Unpacking The Asian-American “Model Minority” Stereotype

BEIJING, CHINA - FEBRUARY 17: (CHINA OUT) Members of a family toast during New Year's Eve dinner at a resident's home on February 17, 2007 in Beijing, China. The Chinese lunar New Year, or the Spring Festival, falls on February 18. (Photo by China Photos/Getty Images)

BEIJING, CHINA - FEBRUARY 17: (CHINA OUT) Members of a family toast during New Year's Eve dinner at a resident's home on February 17, 2007 in Beijing, China. The Chinese lunar New Year, or the Spring Festival, falls on February 18. (Photo by China Photos/Getty Images)March 26, 2014 – Segment 4

We examine the stereotype of Asians as a “Model Minority” that outperforms other minorities. Our guests are: Imara Jones, who wrote an article for Colorlines titled “The Economic Truth About the ‘Model Minority;'” Sine Hwang Jensen, a member of Baltimore Racial Justice Action and member of Moonroot Collective; and Suey Park, writer and activist based in Chicago who created the hashtag #NotYourAsianSidekick on Twitter.

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