Workshop Descriptions
Workshop Block A: Saturday 10:45-11:45a
An Asian American Feminist Manifesto: Asian American Women Heads of Schools Embodying Culturally Responsive School Leadership - Lilia Cai (Room H209)
In this workshop, Dr. Lilia Cai will discuss aspects of her dissertation that intersect Asian American feminism with culturally responsive school leadership. Grounded in intersectionality theory, her study describes characteristics of culturally responsive school leadership based on Khalifa(2019)'s framework, how epistemologies influence leadership practice, and how these Asian American women heads of schools negotiate the transactional nature of independent schools to harness the transformational power of educational leadership. Her findings challenge the prevalent neoliberal and representational politics to reveal that Asian American women, despite not being associated with leadership historically, can play a significant role in countering the continuing contexts of oppression embedded in the education system and reimagine schools into spaces of radical possibilities for the future.
The "White Adjacent" South Asian Shapeshifter-Dealing with Dangerous Labels - Geetha Holdsworth (Room H210)
In this interactive workshop, participants will engage with research and personal experience to explore how labels such as "white adjacent" can prove to be divisive, demoralizing and sources of confusion. Moreover, that this supposed ability for APISA school staff and faculty to "shape shift" to meet diversity numbers while maintaining some semblance of "whiteness" is for the comfort of white staff and faculty, not for BIPOC colleagues. Participants will find ways to develop or strengthen their resilience, and direct and indirect responses in these situations to tackle feelings of confusion and gain a sense of belonging.
"Funny" Texts: Teaching Literature to Queer the Asian Diaspora - Debby Katz (Room H211)
Even as we successfully include more AAPI voices in our humanities curricula, we must be mindful of intersectionality to avoid centering heteronormativity in the so-called “Asian experience.” Introducing participants to writers like Shyam Selvadurai, Fatimah Asghar, and Ocean Vuong, who demonstrate the complexity of queer Asian identities, this workshop will empower teachers to incorporate queer Asian voices into their classes and explore the connections between sexual, gender, racial, and ethnic identities and religious affinity, socio-economic status, and national belonging. The workshop will help us offer our students a deeper understanding and appreciation of the diversity of Asian American literature and identity, as well as the tools they need to translate these classroom conversations into meaningful advocacy for inclusion and change in our schools and communities.
Multiracial Asians: Hyping the Hyphen - Jolina Kitaji Clement (Room H212)
Though incredibly difficult to categorize, the multiracial population in the US is growing rapidly with mixed-race Asians outpacing the rest. Though a broad category within a broad category, multiracial Asians come with unique challenges and perspectives that merit consideration. Consider/discuss questions like: How we can support our multicultural Asian students and colleagues? What does the Model Minority Myth mean if you aren’t “full” Asian? Why is the term “hapa” problematic? What role can multiracial Asians play in advocating for other marginalized groups? How can we be sure to include multiracial Asians in the broader Asian and Asian American school communities?
An Asian American Feminist Manifesto: Asian American Women Heads of Schools Embodying Culturally Responsive School Leadership - Lilia Cai (Room H209)
In this workshop, Dr. Lilia Cai will discuss aspects of her dissertation that intersect Asian American feminism with culturally responsive school leadership. Grounded in intersectionality theory, her study describes characteristics of culturally responsive school leadership based on Khalifa(2019)'s framework, how epistemologies influence leadership practice, and how these Asian American women heads of schools negotiate the transactional nature of independent schools to harness the transformational power of educational leadership. Her findings challenge the prevalent neoliberal and representational politics to reveal that Asian American women, despite not being associated with leadership historically, can play a significant role in countering the continuing contexts of oppression embedded in the education system and reimagine schools into spaces of radical possibilities for the future.
The "White Adjacent" South Asian Shapeshifter-Dealing with Dangerous Labels - Geetha Holdsworth (Room H210)
In this interactive workshop, participants will engage with research and personal experience to explore how labels such as "white adjacent" can prove to be divisive, demoralizing and sources of confusion. Moreover, that this supposed ability for APISA school staff and faculty to "shape shift" to meet diversity numbers while maintaining some semblance of "whiteness" is for the comfort of white staff and faculty, not for BIPOC colleagues. Participants will find ways to develop or strengthen their resilience, and direct and indirect responses in these situations to tackle feelings of confusion and gain a sense of belonging.
