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Engaging Asian America:
Opportunities and Challenges
A Report on the Asia Society's Wallace Foundation LEAD Grant
written by Suzanne Charle and Sunita S. Mukhi
FOREWORD
WHEN JOHN D. ROCKEFELLER III ESTABLISHED the Asia Society
in 1956, his concern was chiefly about the lack of understanding
Americans had about much of Asia. He could have hardly contemplated
that nearly 50 years after the founding of the institution,
there would be a visible “Asianization” of America. Today, it is
difficult to think of Asian cultures as being remote and wildly
exotic, when a wide variety of Asian experiences are available
in most cities.
For an institution such as the Asia Society, this means that
Asia is not simply a far away place, but also a reality in
New York and the rest of the U.S. At the same time, it is
essential to understand the differences in the gradation of
“Asian-ness” as experienced by those who live
in the U.S. and those who continue to live in an Asian country.
Asia Society began to develop some Asian American programming
in the late 1980s in recognition of the dramatic changes in
the Asian American presence in the U.S. However, it was only
in the 1990s that the institution’s engagement with
Asian American issues began in any sustained way. Now, Asian
Americans are in leadership positions at the board and staff
levels, and Asian American scholars, artists, authors and
filmmakers routinely participate in the programs of the Society.
We have developed a far more nuanced understanding of the
diversity of Asian American experiences with direct implications
for programming as well as deepened the engagement with various
communities. With the help of the The Wallace Foundation LEAD
(Leadership and Excellence in Audience Development) grant
over the last four years, Asia Society has been able to create
a sustained initiative to examine, expand, and deepen the
relationship with selected Asian American communities, while
developing a better understanding of Asian American issues
that cut across all communities. An important aspect of the
grant was to generate a report from our experience which could
benefit other organizations who aspire to forge long-term
partnerships with Asian American communities and organizations.
Arguably, some observations in this report will seem quite
obvious. That there is no cohesiveness to the Asian American
communities—there is no defining similarity to their
“Asian-ness”—is well known. What may be
less obvious is the fact that it is their experience in America,
their “American experience” that is more likely
to bring together different Asian American groups. Programmatically
speaking, this suggests separation in terms of cultural programs
for ethnically specific communities, especially for older
immigrant groups, but greater connection among different communities,
when dealing with such issues as generational differences
or immigrant experiences in the U.S.
Most importantly, the report is also intended as a gentle
reminder to all of us who are engaged in the cultural sphere
and who are committed to working with diverse, and often non-traditional
communities, that attention to subtle details can pay off
over time. Conversely, an inadvertent lack of awareness of
cultural differences can derail a project very quickly. Thus,
this is less about “reporting” what took place,
and more about what we at the Asia Society learned from the
process.
Throughout the grant period, a number of departments of the
Society worked together to ensure the success of the project.
Even though the Wallace grant was specifically meant for the
cultural program division of the Society, selected projects
were developed in collaboration with the colleagues in the
institution’s Asian Social Issues Program. The marketing
division under the leadership of Karen Karp was a crucial
partner. Special kudos goes to Rachel Cooper, Director of
Performing Arts and Public Programs, Linden Chubin, Associate
Director of Public Programs and Sunita Mukhi, who was the
program officer in charge of the grant for most of its history.
Interns Aimy Ko, Pamela Santos, Rupal Patel and Pulak Patel
worked with us throughout the grant period and became integral
to the project. Many thanks to all of them for being such
a valuable part of the team.
Although Asia Society board and staff made a conscious decision
in the early 1990s to increase the institutional engagement
with Asian American communities and issues relevant to them,
it was the strong support provided by the Wallace Foundation
that put the work of the Society at a much higher level of
sustained commitment. We are deeply grateful to Christine
DeVita, President of the Foundation; Michael Moore, Director
of Arts Programming; and Rory MacPherson, Senior Officer of
Programs for their trust in the possibility of our institutional
transformation and their constant encouragement.
As the Society prepares its next strategic plan, it is clear
from deliberations at all levels that Asian Americans are
not simply integrated into the fabric of the institution;
they are at the front and center, capable of transforming
the image and the mission of the institution. In today’s
interdependent world, it is increasingly difficult to define
Asia only in terms of its physical location. The Asian American
reality of the last four decades demands a more subtle formulation
of the Asian experience as well. Indeed, through the experience
of the Lila Wallace LEAD grant, Asia Society is confidently
poised to traverse the fluid terrain of Asian American identity
as it redefines its mission of connecting Asians and Americans
to suit the realities of the 21st century.
Vishakha N. Desai
President
JULY 2004
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