Asian American Studies 197A
Winter Quarter 2002

Reflection Journal 1

Creating a World of International Solidarity and Humanity
By Arlen Benjamin-Gomez

Given that the Asian American community is so diverse, from different cultures to different classes to different politics, it is difficult to make statements about the state of Asian Americans in the United States and whether things are moving in a positive direction or a negative one. Also, not being Asian American makes it even more difficult, yet I am from a Latin background, which has similar immigrant roots. I think that receiving education at elite universities is a great opportunity for anyone, especially if you are a person of color and/or from a working class and/or immigrant background. It is important that working class people and people of color are helping to shape higher education. I also think it is important that groups like Asian Americans are represented in all areas of society, which includes government, business etc.

There are some dangers to this though. Ideally Asian Americans who rise to influential positions in society should use their position and the power that comes with it to benefit their communities. That would include working towards more racial equality, improving the opportunities for immigrants and helping to alleviate some of the struggles many immigrants face upon arrival, improving Asian American community services (i.e., schools, health care, etc) and other such things that work to benefit the Asian American community. That doesn’t mean that all Asian Americans with the opportunity to a higher education should become community activists, and local politicians (although that would be nice), but that you could have Asian American business people that employ Asian Americans and treat them fairly and provide useful services to Asian American communities. You can also have Asian American doctors running clinics, and lawyers working for their communities, etc. That’s not to say that there should be racial enclaves of society. While it is important for communities to support themselves, I do thing that diversity in communities and all areas of life are really important and are most ideal in the long run. I guess I see it as more of a process, ethnic enclaves have the potential to help the community as a whole rise and then communities can become more diverse which I believe helps the United States become a better place.

The dangers that could follow from Asian Americans becoming part of a more elite society are that those that make it won’t feel any responsibility to their community and will try their best to blend in with elite whites. Their children especially will have little connection to Asian American communities and the struggles that run through them, making it unlikely that they will work to improve Asian American communities to which they don’t identify with. I do believe though that there still needs to be Asian Americans (and all groups of color) in high levels of society whether or not they are progressive because I believe that they serve as role models for young people who believe that because they are a person of color and from a poor background that they have no opportunities in life. I also believe that it is important for our society as a whole to be less segregated. The more different groups of people are around each other and exposed to different kinds of people, the more understanding there is. I believe that racism and much inequality stems from the fear of the unknown and by having Asian Americans and other people of color in elite communities (neighborhoods, schools, workplaces, etc) they can help transform the white elite communities.

I believe that it is difficult to say whether or not low-income immigrant workers would feel that same as I do. I believe that a lot of people come here to fulfil the "American dream" and if they are able to work really hard so that their children, and their children’s children can live a economically comfortable life, then they are happy. Other immigrants come from different political backgrounds and may have class-consciousness and raise their children to be activists and fight for working class rights, and would not want their children or their children’s children to blend into the middle class or elite white society. I think it is impossible to group all low-income immigrants together and determine how they feel about the upward mobility of Asian Americans.

Being that I am not from an Asian American background, the class dynamics of the Asian American community have not shaped my consciousness. I was raised in a very leftist family, however, and the struggles of Asian American workers have been a part of my life in that my family and community have always supported all working class struggles here and overseas.

I believe that it is my duty to use the opportunities and privileges that I have to make the world a better place. That may sound corny but I believe that given my opportunities to go to a good school and get a good education, it is my responsibility to use my position of privilege and power to support working class struggles, work to change my government and its domestic and foreign policies that destroy people, and to create a world of international solidarity and humanity.