A couple of weeks ago, I attended the 2nd Annual Asian Summit here in Cincinnati, presented by the Asian Community Alliance and hosted by Northern Kentucky University. I went with an open mind, not really knowing what to expect. It was good to meet people within the Asian-American community, but there was something missing—young people. So here’s a recap. I hope my coverage encourages you to get involved with similar events in your city.

At the opening session, I scoped out the fruit and doughnuts, then looked around for a table to eat with. A couple of white college students sat at a back table, but I felt that NOT sitting with them was my personal stand against segregation. A bunch of middle-aged Asian women were very glad when I brought out my secret weapon—a brag book of my adorable sons, aged almost three and eight months. Now, if you’ve read my blog at all, you know that my husband is Korean. One of the ladies asked me, “Will you send your sons to Korean school?” I hedged a bit, feeling that decision was better left to hubby.

We filed downstairs for the Opening Session. Lengthy introductions preceded the Keynote Speaker, Dr. Pawan Dhingra. He was a young Indian-American professor from Oberlin, a local private college. Thorough and organized, Dr. Dhingra gave an overview of the Asian groups in Ohio—when and why they came, percentages of the population, and issues they faced. For example, the Chinese who settled in Cleveland, Ohio faced the same discrimination as those in California Chinatowns—after a few incidents of intra-Chinese violence, the government forcibly closed all Chinese-owned businesses. He also touched on current issues, largely with non-Asian perceptions about people of Asian descent. As a “model minority,” Asians are pitted against other minority groups. Because many Asians are well-educated and high-achieving, some see them as a threat. Moreover, the positive stereotypes detract from real issues that Asians face. The poverty rate for Asian people is just as high as for other U.S. groups. But because the public perceives Asians as “successful,” they don’t see those who are sweating in low-paying manufacturing jobs or eking a living from public assistance.

Dr. Dhingra opened the floor for questions. Mr. Tanaka, a middle-aged Japanese American, stood to speak. His voice trembled with emotion as he talked about the racism he had experienced. You could tell he had held it back for years in a desire to be polite and assimilate. “The message we get is, ‘White is beautiful.’ He pulled out a Macy’s catalog, holding it up for all to see. “My wife and I are Macy’s Card holders. I looked through this catalog. Not a single Asian face in the whole thing.’ He put the catalog down. ‘I promise you, I’m writing a letter to complain.’” Everyone nodded in agreement. Really, as visible as Asians are in our society, it is incredible that they’d be omitted. On a personal note, I refrain from supporting businesses and political candidates who don’t feature diverse faces in their advertising.

I stood to put in a plug for Ningin, and also discuss the importance of better roles for Asians in film and TV. Several middle-aged people spoke up. An Indian gentleman said, “Where are the young people? We’re tied to the past.” An Indian lady near him said, “We need to stand up and be counted.” Accents and English proficiency is a typical cause for discrimination. Dr. Dhingra pointed out, “If I’m in the mall and I hear German, it gets a different reaction than Arabic.” (Earlier, he had pointed out that Arab Americans and Asian Americans were often lumped together demographically). One point Dr. Dhingra made was especially cogent: “The fallacy is that Asian and U.S. cultures can’t be brought together. Yes, they can.” As evidence, he touched on second- and third-generation identity issue compromises. For example, Korean churches are seeing a mass exodus of young people. Some churches are creating English-language services, and some young people are exploring spirituality in small groups of peers.

Afterwards, we chose one of three Breakout Sessions: Racism, Immigration, and Aging. I chose Racism, where I met a Korean adoptee who’d just recently become interested in her heritage, as well as several people from the National Association of Asian-American Professionals (NAAAP).

Deepa Iyer, the Executive Director of South Asian Americans Leading Together (SAALT), facilitated, and asked us to identify why we’d chosen the session. For almost everyone, racism was a personal issue. This session was more interactive—we discussed the differences among stereotype, prejudice, and discrimination, and looked at scenarios where racism surfaces in our everyday lives. I later found out that Deepa had emigrated from India to Kentucky, my home state, at age twelve. That had to have been bloody hard!

Unfortunately, an afternoon wedding forced me to leave before the catered Italian lunch (ironically, the Summit’s food choices were limited to the university’s catering service). But I still felt like I gained a lot from the day. Events like these, even in areas with low Asian populations, can do a lot toward building connections and raising awareness of racism. And they can’t hurt Asian-Americans in entertainment, either. I recall Justin Lin and the Finishing the Game crew visited some community organizations during their Grassroots Tour last year. And I bet it blessed the socks off of those middle-aged Asians to see their own people in film roles with broad appeal. So get out there! Be one of those young people, and let the ahjummahs see your brag book.