Welcome to the Asian American Studies Program!
How have Asian Americans fit into the history of the United States? How have they been represented, and how do they see themselves? These are some of the questions tackled by the Asian American Studies Program.
News and Notes
Celeste Ng Comes to BC
New York Times bestselling author Celeste Ng came to Boston College on Feb. 12, 2024, to speak with students, staff, and faculty about sources of inspiration, her writing process, and the responsibility of writing as an Asian American woman. The line for Celeste to sign books extended through all of Gasson 100, but she graciously stayed and chatted with everyone in it.
Prof. Puente’s Class Attends Chinatown Concert
Professor Alex Puente’s class ENGL 3340 “Asian American Literature—Immigration, Exclusion, Engagement” attended the No-No Boy Concert last Nov. 4, 2023 at the Pao Arts Center in Chinatown.
Julian Saporiti’s band, No-No Boy, performed a multimedia presentation of Asian American history in songs and rarely seen footage, as part of the tour for his latest album Empire Electric. As BC student Eunice Lee noted, “Using the koto, dan bau, and even sounds from a location, [Saporit] is able to revive memories of places that no longer exist, either geographically, politically, or in memory. By making his music be fundamentally grounded by experiences and location, he has no need to make his lyrics history heavy. Instead, he explains the inspiration behind each song before performing it, beautifully and succinctly, before allowing the audience to feel moved or hopefully, uplifted.”
Photo courtesy of Eunice Lee '25.
Show More
Sharing a meal in Chinatown
BC students Zachary Logan, Yinan Ding, Hayoung Cho, and Professor Alex Puente and Mrs. Maria Puente (left to right) share a meal at Chinatown after the Lunch Box Moments Exhibit at the PAO Arts Center.
Photo courtesy of Yinan Ding (Class of 2025).
BC Students Attend Chinatown’s Pao Arts Center Exhibits
Members of Professor Alex Puente’s class ENGL 3340 “Asian American Literature—Immigration, Exclusion, Engagement” attended the opening of the Chinatown Workers Statues and the Lunch Box Moments Exhibits at the Pao Arts Center in Boston Chinatown last Oct. 27, 2023.
Well-known painter and sculptor Wen-ti Tsen unveiled his Chinatown Workers Statues exhibit, a homage to ordinary workers who have been the backbone of Boston Chinatown through the decades: the laundryman, the restaurant worker, the garment worker, and the grandmother caring for children. Artist and activist Amie Bantz also opened her Lunchbox Moments exhibit, an art installation on, in the artist's words, “the shared experience of being judged for the cultural food Asian American children bring to school.” BC student Hayoung Cho found the exhibit moving: “[We] looked around at the lunch boxes that were spray-painted with bright, contrasting colors. Each lunch box was painted with words describing the Asian American experience of eating traditional foods during school lunches. I started to get emotional while reading the lunch boxes. One lunchbox that caught my attention was the one that said, ‘I would rather starve.’”
Photo of Wen-ti Tsen courtesy of Yinan Ding '25.
Show MoreOur student community
Kristen Kim '25 Kristen Kim '25
Kristen Kim '25
Nursing major; Medical Humanities, Health, & Culture minor
Both extracurricular and coursework-wise, the Asian American Studies program has positively elevated my college experience at BC!
I have had such a pleasant experience with the Asian American Studies Program at BC. As Co-President of Asian Caucus ('23-24), my Co-President, Caitlin Park, and I have had the privilege of working closely with Professor Wan Tang, as well as the other faculty and staff in this program, to help create a more inclusive space for Asian students on campus. They have been supportive of our endeavors for AC, but have also been extremely willing and open to multifaceted conversations, whether it's related to our Asian identities, AC, or how I have been doing overall.
I have also had the pleasure of taking a course that explored the interconnectedness of Asian American history with media called "The Other Americans: Representation and Reality in Asian America," led by Professors Arissa Oh and Tony Tran. In this course, I learned a plethora of new knowledge and perspectives I would not have unveiled and considered otherwise. With these experiences, both extracurricular and coursework-wise, the Asian American Studies program has positively elevated my college experience at BC!
Tiffany Yang '25 Tiffany Yang '25
Tiffany Yang '25
Applied Psychology and Human Development major; Communications minor
“Asian Americans in Sport and Society” with Professor Kim was a profoundly enriching experience during my time at BC. Despite being an Asian American myself, I was captivated by the depth and novelty of the curriculum, which ventured into areas of Asian American studies I would have never imagined to study. As a PWI, I think the existence of this program and course is crucial in fostering a learning environment where diverse perspectives are valued and explored.
I’d like to highlight Professor Kyoung-yim Kim for her unwavering dedication and passion on the topic, but also for her ability in fostering an engaging atmosphere for the students. This course has not only broadened my understanding of my own heritage but has also instilled a deep-seated pride in recognizing the significance of Asian American Studies as an essential component of our academic and societal discourse.
Caterina Kephart '26 Caterina Kephart '26
Caterina Kephart '26
Communication major, Managing for Social Impact and the Public Good minor
I feel as though a new window has been opened allowing me to engage with media in a more educated and socially conscious manner.
In taking “Asian Americans in Sports and Society” with Professor Kim, I have been able to learn about real world issues, be exposed to new perspectives, and engage in meaningful conversations. This is the kind of course that has taught me about things that actively occur in our world, empowering me and my classmates to be active members of society. In addition to being a relevant class to our lives outside the classroom, all students were exposed to new perspectives and, for some of us, new cultures.
Through readings such as Clarie Jean Kim’s article “The Racial Triangulation of Asian Americans” and movie clips such as Ursula Liang’s documentary 9-Man, I have not only learned more about cultures outside of my own, but how sporting contexts can hide systematic inequalities and create further discrimination. Ultimately I have found my time in this course rewarding as I feel as though a new window has been opened allowing me to engage with media in a more educated and socially conscious manner.
Yinan Ding '25 Yinan Ding '25
Yinan Ding '25
Psychology and English double-major
I empathized with the characters in the literature I read, which made me re-examine my own identity and motivated me to provide help to this population.
I really love Professor Puente's “Asian American Literature.” Through this course, I have learned the history of Asian immigrants, their culture, and the challenges they encounter in society. I empathized with the characters in the literature I read, which made me re-examine my own identity and motivated me to provide help to this population. Two of my favorite books were Native Speaker and Reluctant Fundamentalist, which explored the impact of language and historical events on immigrants.
These two books depict the main characters' inner worlds in detail, allowing me to truly understand and feel for them. I also really liked our class visit to Chinatown; we went beyond our readings to the current Asian American community. I really recommend this course to anyone who is interested in Asian American culture and literature!
Emily Hiltunen '26 Emily Hiltunen '26
Emily Hiltunen '26
Communications major
In my freshman year at Boston College, I took the course “The Other Americans” on a whim, and it ended up being one of my favorite classes. Not only was its material informative and interdisciplinary, but it also gave me the opportunity to meet a community of Asian peers and professors. Most of all, this class helped me explore my own Asian American identity and find a sense of belonging on campus.
The Benigno and Corazon Aquino Scholarship
Every spring, the Boston College Benigno and Corazon Aquino Scholarship recognizes a BC junior with a strong academic record who has been actively engaged in Asian American issues and service to the Asian American community on or off campus.
