Addressing Political Activism and Apathy Among Asian-American Students on College Campuses

*In 2016, the SOL program pivoted for the year to focus on political engagement in what was then called the “Political Engagement Pilot Project,” or PEPP. This was an alternative version of SOL that laid the groundwork for the development of the PEP program as it currently exists.

Problem Statement:

While Asian Americans have always been engaged as student activists since the multi-ethnic coalitions of the 1960’s at California Universities, organizing is still a challenge with a group that is as immigrant-heavy and diverse as Asian Americans. In the past few years with the issues of police brutality and systemic racism entering the national conversation, college campuses have experienced a boom in student activism focused on fighting systemic oppression. While Asian Americans Advancing Justice has done excellent work in combatting racism with legal advocacy and community organizing, we are lacking in support of student leaders. Students often lack mentorship, institutions are defunding ethnic studies programs, and political apathy is plaguing students across the board. By investing now in training student leaders, AAAJ can uniquely support the growth of the next generation of organizers.

1. Asian American students are lacking critical dialogues on race and racism

Awareness about race and identity leads to politicization and understanding of systemic racism, allowing active combat of prejudice. However, many existing Asian American student-led campus organizations are apolitical and do not hold space to challenge racism in their own communities. There is also a lack of AAPI (Asian American Pacific Islander) student leaders to lead change. Nor are there spaces in academia to critically analyze race – most college campuses have no major or even minor in Asian American studies, leaving no professors to push students to take on anti-racist work.

2. Asian Americans are often isolated from other communities

Asian American students are often isolated both politically and socially from other minority communities, and AAPI organizations are often left out of the coalitions that do appear. When AAPI campus organizations self-segregate and isolate from other cultural organizations, the norm is set that there are no commonalities between communities of color, and that there is no reason to have collective solidarity. Most importantly, when there is no connection between communities, it is more likely that AAPI students will foster prejudiced views and create a climate to perpetuate racism in their communities.

3. There is lack of institutional support from administrations

Asian American student organizations experience a lack of both financial and academic support. Asian American Studies programs do not exist on most campuses, and cultural spaces are rare. AAPI professors are underrepresented and denied tenure. Even student organizations on campuses often lack necessary funding in serving the AAPI student body.