FamiLee Life

Hmong Hip Hop

Local St Paul rapper and community activist Tou Saiko Lee is featured in the New York Times Magazine today. Check it out here. Toward the end of the video is a segment in which Tou honors this family's heritage through a collaborative art piece with his grandmother. It's pretty sweet and worth checking out. Plus, it's fitting for Mother's Day today.

BTW, last week's article on urban/gang violence is another worthwhile NYTMag read, but more importantly to me is the photography by my friend Reuben Cox. I am excited to own a great photograph by Reuben.

Reuben Cox for the New York Times

Back on the Saddle...Then Off, Then Back On

During a brief warm-up during the past week, I got it in the head to organize a bike-food ride for Saturday with the anticipation that it would continue to be mild winter-to-spring transition weather. Hm. The weather did not fully cooperate as the temps dipped a bit below freezing at night on Friday, resulting in slick black ice on the roadways in the morning. Still, a group of us (Hapa9, PhT, Vucci, BenB, and I) were undeterred despite a long night of karaoke singing for some at the 55408 art exhibit opening (but, alas, not me).

Of course, my planned trip was nearly completely scrapped for an alternative route thanks to meddling riding friends with ideas of their own, but it was still perfect. Given the late night festivities for the others, we decided to meet at PhT's for coffee and donuts. I rode out along Lake Harriet toward Uptown to buy donuts at Wuollet's. I was taking the turn off the bike path onto the parkway when I took a spill on the black ice in front of a parked police car (who was there to block off traffic for some marathon!). The officer got out of the car and asked if I was okay. I smiled and responded, "I thought you all were going to salt the road for me this morning?" To which he responded in good spirits, "We got out here too late to call in for some salt." With that, I got back on the saddle and made my way to Wuollet's.

With a dozen donuts in the front rack of the B'stone Amnesty, I sped off to PhT's where just Sarah and PhT were awaiting. Slowly, more folks trickled in (Ben, Hapa9, Kurt). Sarah left to go to work and so did Kurt. After gorging on donuts, the rest of us took a short ride over to the MIA to see Andrea Stanislav's exhibit. From there, we decided we needed more caffeine (well, Hapa9 did), so we rode along the greenway to Blue Moon Coffee Cafe on Lake St. After watching Hapa9 consume 24+ ounces of coffee in a mere 20 minutes, we headed back onto the greenway and then onto West River Road Parkway toward the university and northeast Mpls.

We stopped on the bike bridge which runs parallel to the 10th Ave bridge to survey the remains of the I-35 bridge and the new construction. Then, we cut through campus toward 4th St and eventually arrived at Brasa. We ordered lots of free-refill lemonade (homemade!) and then lots of food. Sarah and Emily joined us for the feast. It was the perfect meal after a cold ride. Mmmmm.

Stomach's full, the day ended with us leaving in different directions to spend the rest of the day working, shopping, studying, and resting. Sergio, Ben, and I rode home together until Sergio got a flat tire. Ben had to heed nature's call and split. Sergio and I walked our bikes a mile plus to the Alt to repair the flat. Finally, we made our way to our respective homes.

Ah, nice to be back on the saddle again....Until it snowed again! Geesh.

Aversive Racism

I was asked by someone what is "aversive racism" in response to my previous post on 2/8/08. This term was popularized by John Dovidio, a social psychology professor at Yale Univ, and Samuel Gaertner, a social psychology professor at the Univ of Delaware. It refers to a modern form of racial bias that is indirect and not as blunt/intentional.

As they previously defined it, "aversive racism represents a subtle, often unintentional, form of bias that characterizes many white Americans who possess strong egalitarian values and who believe that they are nonprejudiced. Aversive racists also possess negative racial feelings and beliefs of which they are unaware or that they try to dissociate from their nonprejudiced self-images...Instead, their reactions [to blacks or other minorities] involve discomfort, uneasiness, disgust, and sometimes fear. That is, they find blacks "aversive," while at the same time, they find any suggestion that they might be prejudiced aversive as well." [from the chapter On the Nature of Contemporary Prejudice, 1998].

Some other key characteristics of people who may be viewed as aversive racists:

1) Endorse fair and just treatment of all groups
2) Unconsciously harbor negative feelings toward blacks and try to avoid interracial interaction
3) When interracial interaction is unavoidable, they experience anxiety and discomfort (not hostility like in more overt racism)
4) Anxiety/discomfort is due to concern about acting inappropriately and prejudiced, thus they adhere to established rules/codes of behavior. Frequently assert colorblindness to justify their behaviors
5) Negative feelings get expressed in subtle, rationalizable ways that ultimately disadvantage minorities or unfairly benefit the majority.

In a lengthy series of experiments, Dovidio and Gaertner have demonstrated the ways in which aversive racism affect social interactions and decision making processes, including job hirings and school admissions. It's compelling research.

Another Perspective on Racism :: From the Center

I just read a NYTimes book review about The Race Card by Richard Thompson Ford, a professor of law at Stanford. You can read the first chapter of the book here.

Having just read the first chapter only, he seems to be presenting an interesting perspective on the subject of racism. Take for instance, this quote:

I will argue that the social and legal meaning of “racism� is in a state of crisis: the term now has no single clear and agreed-upon meaning. As a result, it is available to describe an increasingly wide range of disparate policies, attitudes, decisions, and social phenomena. This leads to disagreement and confusion. Self-serving individuals, rabble-rousers, and political hacks use accusations of racism, sexism, homophobia, and other types of “bias� tactically, in order to advance their own ends. And people of goodwill may make sincere claims that strike others as obviously wrongheaded.

In reading the rest of the first chapter and the book review, I wonder if Richard Thompson Ford is (to some extent) taking the position that there are now multiple manifestations of racism that go beyond the overt, classic forms of racism from days gone by. Some of the modern forms include aversive racism (common among people who call themselves liberals), modern racism, colorblind racism, and such. Well, rather than speculate, I better go buy and read the book.

Racist Ads During Super Bowl

I am still recovering from the loss of my hometown Patriots in the Super Bowl, but have had enough time away from the game to now address the advertisements that premiered during the commercial breaks. Namely, there were a few racially offensive ads from a company called Sales Genie and another from Bud Light. Read here. I have posted the YouTube videos of the ads below in my extended entry.

The Panda ad seems the most offensive because it plays on so many denigrating stereotypes about Chinese and Asians in general. The chopstick font, "oriental' music, and horrible accents. It's all too much and so racist. How does a copy editor get away with this crap? The Bud Light commercial ranks as second most offensive for playing on obvious stereotypes about racial minority men as nerds, ineffectual, and emasculated. It's only somewhat redeeming quality is the ending, although it still mocks Asian Americans. The Indian salesman ad is the least offensive of the bunch, in my opinion, as it relies on accent more than anything else, but without all the accompanying racist images. In this case, the character has redeeming qualities and is not portrayed as less than human.

What do you all think?

Human Sex Trafficking in Minnesota

A major police/FBI sting operation occurred with the arrest and shutdown of a major human sex trafficking case involving primarily Korean and Chinese women. Read full story here. This is not necessarily new news, as it's been known for some time among local/state officials and human rights organizations (see earlier story here). You can read a report to the Minnesota Legislature on Human Trafficking here. The St Paul-based Civil Society has been working on this issue for a while now too.

On Language: Academic Arrogance

From the University of Minnesota Language Proficiency Requirements for Nonnative English Speaking Teaching Assistants:

Policy Statement
All nonnative English speaking Teaching Assistants (TAs) must demonstrate proficiency in spoken English appropriate to the demands of their teaching assistantship.

Definitions
Nonnative speaker of English. Person for whom the primary language in the home during childhood was not English. Country of citizenship and language of elementary, secondary or undergraduate education are NOT factors in this definition.

Hm.... let's do a thought experiment. If you immigrated to the United States from South Korea as a 4 year old child and subsequently was educated wholly in the United States but spoke Korean with your parents growing up, then you are (by definition) considered a nonnative speaker of English and thus ineligible to serve as a teaching assistant at the University of Minnesota until you pass a language proficiency exam. If you are a child of an immigrant family from France and you were born raised in the United States speaking primarily French in the home as a child, then you are (by definition) considered a nonnative speaker of English and thus ineligible to serve as a teaching assistant at the University of Minnesota until you pass a language proficiency exam.

I actually had a situation in which a graduate student's language proficiency was questioned prior to his/her appointment as a teaching instructor because this student's name was non-English (i.e., it was not John or Mary). As I researched what defines language proficiency, I came across this ridiculous university requirement.

I have attempted in the past to have this point addressed but to no avail. I plan to raise the issue again.

Say Anything...Bikes and Boom Boxes

Like many from my generation, I love the scene from the movie Say Anything when John Cusack's character stands at the home of his love interest with a boom box held high above his head, music blaring, to profess his love.

Well, it seems this method has evolved to boom boxes on bicycles. I heard about this NY Times article from my Team Potluck mate, Peter.

Passing Thoughts on Race and Passing

Is this man Black or White?

Is this question relevant today? There is a new biography out that addresses the issue of racial passing. It's an interesting story (as told in the NYTimes) because it is written by a woman who discovered in her 20s that her father had African American ancestry (Creole), but had elected to pass as White when in college. This man, Anatole Broyard, was a very well known NYTimes book review critic and essayist. I recall reading about the familial revelation when it first surfaced in the early 1990s. I had just begun graduate school and my race consciousness was at an elevated state of awareness.

