Resources During the COVID-19 Pandemic
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The closure of Brookline schools on March 13th, 2020 and then the subsequent state of emergency declared by Governor Baker on March 17th, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, up-ended life for all residents in Massachusetts.
There have been numerous reports and anecdotes of how Asians have been targeted because of the origins of the COVID-19 coronavirus. |
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Here is a video posted on the New York Times See what a Chinese American teenager and her friends are encountering during the outbreak. (click on the link below) Opinion | Coronavirus Racism Infected My High School *********** |
To provide some insight to these incidents, the BAAFN Steering Committee has compiled a list of resources below
(from Dr. Taharee Jackson in the "Let's Talk" series) along with
(from Dr. Taharee Jackson in the "Let's Talk" series) along with
- articles to help understand the history of racism in the United States
- webinars from the “Let’s Talk! Supporting Asian and Asian American Students Through COVID-19."
- a link to the Southern Poverty Law Center which provides helpful guidelines on how to handle anti-Asian racism a link to Stop AAPI Hate, and articles on how to address the surge of anti-Asian hate crimes
- readings from research for Understanding the Asian American Experience and Anti-Asian Racism
- a guide for Educators from Learning for Justice on After Atlanta: Teaching About Asian American Identity and History and a guide from the Immigrant History Initiative on Addressing Anti-Asian Racism
- a link to the Virtual Town Hall presentation held on April 3, 2020, supported by BAAFN and the Brookline Select Board, on How to Combat COVID-19 anti-Asian racism and Being An Ally to the Asian American community in Brookline and the Greater Boston area.
- a link to fact sheets on COVID-19 symptoms and COVID-19 Racism from the MGH Center for Cross Cultural Student Emotional Wellness, as well as on mental health topics related to depression, alcohol abuse and self-harm.
- a link to Katie Yue-Sum Li's (李宇心) adapted children's book and workbook entitled "What does Racism have to do with Me? Asian American kids get talking..." Scroll down for further details and access to the links
4. Readings for Understanding the Asian American Experience and Anti-Asian Racism -
Unraveling the “Model Minority” Stereotype: Listening to Asian American Youth
Author: Stacey J. Lee Publication Year: 2nd ed 2006 Full chapter 6 of second conclusion found in link below
https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/be07/77caff1d54b1681d2b6c430bd4e5f615abf2.pdf
the author's original research was done in 1989-90 in an urban East coast "American High School" ... first published in 1996 then a follow-up 20 years later with a conclusion/summary on the four groups that she identified. (1. Asian /2. Asian American/ 3. New Wavers / 4. South Asian. )
Here are 2 excerpts from this second conclusion
.......This research sits alongside more recent research that demonstrates the profound ways that school policies, practices, and cultures shape immigrant students' experiences and responses to school and their understandings of where they fit in the broader society (Conchas, 2001; Lee, 2005; Lopez, 2003; Sanoub, 2005; Suarez-Orozco & Suarez-Orozco, 2001; Valenzuela, 1999).
......Several studies suggest that when whites feel that their status is threatened, they begin to view Asian American success and achievement as negative (Fong, 1994; Newman, 1993; Takagi, 1992). Under these circumstances, Asian Americans are no longer viewed as "model minorities but are instead viewed as potential dominators. Katherine Newman's (1993) study of downward mobility among middle-class whites suggests that when whites feel that their status is threatened, they turn their anger on Asians. Thus, attitudes of whites toward Asians are directly influenced by perceptions of their own status. Fang's (1994) study of Monterey Park, California, also suggests that whites' attitudes toward Asian success can turn from positive to negative. Fong reports that the large immigrant Chinese population "changed the demographic, economic, social, cultural, and political landscape" of Monterey Park, and he asserts that one result of these changes has been an increase in anti-Asian sentiment. More recently there have been reports of white flight in Silicon Valley.
Unraveling the “Model Minority” Stereotype: Listening to Asian American Youth
Author: Stacey J. Lee Publication Year: 2nd ed 2006 Full chapter 6 of second conclusion found in link below
https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/be07/77caff1d54b1681d2b6c430bd4e5f615abf2.pdf
the author's original research was done in 1989-90 in an urban East coast "American High School" ... first published in 1996 then a follow-up 20 years later with a conclusion/summary on the four groups that she identified. (1. Asian /2. Asian American/ 3. New Wavers / 4. South Asian. )
Here are 2 excerpts from this second conclusion
.......This research sits alongside more recent research that demonstrates the profound ways that school policies, practices, and cultures shape immigrant students' experiences and responses to school and their understandings of where they fit in the broader society (Conchas, 2001; Lee, 2005; Lopez, 2003; Sanoub, 2005; Suarez-Orozco & Suarez-Orozco, 2001; Valenzuela, 1999).
......Several studies suggest that when whites feel that their status is threatened, they begin to view Asian American success and achievement as negative (Fong, 1994; Newman, 1993; Takagi, 1992). Under these circumstances, Asian Americans are no longer viewed as "model minorities but are instead viewed as potential dominators. Katherine Newman's (1993) study of downward mobility among middle-class whites suggests that when whites feel that their status is threatened, they turn their anger on Asians. Thus, attitudes of whites toward Asians are directly influenced by perceptions of their own status. Fang's (1994) study of Monterey Park, California, also suggests that whites' attitudes toward Asian success can turn from positive to negative. Fong reports that the large immigrant Chinese population "changed the demographic, economic, social, cultural, and political landscape" of Monterey Park, and he asserts that one result of these changes has been an increase in anti-Asian sentiment. More recently there have been reports of white flight in Silicon Valley.
