To Be Asian or to Be American

therapy-for-Asian Americans-San-Francisco

Asian Americans make up 5.8 percent of the total American population. On January 28th this year, many Asian Americans will be celebrating Lunar New Year, also known as Chinese New Year by those of Chinese descent. With that in mind, let us reflect on what it means to be Asian or American.

For those of us living in America from Asian ancestry, this question will dog us at some time or another. We are technically and practically both. It is difficult to choose one over the other. And yet, when we think of what it means to be Asian or American, we have to break down these social constructs into their finer elements. What does it mean to be Asian, besides the obvious of coming from Asian parents or an Asian country? Does American equate to whiter, richer, stronger, better, cooler, more popular, or more blessed? Does Asian mean slanted eyes, speaking funny, eating rice and egg rolls all the time, shorter, different or exotic, stranger, weaker, poorer, or less than? And why is there no terminology of “American Asian” (White person living in China or Korea) like there is “Asian American” (Yellow person living in America)? To answer these questions, we must study the sociology and history of America in the context of world civilizations. To read more from Sam Louie, click here.