Fast forward to the 21st century. I now focus much of my work on transnational adopted individuals and their families. About once a month or so, I meet an individual who reveals to me that he or she only recently at the age of 18 or 29 or 38 came to see him/herself as Korean or Asian. Although skin color made it apparent that the person was not White, they say for so long that they (in essence) were trying to pass psychologically as White. This type of psychological passing went on through most of their childhood and adolescence.

What is the psychological cost (and benefit) of trying to pass when it is apparent that you are not White? This type of assimilation surely must levy a heavy tax on an person's psyche. It's a question that I seek to study and find answers.

Koreans and Outmarriage

When I was in South Korea this summer, I traveled through the southern portion of the country. While in a small port city called Mokpo, we ate at a tiny restaurant that specialized in chicken. Not speaking fluent Korean, we had an interesting time trying to figure out the menu (there was no menu) and what kind of food to expect (the two of us were served a whole chicken). The other interesting thing was observing the table beside us. There were two couples eating together. The two men appeared older than the two women but it was clear that they were married. I would estimate the age difference was around 15-20 years. I heard the women speaking with each other and was surprised to hear them speaking Vietnamese. Then, I remembered that there is a rising number of Korean men marrying foreign women because these men, usually from rural, poor farming areas, cannot find Korean wives who are increasingly moving out of these regions. Here is a recent article on this trend.

LEGAL WIVES IN KOREA

Chosun Ilbo, October 25, 2007

Number of Foreign Wives Leaps Four-fold

The number of foreign women married to Korean men and living in Korea has quadrupled in just six years to almost 100,000, statistics show.

According to statistics presented by the Ministry of Justice to United New Democratic Party lawmaker Sun Byong-ryul, the number of foreign women living in Korea on a marriage visa or who changed their visa after marrying a Korean man more than doubled from 24,215 in 2001 to 51,920 in 2004. In August of this year the figure was 93,902.

Korea is clearly becoming a more multi-ethnic society, since in addition to the foreign wives the number of foreign residents topped one million in August. Chinese women made up the largest group of foreign wives with 54,316, followed by Vietnamese (19,705), Japanese (5,462), Filipina (4,698), Mongolian (1,945), Thai (1,673) and Cambodian (1,374). The number of Russians and Americans who married Korean men were 923 and 550, respectively.

While the number of international marriages is growing, the number of divorces is also on the rise. Divorce suits among international couples in Korea grew from 363 in 2003 to 1,161 in 2005. In the first half of this year, the figure amounted to 1,264.

Lawmaker Sun said the country should develop systematic measures to help foreign women married with Korean men to adjust to life in their adopted country.

On Becoming American

My grandmother is ill with pneumonia and making a slow recovery, as it is to be expected by someone who is 94 years old. She was hospitalized for just shy of one week. I am fairly certain it was her only time in her life ever to be admitted to a hospital. She has always been that healthy. Of course, when she lived in Korea, there also were few hospitals and few ever were admitted to hospitals for illness. Often, people just died in their homes - like my grandfather, her husband.

When my grandmother immigrated to the United States in the late 1960s, she was a widow in her mid-50s. Halmoni (as she is called in Korean) spoke no English, did not drive, and had no employable job skills beyond being a caretaker and homemaker. She could have worked in a factory or perhaps a restaurant. Instead, she cared for her grandchildren and tended to a small garden in the backyard. Forty years later and halmoni still speaks no English, never learned to drive, and never held a "real" job. She only has returned to visit Korea on three or four occasions.

After she was released from the hospital, my brother and I were talking on the telephone about her condition and care. He commented that Medicare and Medicaid would hopefully cover all the costs, as my halmoni has no income and no savings.

In the 1990s, halmoni finally became an American citizen. It was during this period when Congress was pushing legislation to restrict Medicare/Medicaid to only U.S. citizens (i.e., not to permanent residents). There was a lot of fear in the immigrant communities, including many Korean immigrants, and many elderly Koreans rushed to get their citizenships. Some were fearful of being sent back to Korea if they failed. It was a horrible time. I remember volunteering in California to encourage people to apply for citizenship.

I believe my aunt took her to take the citizenship test and served as her translator. Back then, as it is still required today, people must pass a brief civics quiz (answering something like 6 out of 10 questions correct) to gain citizenship. Imagine a 80+ year old non-native speaker taking this test. Amazing. She was so proud. Fortunately, Congress never passed the law making citizenship an eligibility requirement for Medicare/Medicaid. She would still receive these health benefits even without citizenship.

Well, the NYTimes reported today that the Immigration officials have unveiled a new, harder citizenship test.

Legal immigrants who are eligible to become citizens must pass the civics exam as well as a test of English proficiency in reading and writing. In a one-on-one oral examination, an immigration officer asks the applicant 10 questions of varying degrees of difficulty selected from the list of 100. To pass, the applicant must answer 6 of those 10 questions correctly.

I was struck by the underlined requirement of passing a test of English proficiency in reading and writing! What?! Huh?! When did this addition get added to the mix? I cannot imagine my halmoni passing this new set of requirements.

After living in this country for over 40 years, I think she is as American as apple pie and baseball. Heck, this is a woman who loves professional wrestling. How much more all-American can a woman get? Yet by today's standard, she would not be an American citizen. Good grief, Charlie Brown.

Cross Burnings :: Childhood Reflections

As the Jena 6 proceedings continue in Louisiana, don't be fooled into thinking that such racist events happen only in the Deep South. As reported today in the Star Tribune, an African American family in Anoka, a suburb of Minneapolis, had their lawn burned with a cross (read news article below). It is really, really sad that such things still happen today. Hanging nooses and burning crosses. Some might argue it's just stupid teenage pranks gone wrong, but is that really all it is? Let's examine this argument a bit more. Is hanging a noose or burning the cross the same thing as toilet papering a house or setting dog poop in a paper bag on fire? Did they learn that such acts are just something funny or did they know that these acts were violent, hate crimes? Where did these teens learn about nooses and cross burnings? Moreover, did they learn about them without any knowledge about America's history of racism? I think most people would agree that these acts are intended quite explicitly to send a message of racial hatred. So, what persons, regardless of how poorly developed their frontal lobes might be, would do such a thing just to be funny?

When I was around 11 years old, I remember waking up one cold, winter morning on a school day. I opened the door to get the newspaper and saw a black cross stuck in the snow in our front yard. There was snow on the ground, so the cross was a stark contrast to the white lawn. I closed the door and told my dad. He removed the cross, putting it in the garage. I was in elementary school and the school was within walking distance. I recall walking with my neighbor, Pete, to school and seeing in horror that the whole front lawn (which was a small hill) had stamped in snow words like "Go Home" and "Chink". I was horrified and ashamed. I remember just hoping and praying that Pete and the other neighborhood kids would not see these words, glaring in the morning sun.

As the years went by, this memory would slowly begin to fade and it almost felt like a dream. Something that never happened and was only imagined. Then, a couple of years ago, I was having a conversation with my brother Martin and he brought up the subject. I stopped him in mid-conversation and said something like "Wait, you remember the cross burning too?" He did and I told him that I started to think I had imagined it. For so many years, I had kept silent that I started to doubt my own memory.

This one event growing up had a profound effect on me. It taught me very early on that I was different and would be treated differently. I had no idea who had done such a thing. It very well may have been some teenagers playing a "prank." Then again, it also could have been active members of the KKK because I later learned that the KKK was very active in this region of Connecticut. In either case, I think the intention was clear and I learned a valuable lesson about being a minority in America.

Cross burned in lawn at Anoka family's home
Anoka police are investigating an incident in which a cross was burned into the lawn of a black family.

By Tim Harlow, Star Tribune
Last update: September 26, 2007 – 1:19 PM

Anoka police are investigating an incident in which a cross was burned into the lawn of a black family.

The homeowner discovered the cross when he was leaving his house on the 3900 block of 10th Lane at 6:45 a.m. today, said Captain Phil Johanson.

Johanson said somebody poured flammable liquid such as gas or lighter fluid on the lawn, then set it on fire to burn a cross 10 feet by 6 feet just to the left of the homeowner’s driveway.

Johanson said there has been no previous trouble on the block, but shortly after police cleared the scene this morning, they were called back to settle a domestic dispute between the homeowner and another neighbor. The dispute did not reach the threshold where charges will be filed.

Police on Wednesday were canvassing the neighborhood, seeking somebody who might have seen something suspicious, Johanson said.

No one has been arrested.

Lost in Translation :: The Bridgestone Eurasia

Every now and then, I google "Bridgestone Eurasia" to find out more information about one of my bicycles, as it was never sold in the United States and so I know little about its origin. Today, I came across a Japanese website that contains some pics and info on the bike. However, I don't read Japanese, so I had google do the translation for me. Here is what I got in return....

　[wantatsuchipikunika] similar, the cycle [pi] [tsu] and the store of [inoue] first you slept. [suporuteihu] about of 20 years ago. Bosom tilting, it does.
The leader of the store begins and “rides by his to clean�, that you said, but the store could not make busy, very by his to clean.
So like this while having done, it was moved to the bicycle yard which from ahead the store becomes motor vehicle cassation of the reverse side of the store.
　In university age does touring with the run donor because it is something which, while many times see, longing.
It means that the kind of air where gradually this bicycle call by your does.
　Finally, whether or not there is an air which never, sells mind in the leader, you had heard somewhat price.