"Funny" Texts: Teaching Literature to Queer the Asian Diaspora - Debby Katz (Room H211)
Even as we successfully include more AAPI voices in our humanities curricula, we must be mindful of intersectionality to avoid centering heteronormativity in the so-called “Asian experience.” Introducing participants to writers like Shyam Selvadurai, Fatimah Asghar, and Ocean Vuong, who demonstrate the complexity of queer Asian identities, this workshop will empower teachers to incorporate queer Asian voices into their classes and explore the connections between sexual, gender, racial, and ethnic identities and religious affinity, socio-economic status, and national belonging. The workshop will help us offer our students a deeper understanding and appreciation of the diversity of Asian American literature and identity, as well as the tools they need to translate these classroom conversations into meaningful advocacy for inclusion and change in our schools and communities.
Multiracial Asians: Hyping the Hyphen - Jolina Kitaji Clement (Room H212)
Though incredibly difficult to categorize, the multiracial population in the US is growing rapidly with mixed-race Asians outpacing the rest. Though a broad category within a broad category, multiracial Asians come with unique challenges and perspectives that merit consideration. Consider/discuss questions like: How we can support our multicultural Asian students and colleagues? What does the Model Minority Myth mean if you aren’t “full” Asian? Why is the term “hapa” problematic? What role can multiracial Asians play in advocating for other marginalized groups? How can we be sure to include multiracial Asians in the broader Asian and Asian American school communities?
Workshop Block B: Saturday 1:00-2:00p
The Role and Responsibility of Asian American Educators in 2022 - Chia-Chee Chiu, Ricco Siasoco, & Kavan Yee (Room H209)
“What does it mean to be an Asian American Educator in 2022?” During this workshop, a panel of three school leaders will facilitate a collective brainstorm intended to more clearly define the foundation of contemporary Asian American identity within an independent school context, reflect upon the role and responsibility of Asian American leaders toward Asian American students, and discuss strategies to elevate the presence of Asian Americans within our respective schools.
South Asian Americans’ Identity Journeys to Becoming Critically Conscious Educators - Radhika Khandelwal (Room H210)
Typical identity stereotypes for South Asian Americans, such as the model minority myth, do not convincingly support a trajectory into K–12 education, as South Asian Americans are not readily seen as agents for social change. In this workshop Radhika will share a summary of her dissertation, which explored how South Asian American educators’ understanding of their ethnic and racial identity interplayed with their practice as critically conscious educators for social justice. After this, she will lead participants through an interactive process utilizing Accapadi's Asian American Identity Consciousness framework to allow participants to reflect upon and identify their own journey to becoming critically conscious educators. Participants will discuss their personal histories, pivotal moments in their lives, and develop their own position statements as both Asian Americans and educators for social justice. While the workshop will set the stage by sharing powerful anecdotes and narratives of South Asian Americans, the interactive work is applicable to Asian American across ethnicities.
Return to Our Cultural Psychologies to Disrupt the White-Dominant LGBTQ+ Spaces and Narratives - Lilia Cai & Maria Graciela Alcid (Room H211)
Within the American framework of LGBTQ+ advocacy, the western models of sexuality and gender expressions are presented as “progressive, global, normative and modern,” with very little room for local, diverse, cultural-specific queer subjectivities and expressions. Non-west spaces are othered as backward and oppressed, and people of color have found it further traumatizing when trying to insert themselves into existing, white-dominant queer discourses and epistemologies. In this workshop, the co-presenters will explore two cultural frameworks and contexts of grassroots advocacy, from the Philippines and China, to deconstruct the conceptualization of the western queer agenda and to highlight the power of linguistic knowledge, collectivist values and histories of resilience towards building subversive and liberating practices for faculty and students of multiple marginalized identities at independent schools.
