The Importance of Being Earnestly Asian and American: Does It Matter?

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Session Type: Workshop

Session Capacity: N/A

Hotel: N/A

Room: Franciscan C

Floor: Ballroom Level

In this workshop we will explore our identities as Asian clinical law faculty in the academy. As we get together for the first time in person after years of literal isolation and of rampant pandemic-related racism, this session is an opportunity to find support and community in the clinic diaspora. We will reflect on how our Asian identities affect our teaching and how we experience equity, inclusion, racism, and otherness. We define Asia broadly to include Central Asia, Western Asia (Middle East), Southern Asia, Southeast Asia, and East Asia. Participants are invited to share their ancestry/migration stories. We will also discuss our professional identities and experiences at our institutions as they relate to being Asian. We conclude with group discussion of whether and how our identities as Asian clinical faculty is important. Who is Asian? What does it mean to be Asian American? Do our commonalities constitute cultural or political groups? Does immigrant status or generational identity make a difference in embracing or rejecting assimilation? How does alleged privilege among Asian identities affect our desire or ability to build coalition? We planned this workshop to be a supportive community experience and an opportunity to try to make sense of our self-selection into law and clinical law teaching. We hope to emerge stronger and with more information about our support systems. We trust that folks come ready to participate and learn from each other. We will post material on the conference website that we suggest attendees read prior to our workshop. We regret that the conference schedule creates a competition among Saturday afternoon workshops that is beyond our control. In particular, we regret that this workshop is scheduled at the same time as the Clinicians of Color workshop. With workshops scheduled concurrently, attendees will have to choose among several worthwhile programs.