I have really enjoyed these past few weeks of writing my civic issues blog. I have gained a deeper understanding of multiculturalism and the meaning of culture while exploring relevant current events. I have also really enjoyed reading your comments and reading your own civic issues blogs. It is very inspirational reading your blogs where I can learn more about a variety of civic issues and/or learn about your opinions and stories involving the civic issues. I am sad to stop reading and writing civic issues blogs but excited to continue advocating for change and learning about civic issues through our advocacy projects and policy papers.

I would first like to recap on what I have built my civic issues blog on to create a bridge to what I will be focusing on moving forward with my advocacy project and policy paper. First, I discussed the basics of multiculturalism and the validity of the term “melting pot” as a metaphor for the United States. Next, I discussed the “authenticity” of the American culture and compared it to more “authentic” cultures. I also wrote a few blogs about the surge in Asian American assaults within the past year and especially within 2021 alone. The current event blogs reflect the still very present lack of appreciation for cultural differences and hate based on differences in appearance and culture. I am especially passionate about educating others and putting a stop to it the hate being experienced by Asian Americans today due to my own Asian heritage and because of the numerous tragedies I have heard and seen videos of taking place this past year.

As mentioned in my previous current event civic issue blogs that have centered around the large increase in Asian American assaults and hate crimes, Asian Americans are being targeted across the country, especially in major cities, for a variety of attacks and assaults which have resulted in many serious injuries and deaths. As a national issue that only seems to be escalating, with the Atlanta shooting, changes need to be made which require advocacy. I have been very elated to see news articles and social media photos of various peaceful protests and walks dedicated to the “Stop Asian Hate” initiative. On March 26^th, hundreds of demonstrators participated in a unity rally, marching throughout Los Angeles from Koreatown to Olympic Boulevard to demand and fight for an end to the rise in anti-Asian racism and violence which have plagued society this past year (Barboza, T., Wigglesworth, A., & Yamato, J., 2021). Several community leaders, politicians, and activists shared their emotional stories regarding their experiences being bullied, discriminated against, and being treated as if they were outsiders and below other Americans (Barboza, T., Wigglesworth, A., & Yamato, J., 2021). Many individuals also spoke out against the dramatic increase in Asian American hate crimes during the pandemic while also demanding government action to stop the hateful attacks on Asian Americans (Barboza, T., Wigglesworth, A., & Yamato, J., 2021). Seeing news and photos regarding these peaceful protests and rallies warms my heart and makes me hopeful for change, a similar feeling to seeing and experiencing the Black Lives Matter protests, the gay pride rallies, as well as the March for our Lives protests. As a united society, we can spark change and continue fighting for equality and an end to injury and death of innocent lives.

I would like to focus my advocacy project on an intervention and encouragement of action to put an end to the violence and crimes against innocent Asian American lives. I am still trying to navigate exactly where I want to go with my policy paper and the action my fellow classmates could take part in that is small and actionable. I do have a couple of ideas of reasonable actions I could propose and advocate for that I would love your opinions and thoughts on. My initial thought would be to advocate for my peers to participate in a Stop Asian Hate rally or a peaceful protest to fight for Asian American lives and the justice for the lives lost. But this idea might not be very plausible considering the pandemic and the difficulty in organizing such an event. My next thought was to have some sort of educational action- from educating oneself on the surge in Asian American assaults to educating the public on what they can do to help promote change. Another idea would be for the students to pledge their willingness to report Asian American hate crimes and pledge their alliance to Asian Americans in their fight for acceptance and for an end to the hate. Another idea would be for students to donate money to the “Stop Asian Hate” nonprofit foundation or the “Send Chinatown Love” foundation to help Asian businesses, or “Asian Americans Advancing Justice” which all help to support Asian Americans in their fight against the surge in Asian American hate. A simpler action could be for students to simply support their local Asian businesses. Please let me know your thoughts on these actions! We can all make a difference and I am very excited to see where I can go with my advocacy and where you all go with your projects!

Sources

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2021-03-27/hundreds-march-los-angeles-koreatown-stop-asian-hate-rallies

https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/national-international/how-to-help-stop-asian-hate-in-america/2966701/

I am speechless. Despite being at a loss for words, I am also deeply saddened, scared, and angered by what I will be discussing with you today. Just a few weeks ago I was telling you about the rise of anti Asian American assaults in the United States amid the coronavirus. I honestly was not quite sure what to discuss today on my civic issues blog post. That is until I checked the news this past Tuesday.

