A baby cooed, his sounds of glee and restlessness echoed in a conference room in the T building while his mother addressed the room, speaking on her life’s work; work that could very well change his future.
The speaker, Dr. Varaxy Yi, a professor at Fresno State, was a guest at LBCC on Monday to give a lecture for (Asian American and Pacific Islander) AAPI Month.
As the lecture began, the date April 17, 1975, appeared on a projection screen in front of the room.
“Anyone know what this date is?” Yi asked. “It’s known as ‘Year Zero’ when the Khmer Rouge took power.”
Yi explained that for many, this is considered to be the start of the story of Cambodian culture, a violent attack on Cambodian civilians by a leader hell-bent on ratifying a country that was corrupt in his eyes.
As the room fell silent, contemplating the severity of the Cambodian genocide, another date flashed on the screen: March 18, 1969.
Yi went on to explain that 1969 marked the beginning of what came to be known as “Operation Menu,” a then top secret operative by the U.S. during which they bombed Vietnamese sanctuaries in Cambodia.
This barrage lasted for 14 months and led to the accidental bombing of a small town, Neak Luong, resulting in the death of 137 Cambodian civilians.
For many, this is not something that is taught in history class, evident by the uncomfortable silence that fell upon the audience when Yi asked if anyone knew about this era in the Vietnam war.
“This is why it’s important to think critically,” Yi said. “You might think to yourself, ‘That’s not the history I was taught. Why not?’”
As she spoke, the projector showed an old photo of Khmer refugees, her mother and aunt among them.
“In my work, I often implicate the stories that led to me,” said Yi while pointing to the photo. “ The beginning of my story is their story.”
Her family came to the U.S. by way of Modesto, California in 1983 during the third wave of refugee migration during which nearly 339,000 refugees made their way to the States.
As the first daughter born in the U.S., Yi has always had an understanding of her privilege in regard to academic freedom.
When a genocide happens, often things of intellect are the first things to be destroyed. As someone who has devoted her life to academics, Yi has always shouldered the responsibility of using her resources to envision a better future for those in her community.
From an early age, Yi faced criticism and racially charged microaggressions in pursuit of an education.
“I once had a white, male substitute tell me, ‘You’re smart for a Khmer girl,’” Yi said. “I didn’t think anything of it at first, I thought it was a compliment.”
Over the years, Yi came to understand the way society viewed her.
As an Asian American, Yi saw the adverse effects of the Model Minority Myth in action. The Model Minority Myth is a pervasive idea that Asians are all smart and well-equipped to handle all that comes with being a scholar.
This deceptively benign myth is often weaponized and assumptions are made that are harmful.
“Society will tell us, ‘You aren’t successful because you didnt work hard enough,’” Yi said. “That perpetuates the idea of deficit. The idea that you’re struggling because you aren’t good enough.”
In her academic research, Yi pushes for the disaggregation of the statistics that rank Asians under one large umbrella.
More often than not, Asian students are all lumped under one umbrella. When statistics show that Asian students are excelling in school, it does not account for those who need extra support.
For example, according to data from the National Center for Education Statistics, Asians and Pacific Islanders are listed as having the highest graduation rate at 93%. However, when the data is broken down, it shows that within the Asian community, Camodians have a 66% graduation rate.
In her lecture, Yi explained that reinforced stereotypes lead to the dismissal of SouthEast Asian students in particular.
Aside from academic support, Yi also spoke on the importance of having opportunities to connect with others of similar backgrounds.
Yi shared that after the passing of her grandmother, she began to lose her connection to her native language because she no longer had to translate for her.
A student who attended the lecture, Oscar Camacho, identified with Yi’s struggles as a first generation college student.
“I am genuinely interested in this topic because it resonates with me because I’m Mexican,” Camacho said. “I relate to the struggles of being first generation and having to help my family out and be their translator.”
Camacho went on to express how the burden of a first-generation college student is often heavy because of familial and academic pressures.
Recognizing the need for community and connection, Yi and some friends formed the SEAASTER Scholars, a collective that looks to expand on sharing the experiences of SEAA students.
“We’re committed to homemaking in academia,” Yi said. “And how to make a home in a space that wasn’t built for us. We uplift others because we don’t want to be the only ones. Those who come after us deserve the support we didn’t always have.”
