Using wit and humor, this assignment called for a poster that advertised a social issue of our choosing.
OBJECTIVE: With the rise of Asian American hate crimes, my concept tackled two objectives: to address the dangers and consequences that are inherent to assumptions and to advocate for the inclusion of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Studies in our schools, so as to educate and reduce the spread of assumptions.
CHALLENGE: As a person that regularly faces these microaggressions, it was important to me that the design of this project was intentional with its humor. Incorporating the laughing “jackass” reflects how these comments can often come off as offensive or stereotypical, even if it was not intended. In a way to push back, the pocket of texts aims to relate how these assumptions can lead to greater dangers and informs how we can educate people about the pan-ethnic Asian community.
Just like many other AAPIs, I experience the label of the “perpetual foreigner” even though I lived my entire life in the United States. For me, this project was a way to call out these generalizations we all experience and start a conversation about how we can go forth in changing perceptions.