8 lives were taken in a series of shootings at Asian American owned businesses. 7 of those lives were women. 6 of those lives were Asian women.

Robert Aaron Long attacked and killed these innocent individuals in 3 different Asian owned and operated spas in Atlanta, Georgia. The police blame his actions on his “sex addiction” as Long sees Asian owned spas as a source of his temptation. Long would “frequent” these spas. The Captain of the police department, Jay Baker, said “yesterday was a really bad day for him and this is what he did.” I personally was disgusted to hear the Captain of the police department blame the murderer’s actions on having a “bad day” rather than point fingers towards his very possible xenophobic and racist motives. As an Asian American woman myself, I grieve for all of the lives lost and am seriously disappointed in the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Department for implying their sympathy for the murderer rather than looking into the possible and very likely racially charged murders. (bbc.com)

These are the victims whose lives were taken by Robert Aaron Long:

Delaina Ashley Yaun

Paul Andre Michels

Xiaojie Tan

Daoyou Feng

Soon C. Park

Hyun Jung Grant

Suncha Kim

Yong A. Yu

(usatoday: Miller, Hughes, Ruiz-Goiriena, 2021)

Many of these individuals were mothers and sisters, people who have families grieving their deaths, who cannot wrap their heads around the loss. Hyun Jung Grant was a karaoke fanatic who enjoyed dancing and clubs and made the very best kimchi stew according to her 22 year old son Randy Park.

Randy also stated how “She dedicated her whole life to raising us, but even then she found time to enjoy herself with her friends,” said. “I can’t articulate or express in any way to describe what she was or what she meant to us. I could say whatever word that comes to my head for her, but it doesn’t encompass a fraction of what she meant to us.” (Miller, Hughes, Ruiz-Goiriena, 2021)

Xiaojie Tan owned Young’s Asian Spa and was renowned as a caring and joyful women. “She did everything for me and for the family. She provided everything. She worked every day, 12 hours a day, so that me and our family would have a better life,” Tan’s daughter, Jami Webb, told USA TODAY.

These are just two of the eight lives lost this past Tuesday. I urge you to learn about the victims and their lives which entailed hard work and their pursuit of a better life for their children or family.

It is so important for people to associate the lives lost with real life people. Too frequently we see shootings and deaths reported on the news and we must remember these are people we see passing down the street, people who lead lives just like ours.  As I looked through the photos of the victims, I saw a photo of Hyun Jung Grant, who I discussed earlier, and I was brought to tears. I did not really understand why. Yes of course I am very sad because of the deaths but I did not understand where the wave of emotion came from. That is until I realized how similar Hyun looked to my own mother and great aunt. I have become increasingly worried for my own family. It has come to the awful and cruel reality that because I am only 50% asian and I did not inherit some of my Mother’s distinct Asian features that I may be less likely to become a victim of the rise in Asian American assaults. Like I said in my previous blog, I fear for the lives of my Asian relatives and my fear has only escalated after learning about the Atlanta murders. I am scared and angry over these losses and the current climate in the United States today involving the rise of Asian American assaults. I am happy to see more people acknowledging the problem and standing up for the Asian American community. Together, we can all make a change and bring notice to the problem.

Following my civic issues blog from last week which was centered around current events- the uptake in Asian American attacks and assaults across the United States- I will be returning to the basic ideologies behind multiculturalism in the United States. I am curious to know how you liked my current events/issues post and if I should adapt my civic issues blogs to go back and forth between a current multiculturalism issues post one week and a multiculturalism background/ideology post the next week. Let me know if you would prefer that pattern or if you have any other suggestions, any feedback would be greatly appreciated!

In a previous civic issues blog, I discussed the authenticity of American culture, or rather the lack thereof. Today, I will be discussing what makes an “authentic” culture and also the various subgroups/subcultures within a culture in relation to foreign cultures to create a comparison to American culture. 

Many regions and countries which have a rich culture, have subgroups of culture within their area which sets the region or country apart as having an authentic culture. Within many cultures, there are often additional subgroups which have even more distinct traits and differences in comparison to the overarching culture (Franklin 2001). As you can see in the map below, the United States is comprised of eleven different regions. Personally, I do not think of the United States as being broken up in this sense, but there is no denying the rooted beliefs and cultural influences which effect the different American regions due to immigration and influence the appearance of regions. Although there is some difference between regions, the American subgroups are not as defined in comparison to every countries or continents. Africa is an example of a continent with rich culture defined by the many different cultural subgroups which  comprise a very rich and unique culture from region to region.