　As for problem, yard with pad. Already in the garage folding and one MTB 4. Entirely my ones. As for bicycle of child entrance.
Because the wife inserts the car into this garage, when the bicycle takes the space excessively, “because it becomes difficult to insert the car, it is to be called useless�.
If you mention the proper, the proper.
　Somehow devising the method of inserting the bicycle, already about one becomes unit somehow, the kind of air which. Generally after guaranteeing the space, start of negotiation with the wife. About 3 days spending, thoroughly persuasion. With the favor which spent time, increased with “OK�.
　Going with to the cycle [pi] [tsu], “Eurasia, you buy�, that when you say, the leader so worry “permission and the time of the lady, it is?�
It was to be worried about that it becomes quarrel between husband and wife.

So, my interpretation is that this guy wanted to buy this bike and fix it up, but his wife complained about not enough space in the garage. After haranguing her, she finally agrees to let him buy the bike.

AND...there is more....

　August 12 day and night one, going with to the cycle [pi] [tsu], servicing Eurasia. You dropped the rust of the chain, polished the frame, you did again to attach the mudguard which has come off, the soiling which has been attached to the rubber of the cover of adjustment of the shift wire, service and the brake lever of the brake you removed, locking the bar tape which has started to peel off start running, safety you could.
　Recently, [kachikachi] and being one-touch, those where you can shift gear had become natural, but as for any such a things it has not been attached to this Eurasia. Equal to necessary amount moves the W lever which is attached to the down tube of the frame and adjusts the delay Ra movement.
　Feeling of the time where it was riding in the past run donor returns. Riding comfort there is no with something, whether bosom forcing.
　When the dynamo is pushed to the rim of the rear wheel, light/write illumination. Either the extent pedal which you think does not become heavy, satisfaction. So just a little dark kana?
　Because the talk lip which has been attached to the pedal, we do not like the toast lap you removed.

It seems the above describes his efforts to clean and repair the bicycle and a summary of how it is now working. Or at least, it is what I have gotten from google translation.

It's nice to know at least that someone else is riding a Bridgestone Eurasia!

And, it turns out that B'stone made a whole touring line of bicycles called Eurasia back in the 1970s and 1980s! I found the following sites at TheCityBicycle blog. See here and here and here. These are Bridgestone catalogs from the late 1970s and early 1980s. Nothing on the EAD-500 which is my specific Eurasia model but so many luxurious goodies on this page. I love all the accessories for the touring bicycles. It's purrdy.

p.s., Here is a site with all sorts of pdf scans of old Japanese bicycle catalogs. Click here.

Korea Updates

South Korea prides itself on being the most wired country in the world and Seoul in particular is crazy for all things internet. Heck, it says something about a country when you have at least two television stations dedicated to video gaming and no other programming. That said, for some unknown reason, our hotel in Seoul - Sofitel Ambassador - was very nicely accommodated in all aspects BUT the internet. Our room was newly renovated but without internet hookup. We could get wireless for a small fee of 20,000 won (equal to about $24) per day. Ouch! Instead, HW and I opted to go to the plethora of PC bangs (rooms) in the neighborhood to check email once/day. However, the poorly air conditioned PC bangs filled with smoke and young kids chatting away while they played video games left me uninspired to blog. So, hence the month long silence on FamiLee Life.

We are now finishing up our trip on Jeju-do island in the southwestern tip of Korea. It's like the Hawaii of Korea and it's quite beautiful. A perfect relaxing conclusion to our trip to the motherland. Plus, as a bonus, they have free internet in the rooms! Hence, the latest spate of blog entries. It's my weak effort to catch up on what's been happening.

So, here are some of our first pics of the trip in somewhat chronological order (left to right, top to bottom)

1. Waiting for our flight from Chicago to Seoul/Incheon. Flying Korean Air is the way to go (don't fly a US airline to Korea!)
2. We arrived at the hotel and decided to wander around the 'hood to get a feel of things. HW got an iced green tea drink and tried to figure out our rented cell phone. We had to ask the coffeegirl for assistance.
3. The Dongguk University neighborhood/district
4. Meeting up with some of the other Minnesota folks who made the trip out (SY, JR, Lucy, John, Tate, HW). We went on to have dinner with a Korean repatriate (Jane) at (of all places) a Korean-style Chinese restaurant down the street for some yummy jja-jang-myun (homemade noodles with black bean sauce). Our first meal in Seoul.
5. Day 2 - Exploring Sinchon district with Kim.
6. Doing what we do best in Seoul -- Eating some bar food in Sinchon. Duk-boki is spicy rice cake.
7. Eating duk-boki is best with some homemade makkoli - a Korean rice wine that is unfiltered. It's sweet and sour, reflecting the soul of South Korea. Mmmm good. Later in the trip, I received an email from Kurt and Mike asking me to bring home some nu-ruk which is a yeast enzyme in the shape of a hamburger patty to make homemade Makkoli. I did find some of this stuff on Jeju-do at a farmer's market. Watch out Minnesota!

TB and White Privilege

Andrew Speaker is the man at the center of attention in the American media and public because he traveled to Europe, with knowledge of having been diagnosed with tuberculosis, and defiantly traveled back to the United States through evasive means to avoid detention after being informed to immediately turn himself over to authorities in Italy and to not travel (read here).

It's a crazy story for many reasons, but I think it speaks volumes to the privileges associated with being a well-educated, affluent, White man. Case in point --

Mr. Speaker, who defied instructions to turn himself into Italian health authorities, flew from Prague to Montreal and then drove to the United States, despite a notice to Customs agents to detain him.

Congressional investigators, who plan to hold hearings on how the case has been handled, say that the border agent at the Plattsburgh, N.Y., border crossing with Canada decided that Mr. Speaker did not look sick and so let him go.

First, we have a man who thought he was above the law and against better judgment does not heed the warnings and instructions to turn himself over.

Second, we have a man who thinks he can sneak back to the U.S. and not get caught. And not really apologize for this action. Instead, only apologizing for putting people at risk.

Third, we have a man who is allowed to enter the U.S. despite a notice to border agents to detain him. Why? Because the border agent didn't think he looked sick.

I have the biggest problem with #3 because it reeks of White privilege. If this guy was Arab American or Asian American, I strongly suspect that the border agent would not have given this guy the benefit of the doubt. But a young, handsome, wealthy looking, articulate White guy - oh, he must be safe! Hm...isn't this what they thought about Ted Bundy?

Suicide in South Korea and in the U.S.

A worker at Utopia Memorial House in Ansung last week walked by ashes of Jeong Da-bin, left, and Yuni, two entertainers who killed themselves. Photo from NYTimes

The NYTimes has a story about the rising rate of suicide in South Korea and the novel use of the internet to promote suicide pacts and other methods.

South Korea’s suicide rate stood at 18.7 per 100,000 people in 2002 — up from 10.2 in 1985. In 2002, Japan’s rate was the same as South Korea’s, but the rate in the United States was 10.2 per 100,000.

Apparently, young adults and teenagers are using the internet as a way to find others who also are thinking of committing suicide; some go on to form suicide pacts; others use the internet to learn more effective means to commit suicide.

I have known of this trend for some time, but I do follow these sorts of news items (as it is related to my line of work). However, I wonder if it is a news item now because of the Virginia Tech tragedy?

CNN recently reported on a supposed trend in the U.S. of suicide among Korean/Asian Americans (click here for story).

Asian-American women ages 15-24 have the highest suicide rate of women in any race or ethnic group in that age group. Suicide is the second-leading cause of death for Asian-American women in that age range. (Department of Health and Human Services)

Something to ponder about...

Honoring Joe White : Father of Black Psychology

Claytie Davis III, Ph.D., Susan E. Conner, Ph.D., Richard M. Lee, Ph.D., and Joseph L. White, Ph.D.

On May 10th, the University of Minnesota will award Dr. Joseph L. White with an honorary Doctor of Laws degree.

Dr. White was born in Minneapolis in 1932 in the Seven Corners areas across from the University of Minnesota. He attended De la Salle HS, San Francisco State University, and later received his Ph.D. in clinical psychology from Michigan State University. He spent the majority of his academic career at the University of California, Irvine, where he is now Professor Emeritus of Psychology and Psychiatry. Dr. White is considered the father of Black Psychology because of his pioneering 1970 article “Toward a Black Psychology� in Ebony Magazine. You can read his bio here and here.

I believe I first met Joe in 1998 at the APA Convention in San Francisco. I went up to the top floor of the downtown Marriott Hotel to meet some friends for a drink. Sitting at the bar, I struck up a conversation with Joe who was sitting at the next bar stool and drinking a white wine (his favorite). We hit it off immediately and soon we were buying each other drinks. Eventually, a group of Asian American psychologists and graduate students arrived. It turns out that Joe knew a few of these same friends. As the night wore on, music began to play on the dance floor. Joe has hustle moves and he soon hit the floor with the women. So, there we were -- me and Joe and about six Asian American women. He still kids me about that first meeting.

Funny enough, like many things in life, I had no idea that this man on the dance floor was the father of Black Psychology. Then, I learned that he was born and raised in Minneapolis but had never attended the University nor had he ever been invited to the University, despite his stature in the field. In April of 2001, he dropped me a line because he was going to Minneapolis to consult on the African American Men's Project. I seized on this opportunity to invite Joe to campus to give a talk. It was his first time back on campus (as a psychologist) since he left Minnesota as a young man. Amazing.

Well, fast forward a few more years and finally, finally the University will be honoring this famous son of Minneapolis.

Congratulations, Joe.

