Graphic by Yujin Kim/The Choate News
Anti-Asian hate crimes have increased almost 150% in major U.S. cities this past year, according to The New York Times. In response to this dramatic surge and the March 26 shooting, where eight people, including six Asian-American women, were killed, Choate planned an Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) Support Week. Spanning from April 12 and April 15, this week was full of joint club meetings that celebrated AAPI culture and educated the rest of the School community on how to better support each other.
The AAPI Support Week opened with a meeting on the social oppression of AAPI, hosted by Choate Diversity Student Association (CDSA) and Mixed Heritage Association (MHA).
The event was an opportunity for the community to learn about heavy topics such as prostitution, exoticism, and Asian fetishization — issues that are usually left out of everyday conversations. “As a part of the AAPI community, I wanted to learn more about unfamiliar topics, open up about my personal stories, and unite with others that share similar experiences,” said attendee Jasmine Khuu ’24. “It was a rewarding experience, but I wish we covered a broader range of topics.”
On Tuesday, April 13, a meeting was hosted by Choate Korea Friendship Association (CKFA), in collaboration with Students Advocating Gender Equality (SAGE), Choate for Women (C4W), and the Body Project. The hour-long talk centered on beauty standards and the role of feminism in East Asian countries.
Claire Hong ’22, the leading facilitator, hoped that participants would take away something important from the discussion. “I knew not everyone would feel comfortable speaking on this topic, so I definitely did not expect everyone to participate verbally,” she said. However, she was happety to see that many participants turned their cameras on and opened up about their personal experiences.
On April 14, Choate South Asian Association (CSAA) partnered with Listen Up and Art Club to host a discussion on Asian art, music, and culture.
Rebecca Denhart ’23, President of the Art Club, emphasized the importance of appreciating the beauty of Asian culture amid the recent surge of anti-Asian hate crimes. “Although I think it is incredibly important to have difficult conversations surrounding the current events,” Denhart said, “I was happy to have a lighthearted meeting focused on celebrating, honoring, and sharing Asian art.”
Emily Son ’23, an Art Club cabinet member, said that the discussion helped her consider inequalities in the music and art industry she’d never noticed. For example, the group discussed how the band BTS is often referred to as a K-pop boy group rather than just as a band or group of artists. “We mentioned how they are simply artists to Koreans and should not be labeled by their nationality,” she said.
AAPI Support Week concluded on Thursday, April 15, with a discussion of Asian representation in American politics. The meeting was hosted by the Asian Student Association (ASA), Young Democrats, and Young Republicans.
“We discussed ways in which we can increase AAPI representation in politics and what both parties can do to address the recent uptick in anti-Asian violence,” said Hugo Chung ’22, Executive Officer of Young Democrats. “I think it’s very important for us to show that support for the AAPI community is a truly bipartisan issue and that as a community, Choate stands completely in solidarity with it.”
“Holding these meetings where people can not only share their experiences but also learn from others is essential to everyone’s growth as a person, whether you identify as an AAPI or not,” Hong said.
