Incorporating Antiracist Education Using Aspects of Asian American Studies to Teach About Race and Discrimination

The COVID-19 pandemic and wide-scale white awareness of police brutality in 2020 have led to increased attention to the effects of race in our lives and educational systems. As a result, educators need support on how to pedagogically address the multitude of racial issues that may arise as well as learn how to address race in the classroom through open dialogues, creating safe spaces for students to share their experiences, and problem-solving issues such as dealing with dissenting students. This chapter details how incorporating an antiracist framework using aspects of Asian American Studies (AAS) can help professors teach concepts related to racism and discrimination. I highlight three elements of antiracist education to introduce suggestions on how educators can (1) build a classroom atmosphere that encourages open discussions on race while creating inclusive spaces, (2) foster a sense of civic engagment and activism among students regarding obstacles faced by marginalized communities and faculty of color, and (3) utilize current racial events as lecture points. I support these suggestions through examples of how my use of antiracism education and AAS has helped students become critical thinkers, learn about structural racism, and become civically engaged. My hope is that these recommendations can help to support educators at these historical crossroads, helping us to work toward antiracism in our classrooms, aiding in the fight for social justice and equity.