SAN JOSE — South Bay First Thursdays (SBFT) will present “Deconstructing the American Melting Pot” on Sept. 6 at 7 p.m. at Asian Americans for Community Involvement, 2400 Moorpark Ave., Suite 300, San Jose.
The model minority myth, which overlooks the differences between individual Asian ethnicities, is still alive and well in the United States. This concept has been further perpetuated by the Pew Report, released a few months ago, that negates a variety of factors that prevent certain groups from succeeding. Join the discussion on this issue to understand and deconstruct how this theory affects the API community in the South Bay and beyond.
Topics will include at-risk youths, a rise in homelessness, and low-income families in need of government assistance. Scheduled to speak are:
* Jonathan Tran, California policy and program manager for the Southeast Asia Resource Action Center (SEARAC)
* Dr. Michael Chang, founder of the Asian Pacific American Leadership Institute (APALI), member of the Santa Clara County Board of Education, former mayor of Cupertino
* Harvey Dong, Ph.D., UC Berkeley professor of Ethnic Studies
* Dean Adachi, adjunct professor at Harvey Mudd College
* Joma Briones, manager of youth development programs, Asian Americans for Community Involvement (AACI)
Admission is free, but donations are appreciated. RSVP to http://sbft.org or www.facebook.com/SBFirstThursdays.
South Bay First Thursdays is a volunteer-run organization that holds events on every first Thursday of the month to discuss topics relevant to the Asian Pacific Islander community. Each event consists of a panel of experts followed by facilitated group discussions. Beyond providing the community with knowledge, SBFT also provides a chance for young professionals to build networks and new friendships with people in the non-profit, for-profit, and government sectors.