Asian American Activism brings voice, empowerment

Published on the CSUF Daily Titan newspaper Web site Feb. 26.

Some Cal State Fullerton students are seeking a surge of Asian American and Pacific Islander activism. They dedicated a forum Feb. 12 to address the lack of representation within the U.S. government. Issues about immigration, welfare, paranoia and racism were also discussed.

Once a month the forum is created within the Multicultural Leadership Center and is designed to breed ideas geared toward ridding the strife of a community.

Headlined as "Asian American Activism," the forum initiated Asian American studies major Hideki Fukusumi's monthly discussions for the spring semester.

The 21-year-old promotes and moderates the monthly meeting, which is subtitled differently each session depending on relevant issues, but always follows the title of "Desserts & Dialogue." The forum has also adopted an adage similar to the Las Vegas saying, "What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas." This allows students to speak their minds without the worry of gossip spreading on campus.

"I try to pick hot topics to discuss," Fukusumi said. "I picked activism this time because of the primaries."

The political discussion raised questions concerning generalized Asian American qualities, such as self-sufficiency and extreme individualism, which may contribute to the relaxed political drive.

"There's a problem with Asian generalization," Fukusumi said. "We're considered the model minority and it's a myth - a stereotype on our community."

The model minority myth is based on the idea that Asians are the perfect minority because they veer from trouble and thrive individualistically, according to Fukusumi.

"It's also bad because if we're held up to high expectations that we can't meet, it makes us question ourselves," he said. "It messes with your identity development."

The issue of Asian Americans facing opposition in politics because of questions regarding a division of loyalty between the U.S. and their "motherland," conjured discussions of paranoia and past incidents when Asians were accused of spilling U.S. government secrets.

The topic of paranoia reared another discussion based on the false accusation of Japanese farmers during WWII. The issue of the tomato plant theory enlightened most everyone in the intimate group of eight.

According to a 2001 U.C. Davis article on journalist Helen Zia, the tomato plant theory was the idea that West Coast Japanese farmers in the U.S. were capable of growing specialized tomato plants. These plants were designed to specifically point the stem and cap of each tomato toward U.S. Air Force bases. Soon after the accusations, the farmers were rounded up and locked away in internment camps.

An additional concern in the Asian American community is illegal immigration.

"I think Mexican [illegal] immigration is publicized more than Asian [illegal] immigration, especially in California, simply because we border Mexico," Fukusumi wrote in an e-mail. "I also think that once they've immigrated here, Mexicans tend to be more high-profile in looking for jobs, which contributes to this idea that Mexicans are the only illegal immigrants."

An hour's worth of discussion brought forth education as a solution to create awareness and youth activism. The group agreed these steps would set forth action, which is the catalyst for change.

Computer science major Bing Tsai, 27, appeared slightly shocked but also seemed interested in the subject and recalled times of racism.

"Of course there's the drive-by morons that speed by and shout out profanities," Tsai said. "I used to work in construction in America. I dropped out of school briefly for a few years and I just came back. I was usually the only Asian person on the whole work site. You try hard to fit in but people treat you differently because they have the idea that you don't fit in."

Because of the small percentage of Asian Americans, Tsai said he doesn't expect much representation, but he said it would be nice.

"You see them try to grab Hispanic votes and you see them try to grab black votes, but you never see anyone try to grab Asian votes," Tsai said.

Although he agreed with all the struggles mentioned, there is another problem Tsai said overshadows the rest.

"The thing that bothers me the most, and I believe is the worst problem, is human trafficking," Tsai said. "It's actually, from what I heard, the third biggest underground activity. The first one is drugs. The second one is guns. The third one is people. People are using Asian people to become prostitutes or slave laborers. In my opinion that's the worst thing facing us."

These meetings offer a way for people to speak up if they want, said Thomas Fujita Rony, an associate professor and the chairman of Asian American studies.

"Sometimes speaking up in a group is easier," Fujita Rony said in a phone interview.

Students interested in getting involved and learning about their community should take an Asian American course, he said.

"They require different levels of communication and they show why it's good to be civically engaged in their community," Fujita Rony said.

The next discussion is set for March 18 and will be held in the Titan Student Union Room 234. Appetizers such as chips, salsa and ice cream are offered along with beverages.

Students interested in more information may contact the Multicultural Leadership Center at 278-7366 or e-mail multiculturalcenter@fullerton.edu.