Halmoni's Story :: Korean Birthmother Panel

Last Saturday morning, as part of the ongoing Still Present Pasts programming, we were privileged to have a 73 year old Korean immigrant woman share her life story of life after the Korean War and the process and aftermath of placing four children for adoption. It was a powerful story (thanks YoonJu Park for interpreting and Jennifer Arndt-Johns for moderating!). I was going to recap it but Hal (at Inner Geek) beat me to it (and did a wonderful job of summarizing her story).

After her talk, Mrs Lee and I were introduced and, adoringly, she stayed by my side and we chatted in broken Korean/English. It was an endearing moment. She is one year younger than my father and would have been closer in age to my mother, but she was much more like my 94 year old grandmother (my halmoni). Mrs Lee is a tiny but strong woman with a lot of punch and humor left in her. You could see the lines of tragedy and heartache in her face, but also a skin that was resilient and forward looking. Here was a woman who weathered the worst of the worst and yet somehow found the courage to continue moving forward with her life. Holding on to my hand, she repeatedly invited me over to her home for dinner, saying she enjoyed being around so many people her children's age. In her words were love and loneliness, intertwined like tree branches and vines locked in a symbiotic battle for existence.

From Inner Geek

A Story of Tragedy, Loss, Faith, Hope

…that is how the telling of her story began this morning. As part of the Still Present Pasts exhibit, Mrs. Lee, a Korean birthmother, told her story to us speaking through an interpreter. Before the Korean War, she worked in a shirt factory. She was 18 when the Korean War started, so she couldn’t go for advanced schooling. (Girls couldn’t go when people were starving, but boys could.) She was 22 when she married -- for love, rather than by family arrangement. Her husband was a construction manager; they had 4 children - 3 boys and 1 girl. They lost their resources and their livelihood when some of his workers sued him. They had to move in 1971, and her husband died in 1972 (because of shock and stress, she said).

Click "Continue Reading..." below to read more....

With children ages 14, 9, 6, and 2, she was unable to work outside the home and had no extended family to help. They had disowned her after she married for love rather than by family arrangement. The pastor of her church suggested that she place the 2 year old for adoption so that she could work and support the other 3 children. She reluctantly went to Holt (an adoption agency); within 3 months, an adoptive family in the U.S. was chosen and sent her a letter. They noticed all 4 children in a picture and offered to adopt all 4 siblings.

Mrs. Lee couldn’t think of her life without children. She postponed the baby’s departure for 6 months. The oldest son asked to go to America - the land of promise, the “dream country.� A friend told her: if you send one baby, you will lose contact forever; but if you send all 4 children, perhaps you can have contact and they will come back to you some day. So she decided to send all 4 children.

After they were gone, she saw no hope for living any longer. She tried to commit suicide 4 times and failed. Friends suggested that she remarry, but she refused. If she remarried, her name would be changed to that of her new husband and removed from her family’s registry. Therefore, if her children tried to find her, they wouldn’t be able to. She had no social life or close friends. People asked her how she could enjoy herself, when she had given up her children.

When her daughter was 19, she contacted her mother. “It was the best day in my whole life!� She was persuaded to move to Minnesota in 1992, but it didn’t work out and she moved back to Korea. “Whenever I received a letter, the whole world was mine.� She moved back to Minnesota in 1996. She had hoped to be with all her children, but her oldest son moved to California and started a business. She doesn’t know where he lives now; he doesn’t call her. The other 3 live here and have good relationships with her. She hopes that her oldest son will return some day.

She does know the family who adopted her children. She appreciates the love and support they have given her children. Even though they don’t speak each others’ language, they show their affection through hugs, smiles, and demonstrations of appreciation and affection.

She was asked, “How do your children feel now about your decision (to place them for adoption)?� She said the children tell her not to regret it - they try to comfort her; they say they have had a good life here.

She was asked whether she has become friends with other Korean women who placed babies for adoption. She said she is ashamed; she does not want to share this with other women. She said no Korean woman would place a child for adoption without being in terrible circumstances. It is unspeakable, indescribable. But she decided to tell her story today, in the context of this project about Korea and the Korean War, because she wanted to share the truth about her life.

Thank you, Mrs. Lee, for your courage in talking with us this morning. Every adoption involves compelling stories - stories that involve the strongest emotions that we humans experience. The stories of birth parents are not as frequently told as those of adoptees or adoptive parents. So it was a privilege to hear and learn from this story.

Sun Yung Shin :: Skirt Full of Black

I meet a lot of people through karaoke. Sun Yung Shin is one such person. Well, let me clarify. We first met briefly at a photography exhibit of the Tour de France by Caroline Yang. Shortly thereafter, we met singing karaoke. Not only can SY hold a tune, she can write. I mean, write. Not this sort of blogging stuff (though she does a bit of it too).

Her latest book (as in she has written more than one; see here and here) is titled Skirt Full of Black. This is a collection of poetry that interrogates through poetics the nature and meaning of culture, race, adoption, family, identity, religion, and sovereignty of nation and state (among other things).

Come to her book launch on May 1, 2007, 7 p.m.
with Yuko Taniguchi and Wang Ping
Loft Literary Center, Minneapolis

And....Read a feature story on her in the Pioneer Press.

Immigration Is a Hard Life

From AP via Star Tribune....

"As soon as he started reading, the whole class started laughing and pointing and saying, `Go back to China,''' Davids said.

"There were just some people who were really mean to him and they would push him down and laugh at him,'' Roberts said Wednesday. "He didn't speak English really well and they would really make fun of him.''

The media wants to portray him as a foreigner, as someone with a mental illness, as an evil person. It's our nature to make these characterizations because it is easier for us to digest and accept this reality. The truth, however, is likely somewhere in between and outside these explanations. Between images of Asian Americans as model minorities and as forever foreigner is the reality that immigration is hard and challenging, full of heartache, exclusion, and rejection, as well as a time for opportunity and hope, success following hard work and persistence. For most children and adults, they experience lots of struggle but somehow find a way through family and community to make something meaningful of their lives. For some children and adults, the struggles are more overwhelming. Maybe they don't have the resources available to them. Maybe they are too shy or insecure. Discrimination and ridicule only deepen these wounds, making it even harder to reach out. Its imperative that we be willing to look at this aspect of American life. Perhaps this is one lesson we can learn from this tragic event.

One Last Posting on the Virginia Tech Tragedy

“What I’m saying is that in Columbine, the whole white community didn’t have to apologize and take responsibility,� she said. “We need to extend our hand and extend our condolences because it is a tragedy. But it will also be a tragedy if this comes to symbolize Korean Americans.�

This excerpt is taken from an article posted online at InsideHigherEd. Read the full article here.

AAPA Press Release :: Virginia Tech

A press release from the Asian American Psychological Association

Asian American Psychological Association Mourns Virginia Tech Tragedy

San Francisco -The Asian American Psychological Association joins with the rest of the nation in mourning the tragic loss of the members of the Virginia Tech community. In particular, we extend our heartfelt condolences to the families and friends of those who have suffered a personal loss and our deepest hopes for the healing of those who were injured and bore witness to this horrific event.

As psychologists and counselors, we understand the complexities of this incident and the multiple needs and emotions that are now pulling at us...as individuals, as a community, and as a nation. First and foremost among these, are the needs of those individuals who have been directly affected by this tragedy. So, as a community we will, in whatever way is available to each of us, honor and contribute to the healing of students, staff, faculty, their families, the community of Blacksburg, Virginia, and others across the nation who have been affected by this tragedy.

We also join with the nation as we struggle and search to find explanations for this tragedy. As we grapple with what happened, it is clear that in the search for simple answers and even simpler sound-bites, the spotlight may swing towards the issues of race, ethnicity and culture. We caution against simplifying the situation in this way. Although the alleged perpetrator has been identified as a Korean American immigrant, it is important to remember that no person’s actions are solely related to their race and/or culture. We know that race and culture do affect individual’s actions and social relationships in a way that contributes to stress and psychological difficulties. However, it is vital that our understanding of this tragedy not be reduced to and grounded in simplistic and stereotypic assumptions about Asian Americans in general or Korean Americans in particular. Psychological research has indicated that beliefs about and experiences with specific individuals of color have the clear potential to be generalized to the community as a whole – to the detriment of the community and the shared goal of justice and equality. Therefore, we caution against the assumption that this tragedy is representative of Asian Americans. Given the historical precedents, we also caution against retaliation directed at members of the Asian American community and call attention to the injustice and inappropriateness of such possible responses in the hope of preventing them.

As mental health professionals, we believe that this incident highlights the critical value of mental health services both as a step towards prevention and in response to tragedies such as this. Thus, during this time of shock and grief, it is our hope that mental health professionals will contribute to the healing that is to come.

The Asian American Psychological Association is the primary, national organization dedicated to the advancement of the psychological well-being of Asian Americans.

Virginia Tech Massacre :: Race and Mental Health

NOTE - Minor update to statistical figures in first paragraph made on April 19, 2007. Changes in bold.

It's stunning news. Horrible in every imaginable way. When I heard the news and had some time to digest the tragedy, I did think that there was a greater than chance probability that the killer was Asian, given the past incidences on college campuses (here and here and here). Four out of fifteen of the major shootings since 1966 is a pretty alarming statistic, especially given the low number of Asians in the jails and prisons in the United States (i.e., as low as 1% according to two sources from the US Dept of Justice and Bureau of Justice Statistics - page 3).

It's alarming and disturbing and forces us to reflect on what leads to such tragedies. However, it's important to reflect on this matter without stereotype or mischaracterizations.

