Michael Yee, San Diego Chinese Historical Museum
PROPOSAL TYPE
Collaborative Conversation or Working Group
Seeking
- Seeking Additional Presenters
- Seeking General Feedback and Interest
- Seeking Specific Expertise
RELATED TOPICS
- Museums/Exhibits
- Social Justice
- Teaching and Training
ABSTRACT
How can public historians respond to the surge in Anti-Asian hate? Recent attacks have stoked a sense of urgency in the Asian American community, communities of color, and impacted the American psyche. This working group will discuss and share how existing or potential public history efforts can help challenge Anti-Asian hate and empower fearful communities. Can strategies be developed to confront and educate hateful fearmongers? The history of Anti-Asian hate is documented but generally overlooked. In the realm of Anti-Asian hate, how can historical knowledge and practice drive society towards a more positive future?
DESCRIPTION
This session seeks additional panelists to share experiences, successful practices, and lessons learned. What are other public historians doing to educate and empower their audiences and reach new ones? Suggestions for adjusting or focusing the topic are welcome. Is this a collaborative conversation or working group or some other format?
Aspects could include exhibits, programs, digital history, and events encompassing Chinese American and Asian American history and representation, how the Asian American community addressed Anti-Asian hate since Covid-19 struck in 2020, and how public historians, teachers, museums, and historic sites can respond to the challenge. Possibilities include how did a trend develop where more than just the Chinese American communities grew into Asian American communities coalescing into a united front to combat Anti-Asian hate. Other options could explore if Ethnic Studies curriculum, such as the efforts in California at the secondary and university levels, offer opportunities to reach a new high school audience, both students and teachers. All of these possibilities offer public history partners to provide subject matter expertise.
The San Diego Chinese Historical Museum hosted an Anti-Asian hate virtual forum in May of 2021. The audience included museum members and the public interested in Chinese and Chinese American history, art, and culture. This event catered to a sympathetic audience. What has been done elsewhere to broaden public history efforts to reach new audiences?
Different ideas or consultations are welcome. I wish to share and learn from fellow presenters.
If you have a direct offer of assistance, sensitive criticism, or wish to pass along someone’s contact information confidentially, please get in contact directly:Michael Yee, San Diego Chinese Historical Museum, [email protected]
ALL FEEDBACK AND OFFERS OF ASSISTANCE SHOULD BE SUBMITTED BY JULY 1, 2021. If you have general ideas or feedback to share, please feel free to use the comments feature below.
What a great session proposal! In addition to the topics you mentioned, I would be interested in hearing the panelists discuss reparative actions that museums/historic sites can take when it comes to interpreting AAPI histories. Many professionals often cite the need for reparation and accountability in, especially, historically white institutions attempting to include more diverse narratives and perspectives. Given the challenges and oppressions that AAPI folks have experienced and the erasure of their histories in the U.S., what does accountability look like and what specific actions and self-reflections should museums undertake?
I would be interested in joining this working group. I can discuss the “Who’s an Immigrant” podcast that we are releasing in July/August. By NCPH 2022, we should have learned lessons about what works and what doesn’t, and possible next steps.
Hi Eric,
My apologies for the slow reply. I was on vacation, and didn’t see your post until now.
Yes, let’s talk! I am very intrigued.
I can best be reached at [email protected]
I am very open next week and let’s schedule a time to zoom!
Michael
Hi Michael!
My presentation might possibly be a good fit for your panel topic – I work at the University of Utah’s campus in Korea and this year we developed a public history series called Art for Change: Voices of Enslaved “Comfort Women” in Film, Poetry, and Musical Theatre that aimed to bridge the local collective memory of this trauma with the transnational movement to honor survivors. In addition to a panel with artists on this topic and a film screening, we also had a shared campus read on the topic as well as a community-created art exhibition centered on students’ artwork on “comfort women” and Asian hate.
If this is a good match for your panel, please let me know! You can email me at [email protected]
Kera
Hi Michael!
My presentation might possibly be a good fit for your panel topic – I work at the University of Utah’s campus in Korea and this year we developed a public history series called Art for Change: Voices of Enslaved “Comfort Women” in Film, Poetry, and Musical Theatre that aimed to bridge the local collective memory of this trauma with the transnational movement to honor survivors. In addition to a panel with artists on this topic and a film screening, we also had a shared campus read on the topic as well as a community-created art exhibition centered on students’ artwork on “comfort women” and Asian hate.
If this is a good match for your panel, please let me know! You can email me at [email protected]
Hello Kera,
Thank you for your initial ideas and email conversation. Eric Hung is pursuing the official submission and you have been included. Let us know via email how you think this can move ahead!
Hello!
My project might be of interest. I am part of the Free-Thinking Abolitionists Interpreting Racism (FAIR) Collective, a group of artists, museum workers, exhibit developers, historians, and others creating a (traveling) exhibit to teach families about U.S. racism. We work remotely and have members across the US, and one outside the US. We are in the early stages and are working out our exhibit, but should be much further along by NCPH 2022, but are looking at a large interactive exhibit and perhaps a popup exhibit.
Hello Selena,
Thank you for your ideas and comments. I’ve been in touch via email and Eric Hung is pursuing the official submission. Let us know what you think via email. All the best,
Michael
It looks like you have plenty of people for this panel already, but if you need another I suggest reaching out to Rahul Gupta. He’s the Director of Education at the Wing Luke Museum and would have an interesting perspective to add.
It looks like you have many suggestions; however, I would recommend reaching out to HBCU historians doing civil rights work. I think it would be instructive to see how this work has been done in other avenues. I would recommend contacting Ashley Robertson-Preston at Howard University. She can be reached at [email protected]
My suggestion is probably related to some recent work I’ve been doing on mental health…
I’d appreciate a slight reframing that allows participants to understand from Asian-American practitioners what is needed to support them. Tell us what you want and need from us so we can hold ourselves accountable for supporting our Asian American colleagues and friends. I’d also think it ironic if participants considered how support for the Asian American in comparison to support for other groups – just to help build a new default for how we think about support.
Hi Richard,
Thank you for your suggestion. Eric Hung has taken over preparing the submission. I will check with him to ensure he has seen your suggestion.
Michael