ABSTRACT
The following critical autoethnography of my experiences as an Asian American, cisgender male faculty member at a Predominantly White Institution (PWI). I used AsianCrit as it draws from critical race theory (CRT) to center the experiences of Asians and Asian Americans with race and racism. AsianCrit validates my experiences with race and racism that permeate work responsibilities and interactions at a PWI. I understand that I am “afforded” some privileges as a member of the so-called “model minority” (Hartlep & Porfilio, 2015) and viewed as “problem-free” (Suzuki, 2002). Yet, AsianCrit scholars have argued that Asian Americans in higher education have been maligned due to stereotypes as achievers (Teranishi, Behringer, Grey, & Parker 2009). CRT posits that the model minority myth is used to situate Asians in the larger system of oppression (Delgado & Stefancic, 2017). The model minority myth is a tool used by the dominant group by which to maintain oppression and deny the existence of racism (Museus & Kiang, 2009). The false argument is made that racism cannot exist alongside Asians’ myriad of successes in U.S. society. In fact, Asians and Asian Americans are systematically denied entry into the highest levels of the social hierarchy, particularly in leadership positions (Suzuki, 2002). My scholarly work verifies that Asian faculty must constantly combat oppressive forces in the quest for equitable outcomes for intersectional people of color (IPOC) (Delgado & Stefancic, 2017).