One of the racial issues to emerge from this tragedy is the way in which Seung-Hui Cho has been characterized. In an NPR interview, one witness described in as foreign looking. Other sources keep referring to him as a South Korean or a resident alien or as a foreign student. In truth, according to the latest CNN report, Mr. Cho was an immigrant to this country. He immigrated in 1992 and was a permanent resident. He was probably as American as the next person living in this country, despite not being a naturalized citizen.

We also are reminded that Asian Americans, despite public portrayals, are not model minorities who seem to only succeed in the American Dream. This myth is fraught with socio-cultural problems, discussed widely elsewhere (just do a quick google search). Yet it is a persistent myth that is conveniently used to scapegoat Asian Americans when discussing race relations in this country and then quickly discarded when tragedy strikes such as the Virginia Tech shootings. People are quick to blame the foreigner whom they only moments earlier saw as the model minority.

Asian Americans are just as likely as other groups to struggle with mental health problems. Such problems seem to be even more challenging for individuals who grow up as children in this country, as noted in a recent NLAAS study. The unspoken other tragedy in the aftermath of this event is the fact that this young man did not receive the needed treatment to address his mental health problems and that could have perhaps prevented this rage. To what extent is this likely lack of intervention due to the model minority myth?

The recent tragedy reminds us to to NOT mythologize a group of people as model anything and to NOT scapegoat this same group as foreigners. Instead, it should remind us to view all people of all races and ethnicities as individual people. Moreover, it should remind us as Americans that immigration and acculturation are stressful life experiences, rife with discrimination, racism, and other cultural barriers, that put an added strain on human functioning. As such, a more appropriate question is what can we do as local communities and as a society to address these challenges?

Two More Days :: One More Day

Two more days till the opening reception for the Still Present Pasts exhibit. I can't believe it is almost here. I am excited, nervous, proud, amazed. Mostly, I am amazed at the dedication and commitment of the steering committee, particularly Anne P, Jennifer and Holly, who have put in more hours than one can imagine to make this show a smashing success. They are the engine and wheels that kept this show on the road. Me? I was just the driver and oftentimes driving with cruise control. I could not have done it without them. I'm a lucky person and the community as a whole benefits from their efforts. If you see them, give them a high-five and a big thank you.

One more day till my close friend Kenny/Kenji/Ken's going away party. Friday night from 6 pm till dawn. He's moving to Miami, land of Don Johnson and CSI-Miami, on Sunday. The party is happening at Grumpy's on Washington Ave. We received the party room and will have (surprise) karaoke and guitar hero! It will be fun. It will be crazy. It will be well worth coming to check out the extravaganza.

Three More Days :: It's More than Art

The Still Present Pasts exhibit is more than just art. It is the collective memories and stories of individuals and families affected by war and displacement. It is about growing up without a history, without family heirlooms, without an appreciation of sacrifices, losses, and yearnings. When I was young, my parents avoided discussions about the war. On occasion, my mother would make a passing reference to Japanese soldiers, living without heat or food, and even my grandmother being put in front of a death squad. They were like morsels of the best tasting food that I had ever eaten but, in the same instance, it was like a forbidden fruit that I could not ask for again. It was taboo to ask openly. I rarely did.

As I got older, I found myself avoiding the subject because I didn't want to burden my parents. They worked long hours and were tired most of the time, so I just let them rest. In turn, they thought only of the future and avoided recollecting the past. Sometimes, my father would mention a distant relative or classmate and wonder aloud if the person was still alive in what is now North Korea. Usually, he already had drank a beer to relax after a 14 hour work day.

As chair of the steering committee for the Still Present Pasts exhibit and programming, I have had a chance to revisit this collective and family history. On my recent trip home, I asked my father about our family tree, our heritage, our lineage. He chuckled in amusement at this request but then seriously focused on the task at hand. Suddenly, he would recall various tidbits of information. It was as if 54 years after the war was finally enough time to look back and share. These morsels of history made my hungry mind feel sated for the first time.

Please check out our series of SPP events that are occurring each week throughout the run of the exhibit. Click here for a full listing of events.

Four More Days :: STILL PRESENT PASTS

I have returned from 11 days of conference travel with a 2-day stopover in Connecticut to visit my family. The trip was bookended by a conference on child development in Boston and on a conference on Asian American Studies in NYC. I returned home on Easter and have been catching up since. Here is what I must say about my trip -- I am getting old. I used to really look forward to traveling because I never really had the opportunity growing up (beyond the roadtrip to Cape Cod or Niagara Falls). Now, after 10-15,000 airline miles a year, I just don't like living out of a suitcase as much. The allure of a new destination has worn off and, even though I always enjoy eating at restaurants and absorbing the sites, I always always appreciate my own bed back home. Okay, enough privileged complaining.

In 4 (count them, 1, 2, 3, 4) days, the Still Present Pasts exhibit opens up at Intermedia Arts at 2822 Lyndale Ave South in Minneapolis. The reception begins at 7 pm and the opening ceremony which features mega-superstar poets Walter K. Lew, Ed Bok Lee, and Sun Yung Shin begins at 8 pm.

More to come....

Still Present Pasts :: Korean Americans and the Forgotten War

For the past 1.5 years, I have been heavily involved in the planning, fundraising, and promotion of STILL PRESENT PASTS which is a traveling national multimedia art and oral history exhibit on the legacies of the Korean War as reflected upon and remembered by Korean Americans (click here for more info). The SPP national exhibit features art inspired by the oral histories of generations of Korean Americans who personally lived through the Korean War or who have been affected by the war through immigration, adoption, or other disruptions and displacements.

The Minnesota Still Present Pasts committee, chaired by me, is composed of faculty and staff from the University of Minnesota, artists and community leaders, and representatives from Intermedia Arts and Korean Quarterly. The SPP is presented by the UMN Institute for Advanced Study in partnership with many university and community organizations. Together, we have assembled an amazing array of local art and program events to complement the national exhibit.

Over the next week or two, I will be drawing readers' attention to the exhibit and related programs. But for now, mark this date -- APRIL 14th at 7 pm! This is the opening night blowout at Intermedia Arts at 2822 Lyndale Ave South in Minneapolis. Invite 10 people and come to the exhibit opening.

Good Science....say it again!

A very interesting NYTimes read on the very well-known (in academic circles) Meyerhoff Scholarship Program at the University of Maryland-Baltimore County campus. Students who participated in this undergraduate program total 550 with 271 of them pursuing graduate work in a scientific area. That's impressive! Of course, these students of color were high achieving to begin (great grades and standardized test scores) but it still says a lot in this day and age.

At Minnesota, we have a much smaller-scale program in Psychology called the Research Experience for Undergraduates in the Behavioral and Cognitives Sciences. It is a 10-week summer program funded by NSF and UMN for advanced undergraduate students seeking careers in psychology. I have mentored three students in my 6 summers in Minnesota and all three eventually went on to PhD graduate programs in psychology. That's a pretty typical track record for these students.

And, importantly, as mentioned in the NYTimes article, it begins with good science.

Slip of the Tongue

My friend Christine (via her husband Tai) forwarded this video clip to me and I just had to get online to spread the word. It's an amazing piece of poetry and video. It's called Slip of the Tongue. It was part of the Sixth Annual Media That Matters Film Festival. Check it out!

Cho-mama! Margaret Cho

Today is my marathon meeting day from 11 am (right now) to 5 pm, I am in lab meetings. Fortunately, I have something on Saturday night to look forward to make it all better. Margaret Cho is performing on campus as part of the Alphabet Soup 2007 conference (Midwest BLGTA College Conference). Nothing like laughter for the soul

Completely Heterosexual?!

Apparently, it is important to know that Ted Haggard, the disgraced evangelical minister who stepped down from his ministry after allegations of drug use and sexual promiscuity, is pronounced ‘Completely Heterosexual’. Click here for the full story.

According to the NYTimes story, Haggard was in three-weeks of intensive counseling and one of the ministers who oversaw the sessions announced, ''He is completely heterosexual,'' Ralph said. ''That is something he discovered. It was the acting-out situations where things took place. It wasn't a constant thing.''

Later in the article, it is revealed that Haggard and his wife plan to pursue graduate degrees in psychology.

Haggard said in an e-mail Sunday, his first communication in three months to church members, that he and his wife, Gayle, plan to pursue master's degrees in psychology. The e-mail said the family hasn't decided where to move but that they were considering Missouri and Iowa.

Hm, it's sad and ironic on so many levels.

Skin Color and Salary

The palette on the left is from a random website when I googled "skin tone"

My graduate student, Alisia, forwarded me this news item about a recent economic study by researchers at Vanderbilt University that examined skin color (and height) of recent immigrants and their salaries. Hm...I wonder if this finding holds true for academics as well?! I guess if I were whiter and taller, I'd be a richer man today....

Joni Hersch, a law and economics professor at Vanderbilt University, looked at a government survey of 2,084 legal immigrants to the United States from around the world and found that those with the lightest skin earned an average of 8 percent to 15 percent more than similar immigrants with much darker skin. "On average, being one shade lighter has about the same effect as having an additional year of education," Hersch said. The study also found that taller immigrants earn more than shorter ones, with an extra inch of height associated with a 1 percent increase in income. Hersch took into consideration other factors that could affect wages, such as English-language proficiency, education, occupation, race or country of origin, and found that skin tone still seemed to make a difference in earnings. That means that if two similar immigrants from Bangladesh, for example, came to the United States at the same time, with the same occupation and ability to speak English, the lighter-skinned immigrant would make more money on average. "I thought that once we controlled for race and nationality, I expected the difference to go away, but even with people from the same country, the same race — skin color really matters," she said, "and height." Although many cultures show a bias toward lighter skin, Hersch said her analysis shows that the skin-color advantage was not due to preferential treatment for light-skinned people in their country of origin. The bias, she said, occurs in the U.S.