Representation: How we can teach our past differently to become more visible and powerful today - Niki Aggarwal (Room H212)
Part of the problem Asian Americans face is the idea that we are not "real" Americans or we are somehow less than if our family arrived in America just 1-2 generations ago. This framing can both contribute to negative stereotypes as well as prevent us from taking a stronger stand in the fight against structural racism. This workshop will address how our historical narrative, both the American narrative as well as the global one, contribute to that fallacy. We will also share ways in which we can reshape the narrative within our social studies classrooms so as to help our students (and ourselves!) understand our belonging.
The Role and Responsibility of Asian American Educators in 2022 - Chia-Chee Chiu, Ricco Siasoco, & Kavan Yee (Room H209)
“What does it mean to be an Asian American Educator in 2022?” During this workshop, a panel of three school leaders will facilitate a collective brainstorm intended to more clearly define the foundation of contemporary Asian American identity within an independent school context, reflect upon the role and responsibility of Asian American leaders toward Asian American students, and discuss strategies to elevate the presence of Asian Americans within our respective schools.
South Asian Americans’ Identity Journeys to Becoming Critically Conscious Educators - Radhika Khandelwal (Room H210)
Typical identity stereotypes for South Asian Americans, such as the model minority myth, do not convincingly support a trajectory into K–12 education, as South Asian Americans are not readily seen as agents for social change. In this workshop Radhika will share a summary of her dissertation, which explored how South Asian American educators’ understanding of their ethnic and racial identity interplayed with their practice as critically conscious educators for social justice. After this, she will lead participants through an interactive process utilizing Accapadi's Asian American Identity Consciousness framework to allow participants to reflect upon and identify their own journey to becoming critically conscious educators. Participants will discuss their personal histories, pivotal moments in their lives, and develop their own position statements as both Asian Americans and educators for social justice. While the workshop will set the stage by sharing powerful anecdotes and narratives of South Asian Americans, the interactive work is applicable to Asian American across ethnicities.
Return to Our Cultural Psychologies to Disrupt the White-Dominant LGBTQ+ Spaces and Narratives - Lilia Cai & Maria Graciela Alcid (Room H211)
Within the American framework of LGBTQ+ advocacy, the western models of sexuality and gender expressions are presented as “progressive, global, normative and modern,” with very little room for local, diverse, cultural-specific queer subjectivities and expressions. Non-west spaces are othered as backward and oppressed, and people of color have found it further traumatizing when trying to insert themselves into existing, white-dominant queer discourses and epistemologies. In this workshop, the co-presenters will explore two cultural frameworks and contexts of grassroots advocacy, from the Philippines and China, to deconstruct the conceptualization of the western queer agenda and to highlight the power of linguistic knowledge, collectivist values and histories of resilience towards building subversive and liberating practices for faculty and students of multiple marginalized identities at independent schools.
Representation: How we can teach our past differently to become more visible and powerful today - Niki Aggarwal (Room H212)
Part of the problem Asian Americans face is the idea that we are not "real" Americans or we are somehow less than if our family arrived in America just 1-2 generations ago. This framing can both contribute to negative stereotypes as well as prevent us from taking a stronger stand in the fight against structural racism. This workshop will address how our historical narrative, both the American narrative as well as the global one, contribute to that fallacy. We will also share ways in which we can reshape the narrative within our social studies classrooms so as to help our students (and ourselves!) understand our belonging.
Workshop Block C: Saturday 2:15-3:15p
Asian Spaces for Asian Faces: The Power of Regional Conferences - Aya Murata & Vivian Wu Wong (Room H209)
Launched in 2011, the Asian American Footsteps Conference was aimed directly at centering the experiences and perspectives of Asian-identifying students attending independent, secondary schools in New England. Ten conferences later, students look forward to this series of empowering workshops, networking opportunities and a keynote address. The bedrock of AAFC sits on these goals: Inspire youth to embrace their identity and culture; Educate students through stimulating workshops and speakers; Connect and foster a community within the independent school network to share ideas and experiences; Affirm experiences of Asian, Asian American, and mixed-heritage Asian students. Come learn about our journey from panelists who have served as conference organizers and hosts and how you and your school can build regional connections for your Asian-identifying student community.
