Not a Monolith; Not Then, Not Now

A challenge the Asian-American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) community perennially struggles with when interacting with people who are not from this diaspora is the assumption that we are a monolith. This is not unique to the AANHPI community; almost every non-white community faces this issue. 

A cultural monolith refers to the perception or characterization of an entire group as being homogeneous or uniform in terms of culture, beliefs, or behavior, disregarding the diversity and individuality within that group. This term implies an oversimplification or stereotype about the members of that group.

Within the AANHPI diaspora, many incorrect generalizations and assumptions are often based on the physical appearance of individuals.

For example:

• If you have brown skin, dark hair, and “look Indian” you must be from India
• If you have dark hair, pale skin, and East Asian features, you must be Chinese
• If you have tan skin, are tall, and have Polynesian features, you must be Hawaiian

The beauty of a diaspora

The AANHPI diaspora is beautifully large and diverse. Casting these broad stereotypes and assumptions not only demeans the receiver of these limited understandings, but the person with the limited understanding is also cut off from a beautiful diaspora of culture, language, art, history, knowledge, and people. The United States Census Bureau alone tracks 24 different groups of people who are part of the AANHPI diaspora.

Imagine that. You have 24 different groups of people to learn about. Within those groups, you have regional cultures and even more to learn about. It is a cultural treasure trove, full of knowledge, history, perspective, and cultural competency, just waiting for you.

The gift of learning

When you embrace this beautiful cultural diversity, there is much awaiting you. Not only are you benefiting from understanding the lived experiences of those who are unlike you, but you also grant yourself the gift of:

• Dismantling unhelpful stereotypes proliferated in the media.
• The opportunity to be exposed to new ideas and ways of thinking.
• Developing a greater understanding of ways to become an effective ally to these communities.
• Learning how to interrupt the unhelpful implicit biases you or others may have about these communities.

Deciding to develop these gifts will always be a worthwhile investment, because it expands your community, helps evolve the way you think, and adds color and dynamism to your world. 

Ways to learn

One well-intentioned but common error I see people attempting to learn more about different cultural diasporas is treating their friends, colleagues, and acquaintances who are members of that diaspora like they are on a “60 Minutes” interview.

In reality, months of inclusion, like May for AANHPI Heritage Month are quite literally designed for you to immerse yourself in learning and inquiry! Organizations typically create programming to support and recognize the month by engaging external speakers, amplifying their internal employees from the diaspora, and highlighting cultural traditions from across the diaspora to celebrate. 

If your organization is not engaged in those activities or you are not committed to an organization right now, consider seeking opportunities in your city, neighboring towns, local libraries, or even on social media. Usually, you will find many opportunities to engage within your community, which is my favorite way to learn and teach my children simultaneously.

And speaking of children…it’s never too early to start their cultural competency building. Offering intentionally diverse books highlighting different cultures and traditions is a non-verbal way to signal to them that you value different perspectives, and lived experiences, and would like them to develop that value as well. You can take me out of the classroom, but you can’t take the teacher out of me. 😉

Here is a list curated by the Seattle Public Library, with over 80 pages of books to get you started.

I can't wait to hear all about your journey as you dive into this beautifully diverse diaspora. Happy exploring, friend.

Rising Leaders is Enrolling!

After early inquiries about the third cohort, we've decided to open up enrollment early. The third cohort of Rising Leaders will be taking off on the week of August 12!

If you're interested in learning more about the program, would like to chat about the curriculum, or want to enroll, DM me!

I can't wait to welcome a new group of Rising Leaders into our community. It's bound to be another amazing chapter. Let's go! 🎉