Now, this is not new news to many people of color who have observed this sort of preferential treatment first hand. Many psychological studies also have noted this same phenomena. It is aligned with other research showing a White are more attracted toward and have a preference for people of color who have more "anglo/white" features such as a more narrow nose. I think the most interesting aspect to this study, at least how it was reported, is the last sentence from the above pulled quote. Namely, "the skin-color advantage was not due to preferential treatment for light-skinned people in their country of origin. The bias, she said, occurs in the U.S." The fact that skin tone preference occurs in other countries is often used as a defense (albeit a weak one) by some people who claim it is universal (and thus allowing them to not feel culpable).

On a related note, I came across this book Race, Gender, and the Politics of Skin Tone that addresses this very issue in the African American and Hispanic communities. I know it holds true in the Asian American community as well, although I am not so sure that darker complexions in Asian ethnic groups denotes greater cultural authenticity to the same extent as in African American and Hispanic communities (as claimed in the excerpt of this book) -- "Light-skinned women gain advantages in terms of beauty status and romantic relationships, while dark-skinned women ae typically viewed as more authentic members of their own racial/ethnic groups. "

In the Name of a Grandmother

My maternal grandmother (whe halmoni - in Korean) passed away suddenly last Friday (December 29, 2006) at the age of 90, 92, or 94 depending on which birthdate is used and what age counting system is used. Her birth certificate has her birthday as 1916 but apparently she was born in 1914. As was common back then, her parents waited to register her birth until she was older and likely to survive. She was 92 using the western age counting system in which you are one day old at birth, but she was 94 (I believe) using the Korean/lunar system in which you are one years old at birth and two years old with the new year. At any rate, she died at her daughter's home just a few days after Christmas from pneumonia. It was fortunately a peaceful passing.

My whe halmoni was bed ridden for the last seven years of her life and she had very limited mobility and frail health for maybe the last ten years. There were many times when we all thought that she was going to pass, but she seemed to have nine lives. Always rebounding and saying she was going to live till 100 years old. She was just short by 10, 8, or 6 years....

Whe halmoni was present in my immediate family's life, but much less so than my paternal halmoni who lived with my family since shortly after I was born. I usually saw whe halmoni every Sunday at church growing up and on special occasions and holidays. Later after I had moved away, my mother and I would make a point to visit her at my aunt's home when I came home for Christmas. I always loved my whe halmoni because she had the gentlest soul of any person I knew. She also was spunky and funny -- much like my mother. She had lived a powerful and amazing life that included the Japanese occupation, near executions during the Korean war, loss and betrayal by her husband whom she continued to love, extreme poverty, and death - so much death. Yet through it all, she survived with a zest for life and a courage that matched the strength of steel. I wish I had gotten to know her even better.

It's funny because I never knew her full name until sitting there at her funeral, reading her biography in my broken Korean. Her maiden name was Yi (or Lee) but from a different lineage than my father's family tree. Her Korean name was Sug-Nam which I have never heard before and suspect is a name not very commonly used anymore. I also learned my maternal grandfather's name was Chae Duk-Son and that they married in 1935 when she was 19 (or 21) years old. They had at least five children with the oldest a son, followed by four daughters. It is known that there were at least two other children who died as children from illness and disease. Family history is often mysterious in immigrant families. I do know with certainty that my uncle and my mom preceded whe halmoni in death.

In Korean culture, you are known by your role in the family, not by your name. This is the reason that I never knew my whe halmoni's name. She was always just grandmother. And before any of us grandchildren were born, I am sure she was known as just Soon-Du's mother (my uncle) or Young-Hee's mother (my mom). It is a distinguishing feature between individualist culture and collectivistic culture. We are nothing except in the context of our family role. Yet this role means everything. This name that she carried proudly (whe halmoni) meant the world to her and to us. It let her hold her head high; it gave her happiness and satisfaction. It meant she had done all she could for future generations - her children and their children and so on.

In her death, I am reminded again and again that being a part of a collectivistic family carries different weight. Not heavier, not lighter. Its substance is simply different in some intangible ways.

I will always love you and miss you, whe halmoni. Now you can laugh, play, pray, and share with mom and the rest of our family in Heaven. Peace and love be with you.

Even Lutherans Don't All Look the Same!

My good friend and A-number 1 basketball player, Wing Young Huie, has a new photography exhibit on display at the U of M's Immigration History Research Center. There is a nice MPR radio broadcast and article about the exhibit which was co-created by Allison Adrian (UMN student in ethnomusicology).

Spend the last few days before and after Christmas doing something different and exciting. Check out the exhibit!

Strange Couple of Weeks for Korean American Men

Hm, I don't really have much to say except to note the following observation over the last week or so....

1) James Kim died trying to find help for his stranded family in Oregon. Tragically, his wife and children were rescued shortly after he left them.
2) Jerry Cooke is still missing. He is one of the three climbers on Mt Hood who were stranded during a snowstorm. One of the climbers was found dead in a snow cave. Cooke and Brian Hall went out to find help for their injured climber who eventually died.
3) Yul Kwon won Survivor: Cook Islands.

Here are three very different Korean American men, three unique lives, three different outcomes. Mostly, it points to a distinctly different image of the Korean American man. Defying the model minority stereotype, these men show that courage, athleticism, strength, and smarts also define Korean Americans.

Racism Rears Back! Another Minneapolis Example

Well, I really wanted to not talk about racism again but I feel compelled to shed this ugliness from my back once more. Why? Because I had another "Where are you from?" encounter last night while out celebrating a friend's birthday. So here is the play by play this time around.

Setting: Standing outside a local food/drink emporium enjoying the nice cool air of December and talking with my friend, KO. The door from said establishment opens and a middle aged White man steps outside. He is standing four feet from my friend and me on the sidewalk.

WG (interrupting our conversation, smiling): Where are you from?

KO and I glance at each other, as we simultaneously think to ourselves, "Uh oh, here we go again." I initially don't say anything. I let KO speak for a bit.

WG (asking again): Where are you from?
Me: Right here.
WG: No really. You two must be Chinese/Taiwanese.
Me: Really? What makes you say that?
WG: I've traveled through lots of Asia on business. Probably 90% of my work is in Asia.
Me: Well, you are wrong. I am from America. Just like you. Right here. I was born and raised in Connecticut.
WG: I'm not American. I was raised in France.
Me: Oh, so you are French with no French accent.
WG: Well, I was born in the US (ah, interesting how this fact was initially omitted) and then spent my childhood in Paris and then moved back home ove 20 years ago. So really, where are you from?
Me: If you must know, Connecticut. Born and raised there.
WG: No, you know, where are your parents from? They must have immigrated from somewhere in Asia.
Me: Nope, they too are from Connecticut. Why is it so hard to believe? Do you think I cannot be American because of my looks? Do I have an accent that makes you think I am not American?
WG: Yeah, you have a bit of an accent.
Me: Really, from where?
WG: It's a mix of Californian and Asian.
Me: Okay, now you are completely wrong. I already told you I was born and raised in Connecticut.
WG: You don't have a New England accent.
Me: Really? Have you lived in New England? I think I would know since I was born and raised there.
WG: No, you don't have a Northeast accent. I lived for a time in Syracuse and you don't have a New England accent.
Me: Uh, Syracuse is upstate New York and is not a part of New England.
WG: Listen, you are wrong. New York, New Jersey, Boston, there is a particular Irish accent there and you don't have it.
Me: Okay, you do realize that the English settled Boston and the Dutch settled New York.
WG: No you are wrong. The Irish settled Boston.
Me: What? Hello, Plymouth Rock? The Pilgrims?
WG: Okay, first it was the English but then the Irish.
Me: Look, I study immigration and the Irish did not come in mass migration to Boston till the 1800s.
WG: Wrong, 1796.

It literally continues in this ridiculous fashion for another 10 minutes. We proceed to talk about Asia and whether it is okay to ask this question in Asia. He says he is asked all the time when in Asia.

WG: The Chinese always ask where I am from.
Me: Being White in Asia carries cache and privilege. You are far less likely to be physically threatened and harmed in Asia than I am in the United States. Plus, you are not from Asia! On the other hand, I am American. Born and raised here even!
WG: You are wrong. I've been in China and it's the same as me asking you.
Me: In any Asian country in which there has been American occupation, there is tremendous White privilege at play.
WG: In China?
Me: Maybe it's different in mainland China which I doubt but it's most certainly true in Hong Kong.
WG: How is Hong Kong influenced by America? Hong Kong was ruled by the British! (said smuggly).
Me: It was a British colony but they too are White. Plus, don't you think the US supported the political presence of the British in Hong Kong?
WG: Okay, maybe, but...

His friend comes outside to witness this foolishness and is clearly embarrassed by his friend. WG can't remember what he is saying but refuses to believe he is contradicting himself, even though his poor friend sides with me on every instance when I correct WG.

Eventually, I sa I have enough and walk back inside to the food/drink emporium. I settle into a booth with my other friends. Shortly afterwards, KO walks in with the WG following behind him.

