The Model Minority - Annika’s Take

Growing up in Asia, I admit that I have had the privilege to receive a more overt exposure to Asian local TV shows and films that have been produced and written in Singapore, Japan, Hong Kong, and Indonesia. Yet, I’ve still noticed the drastic disconnect that Hollywood films and North American TV shows have with either Asian culture or Asian characters. 

When I was in my preteens, I would look up to many female actresses in Hollywood and yearned - nay fantasized - to be their character growing up. Whether it was riding on the back of a Vespa with the boy of my dreams and having a doppelganger pop star in Italy, or learning the ropes to becoming the Princess of Genovia; there was little to no Asian representation in any young adult or children films during that time. And so unfortunately the only forms of media that I could share the slightest bit of affinity or resemblance to were “American Dragon: Jake Long” and “Mulan”. 

I’ve realized that many Asian character arcs lacked the complexities within their acting roles; ones without depth, three-dimensional, challenges, and own personal developments. They were solely just a stereotype, a cookie-cutter trope, or merely just a supporting character to help a white protagonist achieve their own goals, in a children’s TV show or coming of age movie. Well, I guess London Tipton in “The Suite Life” could be put up for debate ...since she goes against the model minority and academic / scholar cliche…?

The New York Times stated a study reporting that, over a one-year period, of the 242 scripted shows on broadcast, cable and streaming TV, just one-third had a series regular who was Asian-American or Pacific Islander. Keeping in mind that these shows were all set in cities such as San Francisco, New York and Los Angeles, which all have significant Asian-American and Pacific Islander populations (33 percent, 12 percent and 24 percent, respectively).

The 2018 movie “Crazy Rich Asians” became a huge milestone for many Asian Americans, as it hit international theatres with an all-Asian cast, an Asian American director, and an Asian, as one of its screenwriters. 

Arthur Dong, Chinese American filmmaker and author of “Hollywood Chinese: The Chinese in American Feature Films” acknowledged that, “the sensation of “Crazy Rich Asians,” both in its critical and box office success, is a sign that things are changing.” Dong stated, “what is different is that the Asian American community won’t sit back. Filmmakers are being nurtured. Attitudes are being nurtured and strengthened where we won’t take that yellow-face casting anymore, where we won’t take that kind of whitewashing attitude of making an Asian character white.”

And although we have seen other recent notable features like “To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before”, “Raya and the Last Dragon”, and are looking forward to viewing “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” on the big screen; all with robust and creditable roles, and that equally highlight Asian characters in a positive, powerful and relatable light for other Asian youths... I hope that this sets the course in motion for all future Hollywood films to come, and ensures significant Asian representation going forward.

Resources:

• Why Do Asian-Americans Remain Largely Unseen in Film and Television?

• The Evolution of Chinese and Asian Faces in Hollywood

Black Lives Still Matter - Annika’s Take

In the wake of George Floyd’s murder, which was captured on video and resonated internationally through the means of social media... videos and photos (especially taken on mobile devices) are now being used by activists to help shed light on these injustices, monitor police brutality, and showcase xenophobic experiences. The graphic video of George Floyd sparked mass social action and raised a powerful international movement to fight systemic racism in North America.

Videos capturing these horrific events are primarily used to help provide proof and visibility to these injustices, and to hold individuals accountable for their grave actions, and highlight these corrupt systems.

Although the widespread use of capturing experiences and sharing them on social media has its upsides; studies show they haven't led to a decrease in police shootings, and that they can in fact cause lasting trauma for black people. “These videos have also revived the debate over whether traumatizing videos and images of violence against black people should be so casually and frequently shared”.

I agree that these videos are effective in providing evidence; but can they be further monitored on the internet, or perhaps refrained from being shared to millions of timelines and feeds? 

Is there another way to promote and spread awareness without causing psychological trauma to marginalized groups?

BBC interviewed Alissa Richardson, author of “Bearing Witness While Black: African Americans, Smartphones, and the New Protest #Journalism”, and she stated that "Black people pick up their cell phones to do two things; to say to the person who is dying, 'I will not let you die alone', and 'I will carry the message forward to your family - because I know that nobody would believe what happened to you here today.'"

As we support one another during these difficult times, we need to find other means of sharing lived experiences and truths without the exploitation of black trauma and deaths on social media. We need to acknowledge the repercussions of marginalized groups relieving that same trauma and be more mindful to create safer spaces online.

Resources:

• Black Lives Matter: Can viral videos stop brutality?

• Questions to ask yourself before sharing images of police brutality

• Police brutality imagery on social media can cause lasting trauma, especially for black people