The Blind Spot in Counseling South Asian Students Through the College Admissions Process - Radha Mishra & Sumana Moudgal (Room H210)
South Asian students are often misunderstood in their ability to navigate the college application process. Especially when the parents hold graduate degrees and work white collar jobs. This workshop will discuss how South Asian students can often fall through the cracks as a result of stereotypical assumptions about their ability to navigate the secondary and post-secondary landscape. Identify misconceptions in understanding the South Asian community for yourself. Learn to identify gaps in knowledge and to identify the supports that these families need, but cannot identify for themselves. Emerge knowing how to best support South Asian students to emerge successful through the college application process and beyond.
We Are Not Monoliths: From Essentialism to Panethnicity - Ricco Siasoco (Room H211)
In this workshop, we center an essential question of Asian America: Is this racial category of "Asian American" still viable in 2022? For American-born and Asians in the U.S., a monolithic racial identity is often in opposition to our understandings and ways of knowing. Whether recent immigrants, Asians of lower socio-economic status, or under-represented Asian countries, how is Asian racial identity development generalized? In this workshop, we will balance a brief 10-15 minute history/overview of Asian America (e.g. origins of the Asian American identity in student political uprisings in California in the 60's, glimpses of Asian racial identity development, current theory by Asian Americanists) with small group discussions of racial identity development and school roles.
Asian Spaces for Asian Faces: The Power of Regional Conferences - Aya Murata & Vivian Wu Wong (Room H209)
Launched in 2011, the Asian American Footsteps Conference was aimed directly at centering the experiences and perspectives of Asian-identifying students attending independent, secondary schools in New England. Ten conferences later, students look forward to this series of empowering workshops, networking opportunities and a keynote address. The bedrock of AAFC sits on these goals: Inspire youth to embrace their identity and culture; Educate students through stimulating workshops and speakers; Connect and foster a community within the independent school network to share ideas and experiences; Affirm experiences of Asian, Asian American, and mixed-heritage Asian students. Come learn about our journey from panelists who have served as conference organizers and hosts and how you and your school can build regional connections for your Asian-identifying student community.
The Blind Spot in Counseling South Asian Students Through the College Admissions Process - Radha Mishra & Sumana Moudgal (Room H210)
South Asian students are often misunderstood in their ability to navigate the college application process. Especially when the parents hold graduate degrees and work white collar jobs. This workshop will discuss how South Asian students can often fall through the cracks as a result of stereotypical assumptions about their ability to navigate the secondary and post-secondary landscape. Identify misconceptions in understanding the South Asian community for yourself. Learn to identify gaps in knowledge and to identify the supports that these families need, but cannot identify for themselves. Emerge knowing how to best support South Asian students to emerge successful through the college application process and beyond.
We Are Not Monoliths: From Essentialism to Panethnicity - Ricco Siasoco (Room H211)
In this workshop, we center an essential question of Asian America: Is this racial category of "Asian American" still viable in 2022? For American-born and Asians in the U.S., a monolithic racial identity is often in opposition to our understandings and ways of knowing. Whether recent immigrants, Asians of lower socio-economic status, or under-represented Asian countries, how is Asian racial identity development generalized? In this workshop, we will balance a brief 10-15 minute history/overview of Asian America (e.g. origins of the Asian American identity in student political uprisings in California in the 60's, glimpses of Asian racial identity development, current theory by Asian Americanists) with small group discussions of racial identity development and school roles.
Workshop Block D: Sunday 10:30-11:30a
Leadership Panel: How We Got Here - John Choi, Chris Chun & Joel Sohn (Room H209)
In this panel discussion, educators who have advanced to leadership positions will share stories of their leadership journeys and discuss what positioned them for each shift in their career. These leaders will discuss the skills, relationships, and experiences that set them on their pathway toward leadership. This session is designed to be reflective of the learning done throughout Saturday's workshops and answer lingering questions the audience may have about their own journey toward formal leadership roles.
