Bringing the Marginalized into Conversations about American Raciality - Erin Kane - Keely Gaeta - Emily Norris

THE MODEL MINORITY TODAY?

THROUGHOUT U.S. HISTORY, AMERICAN DESIRE FOR COMPLACENCY AND OBEDIENCE FROM IMMIGRANTS HAVE MANIFESTED IN THE CREATION OF THE "MODEL MINORITY". THE MODEL MINORITY WAS THE FRIENDLY NEIGHBOR, FAVORABLE CLASSMATE, THE NONTHREATENING PERSON OF COLOR. FOR WHITE AMERICANS, THE MODEL MINORITY WAS A GOOD THING -- A WAY FOR THEM TO KNOWWHICH MINORITY WAS IN THEIR GOOD GRACES, TEMPORARILY EXEMPT FROM RACE-BASED OPPRESSION. FOR BOTHMODEL MINORITIES AND "PROBLEMMINORITIES" ALIKE, THIS CONCEPT WAS EXTREMELY DETRIMENTAL FOR A MULTITUDE OF REASONS. THIS CONDITIONAL ACCEPTANCE INTO AMERICAN SOCIETY FOSTERED A SENTIMENT OF FLEETING BELONGING BY THOSE DEEMED AS THE MODEL MINORITY. ANTI-ASIAN SENTIMENT HAS BEEN IN THE PAST, AS WELL AS IN THE PRESENT, A SOURCE THAT AMERICANS CAN DRAW FROM AND MANIPULATE IN TIMES OF CRISIS. MODEL MINORITIES HAVE FUNCTIONED UNDER THE NECESSITY TO PROVE THEIR "AMERICAN-NESS". THE MODEL MINORITY FACILITATES A DIVIDE AMONGST THE ASIAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY -- PITTING THEM AGAINST ONE ANOTHER, CAUSING THEM TO INDIRECTLY BATTLE IT OUT

TO BE SPARED OF EXCOMMUNICATION. ASIAN AMERICANS WITHOUT THE "PRIVILEGE" OF BEING THE MODEL MINORITY ARE OFTEN CHARGEDWITH BEARING THE BRUNT OF ANY ISSUES THAT AMERICA MAY BE DEALING WITH, WHETHER THAT BE ECONOMIC CRISES, OVERSEES CONFLICTS, AND TODAY: THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. 38