Michelle Wang-Aoki and Deporting Cambodian Refugees: Youth Activism, State Reform and Imperial Statecrafts Blog

Aoki Film

The film Aoki discusses the Asian American activism challenges the dominant mainstream and is resistance toward authority. The Asian American activism was led by the leader, Aoki, was born to parents who experienced brutality during the Japanese internment camps and anti-Japanese racism. Aoki grew up in Oakland and was surrounded in a neighborhood with gangs. Moreover, Aoki was an early member of the Black Panther and was inspired by many grassroots organizations. The Asian American Pacific Islander (API) Movement, three months strike at UC Berkeley, that Aoki and many API activists participated was resistance toward authority and advocates for human rights. In the end, this movement encompasses the Pan-Asian group and focuses on coalition building. Aoki and the API activists’ work connect back to the Laotian women’s activism toward environmental justice working together to address disparities but also focusing on solidarity and coalition building. The API Movement was not only a march for the API community but was a movement for POC (people for color) focuses on solidarity. In the end, Aoki and many API activists’ work challenges the stereotypes toward Asian Americans “Asian Americans excel in STEM” “Asian Americans are reserved and lack interests toward governmental affairs”  as there are many Asian Americans striving to make better changes in working with communities.

Deporting Cambodian Refugees: Youth Activism, State Reform and Imperial Statecrafts

In “Deporting Cambodian Refugees: Youth Activism, State Reform and Imperial Statecrafts” Soo discusses that Boran was a Cambodian refugee who fled the Cambodian genocide to the United States” (737). This goes back to notions of citizenship and how immigration relates to the concept of neoliberal capitalist state. Because the United States is a hegemonic force, it is also a neoliberal capitalist state that focuses on morals that can benefit the dominant mainstream as this can oppress unworthy citizens, immigrants, people of color, and refugees. Even though many Cambodian American refugees receive assistance from the United States government, the community is still at risk and treated as second class citizens with limited opportunities. Even though the Cambodian American community is at risk, it is powerful that the AYPAL pan-ethnic Asian Pacific Islander coalition empowers the youth to learn about social justice issues. Many AYPAL youth learned about the struggles and risks that their community encounters. This can create a bridge for activism and more changes to thrive as the younger generation continues to advocate for better changes in their communities.  The work that the AYPAL youth does relates back to the Laotian young women’s activism as this highlights the activism of Asian American youths and continues to challenge the stereotypes that “Asian Americans excel in STEM.”

Question: Growing up, did you participate in youth empowerment organization groups? If not, did you believe there a space that allowed for reflection on the barriers that your community encounters?