WG: Look, I want to explain something here. You are wrong...
Me (interrupting): No, you look. I told you I don't want to talk to you anymore.
WG: No, listen to me....
Me: No, you listen. Leave me alone. Now you are harrassing me. Leave me alone.
WG: I am not harrassing you. You listen to me (getting more belligerent).
Me: Yes, you are harrassing me. Stop harrassing me (raising my voice).

Finally WG leaves. I am angered, frustrated, and thankful I have my boys there to have my back.

Maybe WG had too much to drink but it is not excusable in the least. Whether a person is sober or not, it is still prejudice and racist. Not racist in an institutional way, obviously, but racist at the personal level. WG not only makes assumptions about my appearance and hence my nationality and citizenship but he also uses his White privilege to denigrate me in the process to demonstrate his false superiority.

Fortunately, I am not a violent fellow. My weapon is my words. Thankfully I have received an education that arms me with the defense of words. I wish I could teach such lessons to all immigrants upon arriving on these shores so they don't get beaten down by such ugly ignorance. Instead, I will have to settle for one by one...or bird by bird.

But My Closest Friend is Black!? Racism Redux

Over at Six Impossible Things Before Breakfast, there is a great post to follow up on my "How Racism Works" post. Read her post and then return to finish reading this one.

[Pause and patiently I wait...]

Okay, you are back! What would you do or say in this situation?

Some people of European descent might say, "Well, when I was traveling through Asia or Africa, strangers asked to touch my hair." However, I have to say that this is not a fair comparison example because (a) being White has cache and privilege all around the globe, so such objectification while inconsiderate does not have as negative an effect and (b) African Americans are not foreigners traveling through America. There should be nothing exotic about them!

Other people might say, "He was just trying to be friendly and, okay, maybe a bit ignorant." SITBB, however, makes us think about the larger socio-political landscape of such a question/request. First, if someone had a breast implant, would you ask this person if you could touch their breast? I love that line of query! Second, people should not be seen only as objects of fulfillment or curiosity. People of any race should not be seen as a museum exhibit like a stuffed cheetah or a dinosaur skeleton.

A small minority might be offended but still offer their child's hair to be touched. For them, I just say, I feel bad for that child to be treated and humiliated in this manner. The child may not realize it then but those sort of experiences accumulate over time. Imagine things people have said to you that make you feel different. Multiply it over a lifetime and tell me that it does not exact a psychological and social toll on you!

Other thoughts?

Seeing and Responding to Racism :: Emergent Self-Reliance

It's been an interesting week of dialogue or set of commentaries about how racism works. It has led to questions about how to best respond to such prejudicial, discriminatory, or blatant racist comments. In psychology, it is very hard to understand perceptions of discrimination and racism and even harder to understand how to best cope or respond to discrimination and racism. In my work with graduate students, we have found that many college students of color tend to report less personal discrimination and more group discrimination. In other words, they acknowledge that it happens to others more than it happens to themselves. There are a few explanations for this discrepancy. One is that people may minimize personal experiences as a means to psychologically protect themselves. Another reason is that individual experiences are less frequent than the collective experience of a whole group. A third reason is that people vary in terms of their own awareness or understanding of racism and discrimination. In most instances, minorities who identify strongly with their ethnic or racial group are more attuned to such actions than those who are not.

In my own life, I have found that early in life, I tended to make alternate attributions when I experienced something overly racialized or downright racist, such as "Oh, he was trying to be friendly and just said it awkwardly" or "He didn't mean it" or "She misread what I did or said." Then, as I started to become more knowledgable about the history of race and racism, I was better able to make the attributions to racism. However, this can come at a high cost - emotionally, psychologically, socially. I have lost some friends when I called them on their prejudices. I have gotten more anxious and avoidant in other situations where I can feel racial threat (through snide comments, glares, etc). At some point, I felt the need to be more empowered to do something proactively and reactively. This development coincided with a greater security in who I was as a person.

In psychology, we are all about reducing phenomena to the smallest unit of observable measure. Once we can operationalize something, we can properly measure it. Using this measurement, we collect data and try to make sense of the data. What we are attempting to do is to understand, predict, and eventually learn to control. Understand, predict, and control. These are the three steps toward modifying human behavior. It may sounds reductionistic (and it is!), but just stop to think about how often we engage in this type of rational thinking in daily life. It's all the time! The key, however, is how to efficiently and effectively do so.

So, when it comes to responding to racism, it has required me to learn what is racism and how does it operate in daily life. It also has required me to identify instances of its occurance and to recognize its patterns and manifestations. Through these observations, I am better able to predict its consequences on me, on others, and in society. With this knowledge (is power!), I can set about trying to control the aspects of the situation under my domain. That is, I can work toward responding as effectively as needed for me. This process requires me to generate response ideas and coping strategies, rehearse them in my head, out loud, with my friends, and subsequently in action. Maybe in benign situations at first and later in more "live" scenarios such as what happened last week.

Over time, something amazing has happened in me. I have come more alive. I have felt freed of the chains of oppression (to be a bit melodramatic) and like a real man - autonomous, independent, respected. I am not as weighted down by the burden of race. Instead, I am more empowered. I can look myself in the mirror without hints of shame or disgust at not knowing how to respond or having done nothing about it. Such is the power of understanding, predicting, and controlling a situation to the best of my ability.

Ironically, what I am describing is a self-reliance that is revered in this country but seen as a threat by the majority when the minority develops it. Hopefully, we can find a balance in which all parties are allowed to be as self-reliant and independent as our democracy professes.

A Psychological Perspective on How Racism Works

My last entry on "How Racism Works" has generated some great conversation among viewers and I would like to encourage more. Check out this FAQ website sponsored by the American Psychological Association on Racism and Psychology.

I also happened to read a recent issue (vol 17, # 10, October of 2006) of Psychological Science: Research, Theory, and Application in Psychology and Related Science (phew, long title!). In a study titled, "They All Look the Same to Me (Unless They're Angry): From Out-Group Homogeneity to Out-Group Heterogeneity," Johua Ackerman and colleagues found the following (read abstract):

ABSTRACT—People often find it more difficult to distinguish ethnic out-group members compared with ethnic in-group members. A functional approach to social cognition suggests that this bias may be eliminated when out-group members display threatening facial expressions. In the present study, 192 White participants viewed Black and White faces displaying either neutral or angry expressions and later attempted to identify previously seen faces. Recognition accuracy for neutral faces showed the out-group homogeneity bias, but this bias was entirely eliminated for angry Black faces. Indeed, when participants' cognitive processing capacity was constrained, recognition accuracy was greater for angry Black faces than for angry White faces, demonstrating an out-group heterogeneity bias

So, maybe my anger at the WG from the other night will have a beneficial effect! Let's Be Angry! Lela Lee had it right with her Angry Little Asian Girls (now Angry Little Girls) comic strip.

How Racism Works :: A Minneapolis Example

It has been a week since the Michael Richards (Kramer) debacle at the Hollywood Laugh Factory and people seem to be thinly re-examining racism. Unfortunately, I don't think it has really hit middle America or at least Minnesota. Here is a hot off the press real life example of how racism works today in the Twin Cities.

On Saturday night, I was excited to see Mu Daiko perform their 10th annual concert at The Southern Theater. I know many of the drummers and was looking forward to hearing their songs, including a wonderful singing piece by Holly. I arrived a bit early and, after chatting with some friends in the foyer, made my way to my second row seat.

I notice a jacket is placed on my seat and there is a middle-aged White man standing beside it, talking with a White woman and an African American woman in the row behind. I assumed it was his coat, so I ask him, "Excuse me, is this your coat?" He says it is his coat and makes a bad joke about how he wondered if he was fortunate to have an empty seat next to him. At this point, he picks up his coat and I am about to sit down. Then, the White Guy (WG) says to me....

WG: Ah, finally someone Asian. I was wondering why there were no Japanese here tonight.
Me: Excuse me. Do you think we all look the same?
WG: Well, no. You're Japanese, right? I know you are not Korean and you don't look Hmong. Maybe Chinese.
Me: Oh, so you are saying you know my ethnicity better than I do?!
WG: Well, no. But I try to learn how to tell the difference between Asians.
Me: You should really stop talking before you put your foot deeper and deeper into your mouth.
WG: No, no, I'm not trying to be rude. I find that my Asian friends and people I meet like it when people like me can tell the difference.
Me: Really, your foot just went deeper into your mouth.
WG: I mean to be friendly. I mean, people appreciate it when I ask.
Me: I don't appreciate it.
WG: Okay, maybe I said it wrong. I meant...
Me (interrupting): Just stop.

At this point, I turn around and just sit in my seat. Like an idiot, he continues to talk to his friends about me, as if I miraculously cannot hear him. He says things like, "I have a lot of Korean friends and a few Hmong friends too. I can tell when someone is a Korean [note - he really said this!]. There are not a lot of Japanese in the country anymore. We have lots of Hmong....blah, blah, blah." I begin to think about moving seats or telling the ushers that there is a racist in the house. Then, he moves a step down, ready to move into our aisle to take his seat, when he stops on the step beside my aisle seat and continues.

