With attacks on Asian and Asian Americans increasing across the country, the Levine Center to End Hate was proud to partner with Monroe Community College’s Department of Global Education & International Services to present a three-part series over the course of three Sundays in the spring of 2021. They explored the Asian and Asian American communities of Greater Rochester, the history of racism and xenophobia aimed at Asian and Asian Americans in our country, and ways we can work together to support our Asian and Asian American neighbors.
“Associating Chinese or Asian Americans with the Chinese government is a way of denying that they actually live in the United States. These kind of stereotypes are not only discriminatory but they lead to these ideas of who does or does not 'belong' to the United States and what do Americans look like. That pathway takes us toward white supremacy.”
— Pilapa Esara Carroll
Asian in Rochester
SESSION ONE
MARCH 21, 2021
Asian in Rochester
Our introductory session examined the diversity of Asian and Asian American communities in Greater Rochester, and the impacts of racism and xenophobia historically and more recently with the COVID-19 pandemic.
Pilapa Esara Carroll
Natasha Chen Christensen
Christina Lee
SESSION TWO
APRIL 11, 2021
Asian in Perspective
Three Asian Americans from different sectors of Greater Rochester come together to talk about common misperceptions of Asian Americans and the negative effect they have on the Asian American community.
Hanna PK
Smriti Jacob
Frank Keophetlasy
Samiha Islam
Asian in Action
Local Asian American change-makers round out the final session of our series. Their activism on behalf of refugees, the LGBTQ+ community, and others breaks down divisions that can become a source of hate.
Joshua Wu
Jeremy Tjhung
Soe Win
Tiana Stephens