The map below was developed by Harvard University in 2002, following their study on ethnic diversity, to represent the ethnicities present in Africa (Fisher, 2015). Each of the colors shown on the map roughly corresponds to an ethnic group that comprises the majority in that region, based on how the people within the region self-identify. 

As you can see between the two maps, the map of Africa shows the numerous subgroups of culture that have been developed and become distinct from many years of existence which are vast in comparison to the indistinct/unknown United States regions. The Harvard study also found that sub-Saharan Africa contains many of the most ethnically diverse countries on Earth, which I find truly fascinating. The study also found that the linguistic diversity of the same region is vast. Language is certainly a contributor to culture and makes different subcultures even more distinct within a region or country.

Subcultures are fascinating to study and are a phenomenon which many people do not realize exist within an overarching culture. Subcultures can be connected to the authenticity of a culture and furthermore are a representation of the history behind cultures. The United States is a fairly new country in comparison to countries in Africa and the subcultures in Africa have had many more years to develop and become a part of the region which sets other cultures apart from the American culture.

 

References 

Fisher, M. (2015, November 10). A fascinating color-coded map of Africa’s diversity. Vox. https://www.vox.com/2015/11/10/9698574/africa-diversity-map

This map shows the US really has 11 separate “nations” with entirely different cultures. (2018, June 19). Business Insider Nederland. https://www.businessinsider.nl/regional-differences-united-states-2018-1?international=true&r=US#new-netherland-has-become-a-diverse-hub-for-commerce-4

The Diverse Challenges of Multiculturalism. (2001, March). ACSD Education Update, 43(2). http://www.ascd.org/publications/newsletters/education-update/mar01/vol43/num02/The-Diverse-Challenges-of-Multiculturalism.aspx

What is the “authentic” American culture? Whether or not an authentic American culture exists is a heavily debated topic. Seeing as how the United States is a fairly new country in comparison to other countries has an influence on America’s semi undistinguishable culture. While other countries have had hundreds of years to develop rich and unique cultures, the United States is a fairly newly established country when compared to other countries and continents.

Many consider the United States to be a “melting pot” and that the culture that comprises the American culture is made up of the many cultures immigrants have brought over to the United States. Individuals from all across the world have immigrated to the United States and have in some form or another brought along their culture with them. From food to clothing to religion, American culture has been influenced by the different cultures and communities which have been established within the United States.

Culture can usually be seen within clothing, food, language, religion, among other aspects of daily life. The United States is known for its comfort foods- hamburgers, macaroni and cheese, meatloaf, apple pie, etc. These foods are staples in the United States and are commonly referred to as American but many have been influenced or found to originate in other countries. As Americans, we have freedom of religion, so there are a variety of religions practiced in the United States and there is not a distinguishable “American” religion. English is the primarily spoken language in the United States. Sports can also have an influence on culture- we have the “American” football which is very different European football which is what Americans refer to as soccer. A sad reality about the connotation other countries have for Americans is that we are not the smartest and that we eat unhealthily. There may be some truth to some of these connotations as our diet differs from other country’s diets and we have a greater amount of health related diseases associated with overeating or eating unhealthily in comparison to other countries. Holidays can also have an influence on culture. We celebrate Independence day, Thanksgiving, President’s Day, Labor day, Memorial day, and Martin Luther King Jr. Day, among other holidays which are unique to our country and our country’s history.

As discussed in my previous civic issues blog, there is some falsehood to the metaphor of a “melting point” as many immigrants are forced to assimilate and fear sharing their culture once they immigrate to the United States. While some aspects of the American culture may exhibit aspects from immigrant cultures, the great majority of native culture from immigrants is not included in American culture. Additionally, Native American culture which existed prior to Europeans discovering the United States, along with Native Americans in general, were not welcomed by the Europeans and Native Americans were cast out and forced to leave their lands to survive. Native American culture was not welcomed by the Europeans and does not reflect today’s “authentic” American culture either.

The authenticity of American culture will most likely continue to be debated for years to come. Whether or not a truly distinguishable American culture will emerge or become widely known is a mystery. Do you believe American culture is “authentic”? What are your favorite aspects of American culture or aspects you associate with being American? Or if you have other cultural backgrounds what are your favorite aspects? Personally, I really enjoy 4th of July and watching the Superbowl with family!

 

References

https://www.livescience.com/28945-american-culture.html

https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=15040888

BARAN | Does America Have Culture?