5. Guides for Educators
a. from Learning for Justice which works with educators, schools, students and communities, to uphold the mission of the Southern Poverty Law Center: to be a catalyst for racial justice in the South and beyond, working in partnership with communities to dismantle white supremacy, strengthen intersectional movements and advance the human rights of all people.
click here to get the guide for
After Atlanta: Teaching About Asian American Identity and History
b. from the Immigrant History Initiative for Addressing Anti-Asian Racism
https://www.immigranthistory.org/empathy.html
The Immigrant History Initiative has provided this free guide in PDF
[link to https://www.immigranthistory.org/uploads/1/2/9/4/129459116/restorative_justice_v.2__1_.pdf]
for the use of high school and middle school educators.
The Immigrant History Initiative states:
"This free resource utilizes restorative justice dialogue circles to reflect on and discuss the causes of anti-Asian racism, which has sharply increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. As schools prepare to reopen, students will likely be exposed to toxic anti-Asian racism, which can create harmful learning environments. This facilitation guide, developed in partnership with guest contributor and educator Sarah Appelbaum, uses restorative justice principles to foster empathy among students and other community members during difficult times.
"the guide contains the following materials:
a. from Learning for Justice which works with educators, schools, students and communities, to uphold the mission of the Southern Poverty Law Center: to be a catalyst for racial justice in the South and beyond, working in partnership with communities to dismantle white supremacy, strengthen intersectional movements and advance the human rights of all people.
click here to get the guide for
After Atlanta: Teaching About Asian American Identity and History
b. from the Immigrant History Initiative for Addressing Anti-Asian Racism
https://www.immigranthistory.org/empathy.html
The Immigrant History Initiative has provided this free guide in PDF
[link to https://www.immigranthistory.org/uploads/1/2/9/4/129459116/restorative_justice_v.2__1_.pdf]
for the use of high school and middle school educators.
The Immigrant History Initiative states:
"This free resource utilizes restorative justice dialogue circles to reflect on and discuss the causes of anti-Asian racism, which has sharply increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. As schools prepare to reopen, students will likely be exposed to toxic anti-Asian racism, which can create harmful learning environments. This facilitation guide, developed in partnership with guest contributor and educator Sarah Appelbaum, uses restorative justice principles to foster empathy among students and other community members during difficult times.
"the guide contains the following materials:
- A comprehensive facilitation agenda with tips on how to adapt the dialogue circle to remote learning settings
- Student worksheets to guide engagement before and after the dialogue circle
- A vocabulary word bank
- Reading materials at different lexile levels to accommodate a wide range of student ability "
6. The Virtual Town Hall presentation held on April 3, 2020 on "How to Combat COVID-19 related anti-Asian racism and Being An Ally to the Asian American community in Brookline and the greater Boston area" may be viewed by clicking on the link at the end of this page.*
The presentation features:
The presentation features:
- Professor Andrew Leong of U. Mass Boston
- Dr. Raul Fernandez, Brookline Select Board member
- Dr. Chris Chanyasulkit, BAAFN Steering Committee member
- Caitlin Starr, Assistant Director in the Brookline Office of Diversity, Inclusion and Community Relations and
- Tommy Vitolo, Massachusetts State Representative
- *To view the recording on the Brookline Interactive Group (BIG) website, go to this link [https://brooklineinteractive.org/supporting-our-asian-community-april-3-2020/]
7. The MGH Center for Cross Cultural Student Emotional Wellness has developed fact sheets with topics related specifically to Asian American mental health. *** The Link is found below.
These COVID 19 fact sheets were developed with contributions from volunteers all around the country.
Both COVID-19 fact sheets are available in English, Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Vietnamese.
- COVID-19 and Mental Health Infographic which has information on the Coronavirus, its symptoms, and safety measures to keep everyone healthy.
- COVID-19 and Racism which addresses the xenophobia and acts of racism that have increased dramatically since the pandemic started.
Additional fact sheets are available on the following topics:
- Depression for Asian American students
- Alcohol abuse disorder in Asian Americans
- and Suicide and Self Harm in Asian Americans.
***Click RESOURCES to view and download the fact sheets
These COVID 19 fact sheets were developed with contributions from volunteers all around the country.
Both COVID-19 fact sheets are available in English, Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Vietnamese.
- COVID-19 and Mental Health Infographic which has information on the Coronavirus, its symptoms, and safety measures to keep everyone healthy.
- COVID-19 and Racism which addresses the xenophobia and acts of racism that have increased dramatically since the pandemic started.
Additional fact sheets are available on the following topics:
- Depression for Asian American students
- Alcohol abuse disorder in Asian Americans
- and Suicide and Self Harm in Asian Americans.
***Click RESOURCES to view and download the fact sheets
8. Katie Yue-Sum Li 李宇心 is the full-time Ethnic Studies Coach and Coordinator of the Boston Public Schools. She was formerly a high school teacher and instructional coach in the Boston Public Schools.
She co-wrote a pilot curriculum for Ethnic Studies in Boston Public Schools and is training teachers to integrate the pedagogy, concepts and frameworks of Ethnic Studies into their classrooms
Click on the link below to view the book and listen to Katie Yue Sum Li narrate her adapted children's book entitled:
She co-wrote a pilot curriculum for Ethnic Studies in Boston Public Schools and is training teachers to integrate the pedagogy, concepts and frameworks of Ethnic Studies into their classrooms
Click on the link below to view the book and listen to Katie Yue Sum Li narrate her adapted children's book entitled:
- What does Racism have to do with Me? Asian American kids get talking...
- Click on the link below to access the accompanying workbook to this adaptation to help teachers/families talk to their Asian American kids about race and racism. What does racism have to do with me? Asian American kids get talking... (workbook)
