According to the Pew Research Center, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) are the fastest growing ethnic group in the United States. Yet relatively little attention has been paid to the enormous diversity within this group, and the challenges that AAPI experience. Using an outlook of “informed not knowing”, in this workshop we will explore the history of the AAPI diaspora, how the “Asian American” identity has been shaped by systemic racism, and the impact of race-based traumatic stress. We will pay special attention to the intra-group differences within the AAPI label, and the intersections with other dimensions of identity. At the end of the workshop, participants will be equipped to explore the uniqueness and nuances of the individual experiences of AAPI community members, and ways to support the AAPI community on a micro, mezzo, and macro level. This workshop will equip participants with strategies for navigating ethics, especially with regards to cultural humility, cultural competence, and social justice.

Workshop objectives:

1. Discuss ways to ethically support individuals, families, and communities from the AAPI diaspora from an “informed not knowing” outlook on cultural humility and cultural competence.

2. Understand the historical and modern context of AAPI diasporic identity, especially as it has been shaped by systemic racism in the US (in particular, dispelling the “model minority” myth).

3. Examine the diversity of individuals, families, and communities under the umbrella of the AAPI diaspora, and explore intra-group differences and the intersections with other dimensions of identity.

4. Explore the impact of race-based traumatic stress as it applies to the AAPI diaspora experience

5. Discuss AAPI community organizers and activists who have shaped history.