Special History Talk - A Place to Call Home: Understanding Asian Americans in Illinois

Ada shares her personal narratives to delineate her migration journey from Taiwan to the United States, as well as to Illinois. These stories will highlight issues related to the myth of the model minority, the image of the perpetual foreigner, and the impact of stereotypes and discriminatory practices toward Asians/Asian Americans. The stories will explore the diverse experiences among Asians in diaspora and problematize the myth of a monolithic community.
Along with intimate storytelling, Ada will present, from a historical perspective, the various laws and regulations that have contributed to the construction of Asian Americans as the “other” in this country historically. In addition, she will compare and contrast the migration experiences of different Asian immigrant communities in Illinois.
A special thank you to the Illinois Humanities for making this road scholar presentation possible.