Three forms of widespread anti-Asian harm in the workplace
The anti-Asian violence is giving the Asian community an opportunity to highlight more subtle anti-Asian acts like the harmful assumptions made in the workplace. These acts are more prevalent than the physical acts of anti-Asian violence. They are so pervasive that even many Asians believe them.
Here are the three most widespread assumptions about Asians in the workplace:
There are too many Asians
Even white people in tech are underrepresented next to Asians. When leaders call to diversify their workforce, it’s sometimes followed by a whispered caveat “except for Asians”, which Asians hear as, “there are too many of your kind here.”
Asians don't "count" as people of color
I believe Asians aren’t counted as “people of color” because that term is often conflated with those with economic hardship who are entitled to aid. Defining “people of color” this way denies socio-economic differences exist within different racial groups and that there are many poor Asians too. For those Asians who do call ourselves “people of color,” we are compelled to remind others we are not white.
Asians as the silent work horses
Asians are often described as “hard-working. We are the silent work horses. Companies need more work horses than leaders, so there is less incentive to promote Asians. This adds to the feeling of being taken for granted or exploited.
This is a summary and excerpts from my op-ed, “It's time to acknowledge anti-Asian harm in the workplace” posted on April 22, 2021, in the Puget Sound Business Journal.
You can read the full version here.