"Oriental" or Asian-American???
By Leo E. Laurence
Member, National Committee of Diversity
Board member, San Diego “Pro” chapter
leopowerhere@msn.com tel: (619) 757-4909 cell 24/7
Where I grew up in New York, there were no Chinese or Japanese in my neighborhood. Nor did I serve with any “Orientals” in the Navy and I knew none in college. My only knowledge came from distorted visits to San Francisco’s Chinatown. There, they seems strange to this white guy.
While covering the opening of a high-end Vietnamese restaurant in San Diego, I met one of the most incredibly handsome “Orientals” I had ever seen.
I was delighted that he agreed to go on a date for the opening of a show at the San Diego Repertory Theatre.
While sipping from hot chocolate during intermission, I was embarrassed to say I didn’t know how to refer to his ethnicity. Do I say “Oriental,” as was done when I was a kid, or what do I say?
“Say Asian-American,” he answered kindly.
He was an incredible young man, with a masters in economics from the University of California in San Diego, a tough school academically. He’s now working in Tokyo.
Meeting him, I realized how lacking my own diversity training was. How do I write a personal story about someone from an Asian country if I don’t know how to describe them.
Subsequent to that experience with young Howard Tom, I made a special effort to work closer with members of the local chapter of the Asian-American Journalists Association.
I’m learning more, expanding my own view of diversity, so that I can write about Asian-Americans with sensitivity and accurately, as they want to be described.
To be able to write about people who are significantly different than you, than your culture, you’ve got to get to know them. There are effective tools for doing just that on the diversity sections of SPJ.org.
Reaction to this blog is invited. Contact me (619) 757-4909 are E-mail at leopowerhere@msn.com.
Leo E. Laurence
San Diego News Service
(619) 757-4909
Member, SPJ Nat’l. Committee on Diversity