Dear AAPAAN Is there any different views between different generations of Asians in the United States? M Dear M If you’re talking about the first immigrated generation versus succeeding generations, I believe the answer is yes. The differences among the generations are due to each generation’s life experiences, values and varying degrees of cultural […]
Happy Lunar New Year In this special edition of Dear AAPAAN, we share our favorite memories, stories, and traditions of Lunar New Year. Here’s to a happy and prosperous Year of the Rat! — “I was born in the year of the rat, so 2020 will be my year! I just read the zodiac for […]
Dear AAPAAN, How have Asian, or “Tiger Parents,” affected your upbringing? Anonymous Dear Anonymous, As a recently-turned-thirty-year-old whose friends are becoming parents and whose family have been dropping hints about the biological clock, the subject of parenthood and the role of culture on parenting style has been a common topic in my thoughts. Through […]
Should I vote Democratic or Republican to support Asians? I don’t feel either party supports Asian views. -Anonymous Dear Anonymous AAPAAN is non political so I will not respond with a specific position on Democratic, Republican or any other political parties. If no party matches your view on Asian American policies, you should balance that versus […]
Dear AAPAAN My family discourages me from having so many Asian friends. However, since coming to college I am basically only friends with Asians. Is this a bad thing? But also, how can I put myself into other communities? Anonymous Dear Anonymous I don’t think it’s a bad thing. My phrase for this is “You do […]
Dear Anonymous, This depends on your personal and your kid’s preferences and values. Honestly speaking, there’s no right or wrong answer. On top of personal and family preferences, every culture has its good values and not-so-good values. I will take the best essence from each culture and raise my family/kids. First, let’s talk about personal […]
I’m an Asian-American. Do I have to work harder to get ahead? Anonymous Dear Anonymous Unfortunately, the simple answer is very likely yes. This answer applies to women and other non-white minorities as well. So if you’re an Asian-American woman, you’ll probably find it is harder still. There had been a number of academic studies to demonstrate why […]
How do you avoid getting “pigeon-holed” as an Asian American? (e.g. due to your “cultural background”) – Anonymous Dear Anonymous, Asian Americans are commonly stereotyped as geeky, good in science/math, quiet and pliant. Consequently, Asian Americans might be “pigeon-holed” to low level technical staff jobs with little chance of advancing into management. Assuming that a […]
Dear Anonymous, It sometimes happens that another individual (whether a supervisor, colleague, client, or even casual acquaintance) may call you by the name of another Asian person. I think it is important to remember that this type of confusion can be caused by the most innocent of reasons — and not just because “All Asians […]
Dear AAPAAN: As China becomes a greater economic and political power, how will that impact the image of the Asian American? The return of “yellow peril”? … Jeffrey Jeffrey: The return of “yellow peril” is certainly possible and maybe likely. I hope I am wrong. There was a time during the 1980’s when some […]