Stereotypes of the Model Minority

In this article, Jin begins with defining the Model Minority Myth and provides adjectives, such as “smart” and “hard-working”, that are associated with Asian Americans. They explain that these adjectives were taken from a poll conducted by Leading Asian Americans to Unite for Change (LAAUNCH), which asked participants to describe Asian Americans. This is then tied into the concept of the Model Minority Myth, which is described as a way of minimizing the role of anti-Asian racism and acts as a sort of wedge between the Asian American community and other minority groups, such as Black Americans. Jin expands on this by addressing the ways in which the myth disregards the diverse and personal experiences of Asian Americans and forces them to fit this singular and narrow narrative cultivated by White America. The entirety of the article dissects a few of the major misconceptions that are driven by the model minority myth. These misconceptions include: the myth of Asian Americans being a single monolithic group, the myth of Asian Americans being well educated and high earning, the myth of Asian Americans immigrating to the United States in the “right” way, the myth that Asian Americans face less systematic racism and discrimination, and the myth that Asian Americans are fairly represented in leadership positions. This ultimately proves that the concept of the Model Minority myth serves as an umbrella for many other stereotypical myths. Jin also provides statistics and visuals while deconstructing these myths, which I believe is the strongest suit of this source as it has credibility and validity.

Jin, C. H. (2021, May 25). “6 charts that dismantle the trope of Asian Americans as a model minority”. NPR. https://www.npr.org/2021/05/25/999874296/6-charts-that-dismantle-

the-trope-of-asian-americans-as-a-model-minority.