Week 9_Dyana Lam_ASA150E

This upcoming week's reading was focused on bringing light to how Cambodian's experienced the Vietnam War, destruction from the Khmer Rouge, and how this trauma has carried over and manifested itself to today's Cambodian-American communities. The readings relate to the current issue of intergenerational trauma and being heavily marginalized in the SEA community. Many people who are not Asian, view all Asians as living the Chinese, Japanese, or Korean experience. That is obviously far from the truth because "Asian" encompasses a lot of different ethnic groups with so many varying levels of income levels, education, etc. I believe SEA communities are some of the lowest in terms of income and educational attainment when compared to many other Asian ethnic groups, but these struggles remain invisible to the dominant culture. This allows for communities to continue suffering and pushing against a system that wasn't built for them.

The reading connects to the theme of the week because the reading mentions how the history of the Vietnam War is still heavily connected to people today who were not even alive or have any recollection of it, yet it is such an important thing to compare and focus on today. It is this Vietnam War Syndrome that allows a continuing cycle of people viewing SEA communities as refugees needing saving. The reading also connects to the current issue of how the current administration views those immigrating from South America and the Middle East. Our country has caused direct issues and destruction that leads to these people having to uproot from everything they know and search for safety and asylum, yet the current administration paints them with this evil, dangerous facade to mask the true evil the U.S. has done. My question for this upcoming week is: Would providing true history and information to young children in SEA communities help to create more leaders in these communities that will strive for equality and heal the intergenerational trauma that is so widespread in these communities?