I am very glad I took this class. I was able to learn more about my Chinese heritage and have gained a greater awareness of the different cultures surrounding me today. I had very little knowledge of the Asian presence in history, I knew that the Chinese had laundry businesses and took little jobs to survive, but I did not know about the extent of the hatred towards Asians in general. I have always known the typical history of America of how the pilgrims settled here, how Lewis and Clarke fought across the country, and abolition of slavery. Asian American Lit has shown me that Asians, too, play a huge role in the founding of America today. I now have a greater sense of respect for my grandparents and the courage they had to come to America, but it breaks my heart to see how terrible Asians in general were treated. Very slowly, the squeaky-clean American reputation and history I saw as a kid is becoming fading as I grow older. As I continue to learn, I come to the understanding that perhaps the US is not the be-all, end-all. We are as human as everyone else, and struggle with things like racism, slavery, violence and discrimination. I still love America, but I recognize it has to be taken for all that it is, and some parts are not pretty.
I also think I've gained a greater sensitivity to hints of racism. Now, whenever I watch or read anything, I can recognize and acknowledge traces of racism and discrimination. This in turn has caused me to be more careful with my choice of words and more aware if something I saw might be taken as racist or discriminatory. I've learned great life skills and historical context, Asian Lit was a wonderful learning experience. Thanks Doug!
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