In the late 19th century, Asians were seen as foreigners who were called the "yellow peril" by Americans because they were seen "as perpetual foreigners who threatened the U.S. economy, society, and nation" (Tzu-Chun Wu, 2017, p. 1). Eventually, the model minority myth was coined and referenced as "Asians comprise the…

This piece will be walking, writing, meditating in in-between spaces with me. I call this act "queer walking meditation," which blended autohistoria, the Coatlicue State, and meditation to examine my own queer self. This queer walking meditation helps me move between stories, initiates dialogues with a self, recognizes my self's…

In elementary classrooms, teaching immigration often begins and ends at Ellis Island--without discussions of racist migration policies or engagement with current issues. Although contemporary immigration is rarely discussed with elementary students, the number of young people from immigrant and/or refugee backgrounds in the U.S. continues to rise.…

Historically, Asians have been defined by a range of negative and positive images that include the coolie, the deviant, the yellow peril, and the model minority. However, the negative images have been slowly and robustly replaced with ones that portray Asian Americans as high achievers, smart, and a model--especially when compared to other…

Adequately preparing youth to enter the civic spheres of adulthood has emerged as an issue of concern in recent years due to widening civic empowerment gaps that track along race and class lines. Drawing on an ethnographic study of Homeward Bound (pseudonym), a program for Vietnamese youth in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, we show how immigrant youth…

Asian Americans are often stereotyped as the "model minority." Their sizeable presence at elite universities and high household incomes have helped construct the narrative of Asian American "exceptionalism." While many scholars and activists characterize this as a myth, pundits claim that Asian Americans' educational attainment…

This case centers on a Vietnamese language and culture program situated within an urban context. It illustrates how sociohistorical and geopolitical contexts interplay in understanding relations within schools as well as school-community relations. A new ethnoburb creates both opportunities and challenges for the Vietnamese community related to…

The main goal of this mixed-methods study was to examine the perceived effectiveness of a brief, community-based parenting intervention for Vietnamese American immigrant parents. A key component of the intervention involved participants listening to Vietnamese American adolescents' discussions about their relationships with their parents utilizing…

Teaching is a highly personal endeavor shaped by "funds of knowledge" and beliefs about teaching, learning, and students. This case study examines how one Asian immigrant teacher's personal expectations and beliefs influenced his expectations of students and the teaching and instructional strategies he employed. His expectations of students'…

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a serious global public health issue. At least one in three women worldwide has been beaten, coerced into sex, or otherwise abused during her lifetime. According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, more than three women in the United States die every day from physical abuse suffered at the hands of an intimate…

Intergenerational cultural dissonance (ICD)--a clash between parents and children over cultural values--is a frequent issue for Asian American youth. Using longitudinal data from the Cross Cultural Families Project, this study examines the mechanisms by which ICD contributes to problem behaviors, including whether ICD predicts parent-child…

We investigate the factors that influence adolescent self-assessed health, based upon surveys conducted between 2000 and 2004 of high-school seniors in Washington State (N = 6853). A large proportion of the sample (30%) was first and second generation immigrants from Asia, Latin America, and Eastern Europe. Findings include a robust negative…

This article argues that Vietnamese Americans face unique challenges in becoming U.S. educators. To understand the experiences of five preservice Vietnamese American teachers, it examines the similarities and within-group differences in perspectives on teaching and in adaptation strategies of their practicum activities at a California university.…

This article explores the various ways in which recent Vietnamese immigrant students form cultural and gender identities as they transition to U.S. schooling. Using data from a 2-year qualitative study that tracked the social and academic adjustment processes of recent Vietnamese immigrant youth, this article examines the tensions that students…

Investigated relationships among premigration stresses, nightmares, acculturation stresses, personal efficacy and depression in 147 adult Vietnamese Americans. Found that premigration stresses, nightmares, and acculturation stresses had significant indirect effects on depression. Acculturation stresses diminished personal efficacy, and weakness of…