The End of the Model Minority Myth: Reflections on the Virginia Tech Tragedy from an Asian American Perspective

The University of Maryland held a forum on May 9, 2007 in the Colony Ballroom of the Stamp Student Union. This forum invited members of the University of Maryland comunity as well as the Nation to reflect upon Asian American stereotypes as a result of the tragedy that occurred at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg Virgina. After these events at Virginia Tech, President Dan Mote sent an email message to the campus community which noted that "all of us must be particularly sensitive to the concerns of our Asian Pacific American community members."

This forum addressed some crucial issues related to chilly campus climates for Asian Pacific Americans (APAs) and helped to raise the campus consciousness of the ways in which APAs have been experiencing bias related incidents post-Virginia Tech.

Keynote Speaker: 

Dr. Frank H. Wu, Dean of Wayne State University Law School and author of Yellow: Race in America Beyond Black and White, discussed the many Asian American experiences throughout United State history, examining especially the contemporary images of the "model minority" and the meaning of the recent tragedy at Virginia Tech. His observations, paid respects to the victims of the shooting, and also offered reflections on how a diverse democracy comes together through national crises.

Welcome:

Dr. Christopher Lester, Director, Office of Multi-Ethnic Student Education, University of Maryland, College Park.

Introduction:

Dr. Larry Hajime Shinagawa, Director of the Asian American Studies Program and Associate Professor in American Studies, University of Maryland, College Park.

Discussants:

• Dr. Daniello G. Balón, Associate Director of the Stamp Student Union for Multicultural Advocacy and Programs, Office of Multicultural Involvement and Community Advocacy. University of Maryland, College Park.
• Mr. Hoan Dang, President, Maryland Vietnamese Mutual Association.
• Mr. Tony Sarmiento, Executive Director, Senior Services America, Inc.
• Dr. William E. Sedlacek, Professor of Education and Assistant Director of the Counseling Center, University of Maryland, College Park.
• Ms. Elaine Ting, Assistant Director for Retention, Office of Multi-Ethnic Student Education, University of Maryland, College Park.
• Ms. Judy Tso, Organizational Development Specialist, Center for Leadership & Organizational Change, University of Maryland, College Park.

This event was sponsored by the Office of Multi-Ethnic Student Education [OMSE]; Asian American Studies Program; Stamp Student Union, Campus Programs, and Multicultural Involvement & Community Advocacy [MICA]; Provost’s Office.

Please find below some information from this forum as well as other related resources.

For pictures of the event, click here

Some Resources:

• A video of a news story from NBC news 4, a Washington DC affiliate of NBC
• An announcement about the forum from the University News Desk
• An article in the Washington Post regarding inter-generational differences in the Korean American community post-Virginia Tech
• An article in the Diamondback (UMD Student Daily Newspaper)

If you know of more resources that should be linked to this page, please contact Craig Alimo at calimo@umd.edu or by calling (301) 314-1391.