Vanessa Tam, Period 1, 1/14/21

Vanessa Tam

Period 1

1/14/21

Modern Mythology

Socio-Political Consciousness

What are your thoughts and feelings about issues of inequity, oppression, and/or power? How do you reflect critically on your own beliefs, assumptions, values, and experiences, and how these can influence your perception of self and others?

Since the start of the coronavirus outbreak, crimes against Asian Americans have spiked tremendously, headlines of Asian Americans being humiliated, attacked and even killed appeared everywhere. Since the first virus case was reported in China, many people have felt compelled to blame the entire Asian American population for the virus's rapid spread in the United States, which is absurd considering Asian Americans reported the lowest number of covid cases. It was not until the recent hate crimes, that the horrors of racism against Asian Americans were finally recognized by the public. It's conceivable that it was initially widely ignored since most hatred directed at Asian Americans was and continues to be in the form of microaggressions, which are often normalized in our society. The normalization of racism against Asian Americans makes it more difficult for many people to speak up about their experiences and the issue itself since they are frequently downplayed or brushed aside. Many East and Southeast Asians, including myself, have seen or experienced some sort of casual racism, whether it's being accused of eating dogs, mocked for our accent, called "ching chong," or ridiculed for our oriental eye shape; the list goes on. Oftentimes, in situations like these, I’d find myself stunned by the comment but too afraid to say anything. Moreover, having grown up with it, I became used to these microaggressions to the point where they were almost inconsequential. Reflecting on my silence, I realized it was a consequence of the internalized racism I'd been harboring. 

In order to tackle the issue of racism, I had to confront and overcome my own internalized racism. I became more cognizant of my own unconscious biases and strove to deconstruct the harmful racism I had internalized. By researching and utilizing Asian skincare and beauty products, I discovered products that were actually designed to compliment me and grew to embrace my features. By participating in cultural clubs and learning traditional dances, I began to devote more time to learning and reconnecting with the culture from which I had become distant. I also grew comfortable with speaking out against microaggressions as well. Moving forward, I'll continue to work to overcome internalized racism and combat the systematic oppression in our society today.