Diversity Asian Pacific American Heritage Month Presented by Janette De La Rosa Ducut, Ed.D. Training Manager

Case Study Asian American South Asian American

Asian American Case Study At a lunch break during a conference, a third- generation Japanese American woman who speaks with a standard American accent and a European American man eat together. He was the facilitator of a discussion group that morning - a group in which she actively participated. As they are eating lunch, he asks her, "Where are you from?” The woman replies “Toledo, Ohio.” “I mean,” he says, “Where are you really from?” What do you think about the questions? How do you think the women might feel about them?

Asian American Commentary Implications of the question She’s not from the U.S. Unlikely that someone with no accent would be asked the same question Seen and treated like perpetual foreigners regardless of how long they and their families have been citizens of the United States. Can be hurtful and irritating “You’re not really American or you don’t quite belong here like we do”

South Asian American Case Study After the [diversity] training a colleague approached me and asked if we could talk. He said, "Y'know, I used to have an Indian girlfriend, she actually looked a lot like you...and people would always assume that she was good at math and intelligent. Does that happen to you too? Isn't that a good thing?" The colleague seems to assume that a positive stereotype is a good thing. What do you think about this assumption?

South Asian American Commentary “You all look alike; I can’t tell you apart.” Want to be seen as unique individuals, not stereotypes Can leave a person feeling unseen and automatically lumped together with every other member of his racial group. “Please make an effort to get to know me before you decide what I am and am not.”