It Is Time to Include AANHPIs In Museum Diversity, Equity, Accessibility, and Inclusion Efforts (AAM)

April 21, 2021

By Edward Tepporn
Over the past year, we have all witnessed the increasing acts of hate and violence against Asian Americans, particularly against women and the elderly. Some have tried to cast these incidents as a new trend. Yet, for those of us who identify as part of the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) diaspora, we are quite familiar with the longstanding discrimination and violence experienced by our communities, as well as the ongoing marginalization and invisibility that has often kept our communities relegated to the edges of diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion (DEAI) efforts. While it has been lovely to see a sea of #StopAsianHate on my social media feeds, I wonder how much true commitment there is for the difficult work in the coming weeks, months, and years. I don’t expect anti-Asian hate to disappear overnight when it has existed for generations. I also recognize that the efforts against racism and xenophobia experienced by Asian and immigrant communities must occur in mutual solidarity with efforts to address systemic racism experienced by Black, Indigenous, and other racial/ethnic communities and marginalized communities. (read more…)