Identity
Title: Identity Conflicts Within the Chinese American
Community
Speakers: William Wong, Iris Chang
Length: 90 minutes
Description: Just as any other immigrant group in the
United States, Chinese Americans often struggle to reconcile
their perception of themselves with everyone else’s view of
them. At the crux of this conflict is the question of what it
means to be Chinese American. Does Chinese American refer to
those who are ethnically Chinese, culturally Chinese, or both?
Does it include those who were not born in the U.S., e.g. those
from Hong Kong, Taiwan, or the mainland, or those who are
offspring of racially mixed couples? In this panel, we will
explore the idea of being Chinese American as well as consider
what, if anything, might be an ideal balance between Chinese and
American values and culture. Another important question we’ll
explore is how can Chinese Americans growing up in the U.S., a
society that has different values than perhaps what they are
accustomed to, assert their identity. We will also consider the
stereotypes that Chinese not born and raised in America and
those that are have of each other and how these affect
cooperative efforts among them.
Title: Social Pioneers In Chinese-American Society
Speakers: David Henry Hwang, Hongtu Zhang, Conrad Chu
Length: 90 minutes
Description: One stereotypical conception of a Chinese person is
someone who is hardworking, studious, loyal to the family, and
conservative or apathetic towards political activism. Some
Chinese Americans have felt confined by these boundaries of
tradition, but they are eroding these lines with the help of key
pioneers in Chinese-American society. During this session we
will hear the different experiences of our guests and
investigate the meaning of tradition as we understand it. We’ll
also explore the challenges that come from breaking through the
invisible restrictions that have been placed on the Chinese
American society as well as the ways in which the movement.to
abolish the stereotypes of Chinese Americans might be
reinforced.
Title: Asian-American/Chinese-American Male Forum
Speakers: Gary Okihiro
Length: 90 minutes
Description: The purpose of this forum is to raise awareness
about issues that male Asian-Americans face in the U.S. To be
more specific, we wish to delve into the issue of where the
forum member is with respect to the geopolitical, social, and
class structures of America. Important aspects we wish to
pinpoint are the stereotypes placed upon Asian-Americans as the
model minority, as Asian thugs, or as second class citizens. We
wish to challenge the way Asian-Americans think about being
“Asian.”
Title: The Asian Scene: Breaking Down the Attitude
Speakers: Erik Lu
Length: 60 minutes
Description: In this highly provocative and mentally raw
debut, we'll investigate the alleged existence of an attitude
exclusive to the Asian scene. The origin of the demeanor is
mysterious, and its overwhelming influence has consequences on
two levels, the individual and the community. So, what are the
characteristics of the Asian scene, and how does it result in
the attitude that some believe serves as the frame for holding
the community together? Another question is why do those under
the superficial influence of the Asian scene become alienated
and fall out of the scene, and why do some never want to be a
part of it in the first place? With supporting evidence and
visual media, we'll tear up these questions and more without
mercy. We'll prove that such an attitude exists, dissect it, and
examine how the Asian scene can be both beneficial and
detrimental to our social lives. |
Political
Title: Chinese-Americans: Finding a Voice in America’s
Political Discourse
Speakers: SB Woo, John Liu, Daphne Kwok, Helen Zia
Length: 90 minutes
Description: In recent months, Congressman Coble expressed his
approval for the Japanese internment camps during World War II,
and Shaquille O’Neal made racial slurs against star NBA rookie
from China, Yao Ming. Both did so with seeming impunity as
protests to both statements drew nowhere near as much public
scrutiny as Senator Lott’s comment supporting segregationist
policies of the 1950s, which occurred just a month earlier.
These incidents, while minor in the sense that they did not
cause any direct physical harm, are indicative of larger
problems such as political underrepresentation and apathy within
the Chinese American community. In this panel, we will explore
different explanations for the absence of Chinese American
influence in American politics, the dangers that
underrepresentation poses, and address ways to overcome these
problems in the 21st century.
Title: Globalization of China and Its Effects on Chinese
American Society
Speakers: Xiaobo Lu, Jeffrey Sachs, Nancy Chen
Length: 90 minutes
Description: Due to China’s recent developments and rapid
integration into the world within the past few years, there have
been many significant changes in the nation’s economic,
political, and social infrastructures. Chinese American society
benefits from China’s globalization in various ways as China
gains the recognition and respect of the world. China’s growth
is observable and significant, and one of its most laudable
achievements is its entry into the World Trade Organization.
Aside from the impacts within the country, this step is also
expected to greatly influence the global economy. Despite all
this, China is still a developing country with the hopes that in
the future its achievements will make it a dominating figure on
the international stage. This panel will discuss the positive
and negative effects of globalization on China as well as
consider how China’s globalization has shaped the status and
identity of Chinese American society.
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Social
Title: The Story of Chinatown Post-9/11: Voices Unheard,
People Unseen
Speakers: Charles Lai, Mabel Tso
Documentary: Tribute and Remembrance: Asian Americans
After 9/11
Length: 90 minutes
Description: After the September 11th tragedy, not many
people were aware of the extent of the impact that the event had
on Chinatown. This neighborhood, located in close proximity to
Ground Zero, was severely affected. According to the Asian
American Federation of New York (AAFNY), two weeks after the
9/11 tragedy, retail, restaurant, garment, and tourism
industries of this “frozen community” lost 60-100% of its
revenue. A year later, Chinatown still suffers from this
economic damage. This panel seeks to elucidate the social,
economical, and psychological impacts brought upon Chinatown by
9/11. A short documentary commissioned by the AAFNY addressing
the economic devastation to this community will also be shown.
Title: Shattering the Institutional Glass Ceiling
Speakers: Steven Chung (Moderator/Speaker), Valerie
Cheung, Julie Huang, Daphne Kwok
Length: 90 minutes
Description: Chinese Americans and other minorities often
face an invisible boundary in corporate America. This boundary
is typically referred to as the “glass ceiling.” Many Chinese
Americans are known to pursue only highly technical academic
fields such as engineering simply because such areas allow them
to enter the work force almost independent of racial factors. In
recent years, many more Chinese Americans have been able to step
into the realm of management and take up executive positions in
corporate America, but even with these advancements, Chinese
Americans are still statistically underrepresented in management
staff. In our informal discussion between speakers and
attendees, we hope to touch upon various questions including:
1. What problems or challenges, if
any, do Chinese Americans face in climbing the corporate ladder?
2. Is there a tendency for people to hire or promote individuals
from their own ethnic background? Is this wrong or simply human
nature?
3. Some argue that one’s supervisor need not be of the same
ethnic background as his/her employees in order to adequately
manage their interests in corporate America. To what extent is
this true?
Title: Looking through the Media Lens: How are
Chinese Americans stereotyped in White America?
Speakers: Roger Fan, Julie Asato, Ernesto M. Foronda,
Virginia Ng, Producers of Better Luck Tomorrow,
Virginia Ng
Length: 90 minutes
Description: This panel addresses the American media’s
portrayals of Chinese Americans through television, magazines,
and other forms. Are media images accurate or are they skewed
illustrations that perpetuate stereotypes? For example, we often
see Chinese men portrayed as kung-fu artists on television from
which some have developed a tendency to associate Chinese films
with martial arts. Why is this an issue in our society today?
How have some of the current Chinese American artists worked to
alter these images?
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