Description

In this conversation with geographers, Dr. Jennifer Ho, president of the Association for Asian American Studies, will discuss the rise of anti-Asian racism with the advent of COVID-19. Tracing the history of xenophobia and racism that the first waves of Asians in America faced (Chinese who arrived in the 19th century to search for gold and build the western portion of the Transcontinental Railroad), Ho looks at Yellow Peril rhetoric in the history of the US and the ways that Asians in America have been scapegoated, vilified, and become the victims of violence whenever the US believes itself under threat by an Asian nation. Making connections between anti-Asian racism and anti-Black racism through their shared connection to white supremacy, Ho will also discuss the ways that we can all choose to be anti-racism advocates, allies, and educators and how we can intervene to end systemic racism.

Jennifer Ho is a professor in the department of Ethnic Studies and the director of the Center for Humanities and the Arts (CHA) at the University of Colorado Boulder.
Introducer: Guo Chen (Michigan State University); Panelist: Christian Lentz (UNC Chapel Hill); Discussant: Ken Foote (University of Connecticut)

In the second half of this panel, Ho will be joined by panelists and engage in a Q and A session with the audience.