Collective Traumas of Korean American Experience: Uncovering a Source of Solidarity, Dismantling Perceptions of Privilege
Susie An (Room H210)
This workshop will explore: domestic abuse, especially as represented in multiple suicide-homicides perpetrated by patriarchs of Korean American families throughout the U.S. at the turn of the 21st century; extreme physical abuse/discipline of South Korea’s own soldiers during its militarized modernity regime; sexualized, gendered violence of Japanese colonialism and contemporary sex work; and the Los Angeles riots. Thinking through our collective memories will facilitate the memorialization of our ancestors, the hope of love for our students, and the significance of the emotional, communal labor we partake in as teachers.
Reflective Conversations: Transforming Oppression and Privilege into Agency and Action - Alyson Kaneshiro (Room H211)
The harmful effects of the model minority myth on Asian Americans remain invisible if we do not examine how it operates within systems of oppression and privilege. In this workshop, we will examine the model minority myth stereotype, reflect on how we experience privilege and oppression in our daily lives, and share ideas for how to turn oppression and privilege into agency and action. This workshop incorporates the SEED (Seeking Educational Equity and Diversity) structure where participants “speak from the I” and have facilitated group conversations where all voices can be heard.
Savage Return to Power II: Centering Cognitive Liberation and Collective Healing - Maria Graciela Alcid and Reanne Young (Room H212)
As AsEA 2022 comes to a close, “how do we hold the learnings, experiences, memories, and feelings from AsEA as we return to our institutions while igniting our why?” In this liminal space, participants will continue the individual, internal work as an expression of collective solidarity by engaging with a decolonizing primer and cognitive framework, navigating thinking, feelings, and behaviors with a (re)indigenizing lens that amplifies our ancestral power. Reanne Young and Maria Graciela Alcid, will extend themes from the Savage Return to Power opening session centering our APISA wholeness and collective power.
Leadership Panel: How We Got Here - John Choi, Chris Chun & Joel Sohn (Room H209)
In this panel discussion, educators who have advanced to leadership positions will share stories of their leadership journeys and discuss what positioned them for each shift in their career. These leaders will discuss the skills, relationships, and experiences that set them on their pathway toward leadership. This session is designed to be reflective of the learning done throughout Saturday's workshops and answer lingering questions the audience may have about their own journey toward formal leadership roles.
Collective Traumas of Korean American Experience: Uncovering a Source of Solidarity, Dismantling Perceptions of Privilege
Susie An (Room H210)
This workshop will explore: domestic abuse, especially as represented in multiple suicide-homicides perpetrated by patriarchs of Korean American families throughout the U.S. at the turn of the 21st century; extreme physical abuse/discipline of South Korea’s own soldiers during its militarized modernity regime; sexualized, gendered violence of Japanese colonialism and contemporary sex work; and the Los Angeles riots. Thinking through our collective memories will facilitate the memorialization of our ancestors, the hope of love for our students, and the significance of the emotional, communal labor we partake in as teachers.
Reflective Conversations: Transforming Oppression and Privilege into Agency and Action - Alyson Kaneshiro (Room H211)
The harmful effects of the model minority myth on Asian Americans remain invisible if we do not examine how it operates within systems of oppression and privilege. In this workshop, we will examine the model minority myth stereotype, reflect on how we experience privilege and oppression in our daily lives, and share ideas for how to turn oppression and privilege into agency and action. This workshop incorporates the SEED (Seeking Educational Equity and Diversity) structure where participants “speak from the I” and have facilitated group conversations where all voices can be heard.
Savage Return to Power II: Centering Cognitive Liberation and Collective Healing - Maria Graciela Alcid and Reanne Young (Room H212)
As AsEA 2022 comes to a close, “how do we hold the learnings, experiences, memories, and feelings from AsEA as we return to our institutions while igniting our why?” In this liminal space, participants will continue the individual, internal work as an expression of collective solidarity by engaging with a decolonizing primer and cognitive framework, navigating thinking, feelings, and behaviors with a (re)indigenizing lens that amplifies our ancestral power. Reanne Young and Maria Graciela Alcid, will extend themes from the Savage Return to Power opening session centering our APISA wholeness and collective power.
