We celebrate Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage (AAPI) Month in May. AAPI Heritage Month recognizes how integral this community has been in the U.S. It is also a necessary time to acknowledge the challenges they face. In particular, the idea of the “model minority” harms the AAPI community as they navigate and launch their careers. The term “model minority” is described by Asian Americans in the Law by Harvard Law School as a “minority group perceived as particularly successful, especially in a manner that contrasts with other minority groups.” This creates various challenges for the AAPI community in the workplace.
Dave Liu from AsAmNews, provides career advice on how the AAPI community can find ways to overcome the model minority myth in the workplace, the importance of finding mentors, and how to create more opportunities for advancement in the corporate world. Read the following article for these tips.
Janice Omadeke, in the Harvard Business Review, shares her personal experiences navigating the negative repercussions of the model minority myth and shares her insights, including:
- Finding the courage to be authentically seen
- Seeking out companies with a proven track record of promoting underrepresented professionals
- Building yourself a support system
- Having a game plan for addressing bias
Read more about her insights here.
For programs, services, and resources that support students who identify as Asian, Pacific Islander, and Desi American, we encourage you to explore the following:
- Asian Pacific American Student Services (APASS)
- Resources provided by the USC Asian Pacific Islander Faculty and Staff Association
- Asian Pacific American Alumni Association
