Asian American Studies at San Jose State University
Asian American Studies (AAS) was one of the Ethnic Studies fields born from the Third World Liberation Front and in solidarity with multiple oppressed communities. Spearheaded by community-based scholars, the field was created to address the longstanding inequities in education and research. The field calls attention to the histories and contributions of Asian and Pacific Islander Americans and the important heterogeneity within these communities. Specifically, AAS brings together perspectives from different fields in the creative arts, humanities and social sciences while at the same time seeking to maintain a commitment to activism and to the needs of our communities. The mission of the San Jose State University AAS degree program is to empower students to create a more socially-just and equitable society. AAS students will meet this vision by applying interdisciplinary theories into action, cultivating critical thought, and serving Asian American communities.
AAPI Perspectives
AAPI Activism & Oral History Project Launch
Saturday, June 1, 2024 | 10:30am | San Jose Buddhist Church Betsuin Annex
The Japanese Museum of San Jose (JAMsj) excited to announce the upcoming launch of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Perspectives, an oral history digital archive that features engaging learning modules that were generated from 33 video-recorded interviews with local AAPI activists, including Paul Sakamoto, PJ and Roy Hirabayashi, Connie Young Yu, Johnny Gogo, Robert Ragsac, and many others.
During the COVID-19 pandemic and with the rise of anti-Asian violence, it became abundantly clear that the runway for collecting and amplifying our communities’ stories of collective action and struggle was getting shorter and shorter. To ensure that we could capture our torchbearers’ voices before it was too late, we responded to this call to action to not only preserve but also inspire our larger community for a better future.
Led by the San José State University Asian American Studies program, generously funded by the County of Santa Clara Board of Supervisors, and hosted by JAMsj, this collaboration will enrich the educational landscape and highlight the contributions and activism of the County’s AAPI community.
Please join us on June 1, 2024, at the San Jose Buddhist Church Betsuin Annex starting at 10:30 AM, for this free event to commemorate and celebrate this exciting addition to JAMsj's educational resources! The program will include the website reveal, remarks by the community advisory committee, a demonstration of the curriculum, and a reception!
Follow this project on Instagram: @aapi.project, @jamsjofficial
Sneak Peek - AAPI Perspectives
To attend, please sign up below.
Faculty
Learn More about AAS!
AAS Program Info Spring 2024.pdf