The 2011 Director's Note
Dear Attendees,
The Asian Pacific American community is being reshaped every day. The community’s demographics and history have grown these past few hundred years. From Chinese and Filipino farmers in the late 19th century to the Indian and Vietnamese immigrants post-1965, the borders of Asian Pacific America have been constantly re-examined and re-defined. In planning the New York City Asian American Student Conference, we have always thought about our history as a model to inform our present and to confront our future.
This year, NYCAASC will explore the ways in which the Internet and media have shaped today’s discussions about identity. By taking a closer look at the contours of social media and cyberspace, we are not straying from our goals of community activism and social justice – rather, we are delving into another pertinent and everyday aspect of our lives that inspires new ways of creating ourselves and our presence. Throughout U.S. history, Asian Pacific Americans have been excluded from traditional spaces. In the face of adversity, we have demonstrated creativity and resilience in navigating through alternative paths.
Through NYCAASC, we hope that you too will find creative or alternative ways to express yourself on campus, at home, in the office and beyond. As in previous conferences, NYCAASC will be a safe place to create and explore different and new discourses about Asian America. We hope that you can begin rethinking notions of self, family, nation, and finally Asian Pacific American identity.
With great pleasure, we welcome you to the 5th Annual New York City Asian American Student Conference.
The 2010-2011 NYCAASC Directors
