying mothers in a group
about 20 strong, visited beautiful castles,
temples, and gardens, went to a science
museum, and rode in a bullet train. I
talked with children at a sushi restaurant
and was dubbed “Wasabi Kid” (I named
him Tamago-san “Egg Man” in return).
(Asian American voices, from page 1)
And, many higher education institutions
are beginning to take such goals seriously.
Indeed, partially as a result of protests that
have taken place over the last few years
and garnered national attention, colleges
and universities around the country are
investing increasing resources in figuring
out how to meaningfully address racial
problems on their campuses. And, as college
campuses become increasingly diverse,
more of them will be forced to grapple
with these issues. Unfortunately, however,
Asian Americans are often left out of these
conversations.
When Asian American voices are engaged,
they can make a difference.
My research agenda has always been
founded on the assumption that Asian
American voices have much to contribute to
larger conversations about race, diversity,
and equity in education and society. For
example, in 2014, I developed a new theory
about college student success that outlines
the 9 elements of optimally inclusive and
understanding, but also equally curious
about my life in America. I found that
the difference between the Japanese
people that I met and myself was one of
distance, time, and language instead of
incompatibility or lack of understanding
on a deeper level. I saw how hard Japan is
working to better their society just as we
are working to better ours and I thought
about how we are all really the same in
humanity struggling towards the common
good.”
I experienced this through the Kakehashi
Project, an exchange with the Japanese
Government designed to “build bridges,”
where I traveled with 55 Japanese and
Asian Americans to Japan for nine days
and was a welcome visitor everywhere I
went.
Before I left, I was afraid that I might
be impolite, or unable to communicate
clearly. Everyone I met was not only
equitable environments that are necessary
for diverse students to thrive in college.
The first 5 elements of such optimally
inclusive and equitable environments
include…
1.Cultural Familiarity: Campus spaces for
undergraduates to connect with faculty,
staff, and peers who understand their
cultural backgrounds, identities, and
experiences.
2.Culturally Relevant Knowledge:
Opportunities for students to learn about
their own cultural communities via
culturally relevant curricular and cocurricular opportunities.
3. Cultural Community Service: Opportunities
for students to give back to and positively
transform their home communities.
4. Meaningful Cross-Cultural Engagement:
Programs and practices that facilitate
educationally meaningful cross-cultural
interactions among their students that focus
on solving real social and political problems.
5.Culturally Validating Environments:
Campus cultures that validate the cultural
backgrounds, knowledge, and identities of
diverse students.
Although this model was generated from
research conducted on Black, Latinx,
Multiracial, Native American, Pacific
Islander, and White students, it was also
heavily informed by the voices of Asian
American research participants and my own
Asian American students. Now, faculty and
staff around the nation are utilizing this
framework and these voices to guide their
campus diversity and equity initiatives.
Similarly, colleges and universities need
to do more to seriously engage the voices
of Asian American students and other
populations at the margins in constructing
campus spaces, curricula, policies, and
programs. In fact, this is the only way that
they can cultivate more inclusive campus
environments.
Samuel D. Museus is Associate Professor of Higher
Education at IU Bloomington and Director of
the Culturally Engaging Campus Environments
(CECE) Project.
Rice Paper
Page 7
Phil Yu: Activism and identity
Holi
Festival of Colors
Phil Yu is most widely known as the Angry Asian Man,
but this isn’t how he always likes to introduce himself.
Sometimes, he says, making small talk with strangers, “I
don’t want to explain that I run a website called Angry
Asian Man. When you have to talk about race, ethnicity,
culture with a total stranger you don’t know where the path
will go.”
So sometimes he just says he works in web development,
not letting on that his has been one of the most recognized
voices in the Asian American community for the past 15
years. Phil Yu shared this as the keynote speaker at the April
9th Indiana Asian American Conference at IU Bloomington.
Yu tied his talk to the theme of the 2nd annual conference
hosted by the IU Asian American Association, Taking Root.
He spoke about his almost accidental path connecting with
his Asian American identity and becoming an activist. For
him, Asian American Studies at Northwestern University
were ground zero. They were where he first embraced
Asian-American as a political identity. They were where
he found himself in a class watching a documentary called
Who Killed Vincent Chin?, which set him on a “journey of
self-knowledge, struggle and community.”
Yu detailed for the gathered crowd how his own path
would not have been possible without the activists who
protested for Vincent Chin; without the student activists
who went on hunger strike at Northwestern University to
demand the establishment of an Asian American Studies
Program.
“Who fought for you? For me it was the activists for
Vincent Chin, the activists for Asian American Studies at
Northwestern. Ask yourself, who planted the seeds that
became the roots that became your story. And in turn, ask
yourself, who will you fight for?”
Rice Paper
Indiana University
Asian Culture Center
807 E. 10th Street
Bloomington, IN 47408
IU ASIAN CULTURE CENTER
A Unit of the Office of Diversity, Equity and
Multicultural Affairs
Director: Melanie Castillo-Cullather
Program Associate: Sarah Moon Stamey
Graduate Assistant: Kayleigh Burgess
(812)856-5361
[email protected]
http://www.indiana.edu/~acc/
Facebook: IU Asian Culture Center
Twitter: @ACC_IU
HOW TO DONATE TO THE ACC
The IU Asian Culture Center provides
services, resources, and programming
free of charge to the IU and Bloomington
communities. If you would like to make
a tax-deductible donation to the ACC,
please make your checks payable to IU
Foundation and indicate “Asian Culture
Center” in the memo.
Please send checks to:
Asian Culture Center
807 E. 10th Street
Bloomington, IN 47408