WG: Can I ask then where are your parents from?
Me: Now you are saying that I am not American because I am Asian? That my parents can't be American citizens? How do you know they are not from America?
WG: Oh, no. They are probably as American as I am or my parents or grandparents. I have found my immigrant friends appreciate when I ask them where they are from.
Me: Well, I am not an immigrant and your question implies that I am not American.
WG: I mean...
Me: Just stop. Really, just stop. (from behind, I can hear the African American woman chuckling and I am hoping she is chuckling in solidarity with me and not at me - although she is his friend and has not stopped him)

Eventually but unfortunately for me, he sits down next to me. His oversized, overeating body crowding me into one half of my chair. He smells of too much eaten meat and stale beer breath. Lovely. Meanwhile, I think to myself what I might say next to him....like, "Why don't you ask your African American friend which part of Africa she is from because you probably can tell the difference." Just then, as Rick, Mu Daiko's director, is introducing the show, he leans over to me and continues.

WG: I want to apologize. You are probably a second or third generation, not an immigrant, so you feel it was rude.
Me: I don't feel it was rude. It was rude.
WG (raising his voice): Now wait a minute.

I go on to try to avoid him for the rest of the wonderful performance. He leans over a few times to ask stupid questions or make stupid comments about the performance. I ignore him until he finally stops.

Inside, I feel my heart beating faster. I am angry. My blood pressure rate rises. I am glad I don't have high blood pressure, but I probably will start to have it if this sort of crap persists. I try to calm myself. I tell myself that tonight is for the Mu performers and my job is to enjoy the show and support them. I do not want to draw any more attention to this idiot or get in a fight.

At intermission, I retreat up the stairs to where my posse of friends are sitting as a group - a mix of colors, Korean, Black, White, Filipino, Multiracial. I unload the story on them, needing to let out this bile from inside before it eats further into me. They are shocked. To relieve the tension, we start making jokes out of it. I contemplate getting up and moving to the back of the theater but don't want the Mu performers to notice my absence. I suck it up and go back to my seat.

*******************

As many of you know, I do research on discrimination against Asian Americans and its affect on mental health. Sometimes I wonder if my work is relevant or are there bigger issues to try to examine/resolve. Then, something like this happens and I realize that I must continue the work that I do. I also reflect on the fact that it would be far easier on my heart (literally) and my overall stress level if I had just ignored him or played ignorantly along with him on this stupid question/comment about being Japanese. But I think, honestly, in the end, I would rather die early of a racist stress-induced heart attack than let it go unaddressed. I have the privilege of education, knowledge, self-awareness, and all the rest to stand up for myself and others. If I/we don't say something, we perpetuate the mess of racism and let this sort of ignorance persist, spread, and lead to worse things.

Science and Diversity

When I decided to become a psychology major in college, my parents were disheartened because (a) they didn't know what the heck psychology was (b) they were hoping I was going to be pre-law or pre-med or choose engineering as a major even though I went to a liberal arts college that didn't even have an engineering school! In other words, they were hoping I was going to be a lawyer, doctor, or engineer because these were the only three occupations that they knew as a step up from what they were doing (which was working 14 hour days, seven days a week). Upon graduation and without a job, they were even more disheartened and worried about my future. To help, they bought me three suits as part of my graduation gift, as if a nice suit would get me a job and a career. It was touching but out of touch.

In the end, I got into graduate school in psychology and my parents were very relieved and happy. However, they still had no idea what psychology was. It was only after I got my Ph.D. (which was the one thing they understood and were proud about) that they began to understand what is psychology. For example, my mother would say, "So and so's son has problems in his head. He needs a psychologist. You should talk with him."

Well, it's pretty amazing that I somehow persisted growing up as a child of working class, immigrant parents. Here I now am as a tenured associate professor at a major research university. So what helped me out? What barriers did I overcome or avoid?

The Scientist - an online magazine for the life sciences - has put out a supplement on the myths and realities of diversity in the sciences. It is quite interesting and useful. It highlights key ingredients to recruiting, retaining, and nurturing for success students of color in the sciences.

Infuriations :: Wartime Chinese Laborers Sue Japan

World War II and the preceding Japanese occupation of Korea, parts of China and elsewhere in Asia are well documented historical events filled with atrocities, horrors, and gross abuses of power. Yet still in Japan there remains defiance toward these crimes - 60+ years later.

The NYTimes has a great article on recent efforts by elderly Chinese men who were forced into labor in Japan during the war and now are seeking apologies and reparations. It is ennobling of them and yet the response by Japan is infuriating.

Sometimes shaking a fist and grumbling grrrrr is all I can muster but not enough.

Of course, there is so much pain and misery associated with war in general. Closer to home, the University will be bringing to the Twin Cities a traveling exhibit - Still Present Pasts - on the Korean War created by Korean American artists and scholars. Stay tuned for more to come on this event which I along with a great steering committee have been working on for the past 6 months now.

Living Art and a Bad Case of Mistaken Identity

A few weeks ago, my friends and I decided to go to the Walker After Hours soiree that is held on Friday nights. On the night of said event, they happened to have an interactive, online camera in which the public could get their photos taken to be a part of the Walker Flikr site. Of course, for all who know me, I could not pass up the opportunity to be a part of the Walker Art Center....ahem...to get my photo taken.

Now, during this same period of time, I have had a number of encounters with random people whom I don't know well in which they tell me that I look like (a) the Japanese guy on the new television show Heroes (b) Bobby Lee from MADtv and (c) Ed Bok Lee. Geesh. Do they really think we all look the same? ARGH!

Well, just to set the record straight, I am in only one of the above Walker Flikr photos! And I am neither jumping nor flexing!

Here are a few more just to make sure people know who is who.

DNA Testing and Immigration

I wonder whether I would be here today if my father had to take a DNA test to get his visa back in 1964. In the Washington Post, there is an interesting article about the rising number of cases in which immigrants seeking to sponsor their families are being asked to undergo DNA testing to prove familial relations. On the surface, this seems a reasonable advance in immigration procedures given the increased accuracy of DNA testing. However, it is equally troubling on a number of fronts.

First, it reminds me of the difficulties that were imposed on Chinese immigrants during the era of the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 when the U.S. government intentionally and forcibly sought to exclude Chinese from coming to America, even those with family here. A visit to Angel Island is a history lesson that is often not told.

Second, DNA testing takes a very narrow, very biological view of family. What about families formed through adoption or through second marriages? What about extended kinship families that may even include non-relatives who are raised as part of a larger family system (e.g., Hawaiian Hanai)?

Third, immigration is costly yet the return to American society is immeasurable. The cost of DNA testing makes it financially impossible for some families to be reunited. At $800 a pop, many people will not be able to afford to get the testing done, except those who are privileged and affluent.

10,000 Memories and Hopes in North Korea

In 2001, I visited the Yanbian region of northeastern China as part of a research trip to study the lives of Chosun-jok , ethnic Koreans, living in this previously autonomous region bordering North Korea. I was there to conduct research at Yanbian University of Science and Technology with a collaborator from Ewha Womans University in Seoul, South Korea. It was a fascinating trip, educationally and personally. I learned a tremendous amount about the history of this region, the lives of Chosun-jok and the state of affairs in neighboring North Korea.

Perhaps the most personal part of the visit was my visit to the Chinese-North Korean border along the Tumen River. According to Wikipedia, the word tumen means 10,000 (in Mongolian). To me, it represented 10,000 memories and hopes. Along with a tour guide and driver, we bribed our way into an area heavily guarded by Chinese soldiers but also populated with Chinese, Chosun-jok, and North Koreans buying and selling wares and food. The bridge spanning the river was lonely and stark and yet it was full of hope for tens of thousands of people who walk across each day, week, month, year.

There was a line painted on the side of the bridge to demarcate what part of the river was China and North Korea. As I wandered along the coast, I saw North Korean guards (just a few) patrolling the other side. I wondered at times what they were thinking, seeing, wishing. Were they relatives of mine? Were their families starving? Were they true believers of the Great Leader or simply trying to survive day by day. I noticed the water was quite shallow and receding, so I walked closely along the water. At one point, I even noticed that I had actually crossed into North Korean water, according to the line painted on the bridge.

Here I was, symbolically and literally, in North Korea. A dream of my fathers for the past 55 years since he left in 1951 during the Korean War. It was an odd feeling to be there. To see the poverty, the pollution, the isolation, the abandoned buildings, the absence of life. Was this the Korea of my father's memories and dreams? Was this the place from which I was from? Are my forefathers and mothers calling me from their graves in the town of Sariwon?

In today's New York Times, there is a lead article on North Korean refugees who are fleeing across this river. I also heard an interview on NPR the other day about LINK which is an organization advocating on behalf of the human rights of the people of North Korea.

In the midst of the fears of a rising nuclear crisis in North Korea, it's these people who are lost in the discussion. It is their lives that are hurting the most.

Don't Kiss on American Airlines (aka Heterosexual Airlines)

Just read this New Yorker story about an incident on an American Airlines flight. No, it had nothing to do with the war on terrorism, except if you include homosexuality as a form of terrorism.

Shortly after takeoff, Varnier nodded off, leaning his head on Tsikhiseli. A stewardess came over to their row. “The purser wants you to stop that,� she said. “I opened my eyes and was, like, ‘Stop what?’ � Varnier recalled the other day. “The touching and the kissing,� the stewardess said, before walking away....

...The captain told Tsikhiseli that if they didn’t stop arguing with the crew he would indeed divert the plane. “I want you to go back to your seat and behave the rest of the flight, and we’ll see you in New York,� he said.

What is so strikingly wrong about this incident is both the discrimination against gay men showing public affection and the use of anti-terrorism tactics to silence the protest against discrimination. It really eats me up.

Minneapolis may be the hub to Northworst Airlines, but I am glad (in this instance) to not have to fly American. Maybe they need to change their airline to Heterosexual Airlines.

Tokyo Rose - A Lesson to Still Learn