Speaking Out in Solidarity

An Op-Ed by a white OSU student named Angela Blessing from May 14, 1986 (“Melting pot burns with hatred of Asian Americans) shows that certain white students at OSU were really concerned with anti-Asian violence in times of (outward or overt) increased anti-Asian sentiment. This disproves the idea that white students at OSU have not been a part of Asian American activism on campus. Clearly, students like Angela Blessing were invested in Asian American issues and using their platform to speak out in a way that would persuade other white students to empathize with Asian American students, to see how their actions contribute to anti-Asian sentiment, and to call for wider change. While it is easy to think of campus as an “us” vs. “them” space, this example shows how the racial dynamics are more complex—both then and now.

There have also been a number of AHPID student-led protests or instances where they’ve spoken out against unfair policies, national issues, and campus-wide issues alike. On May 24, 1990, the Lantern published an article (“Asian Americans seek recognition”) which reveals how AHPID were, for a short time, excluded from the OSU Minority Scholars Program. The university had decided that they were “not considered under-represented,” but the AHPID student population argued that there were many ethic nationalities included in “Asian America” and some of them were, in fact, under-represented. This is fascinating because it shows how OSU administration believed, pandered to, and acted on the Model Minority Myth—and that students were not going to stand for it. Erasure remains, unfortunately, a major issue today. Without the AHPID student response, OSU might have continued to exclude AHPID students from the Minority Scholars Program. Although that program is now the Morrill Scholarship Program, which is aimed at encouraging and rewarding diversity with merit-based scholarships, AHPID students clearly shaped our definitions of diversity. AHPID students also requested “necessary services and programs” to serve their needs, as well as to be included in the planning and activities in Minority Affairs. They wanted the staff at the office of Minority Affairs to “be more educated about Asian Americans and to understand the issues of their community.”