Events

Time: 1:00 - 3:00 PM (Beijing) | 1:00 - 3:00 AM (New York)

📍 Location: Columbia Global Centers | Beijing, No. 26, 1F Core Plaza, 1 Shanyuan Street, Zhongguancun, Haidian District, Beijing

Join the livestream HERE

The rise in anti-Asian hate crimes has again underscored the long-standing anxiety and concern regarding racism and xenophobia.

In response to the growing call to action to support the anti-racism movement and to foster an inclusive community, this thematic discussion series, titled 'Stand in Solidarity: Combating Anti-Asian Racism and Xenophobia', aims to offer support especially to Columbia University’s Asian, Asian American, and Pacific Islander community during this challenging time.

The Series will address the rising violence against Asians and Asian Americans in the U.S., examining the ongoing history of race discrimination that has been employed to distract and divide our communities to protect systematic inequality.

The session on May 15 will focus on 'Preparing International Students for Race Relations in the U.S.'.

About the Event

Most Chinese high school students in China have grown up and come of age as part of the majority in a relatively racial homogeneous society; race may not have been an important marker of identity or have factored into their identities at all. However, not only are these students going to be a minority when they reach the U.S., but they are also walking into a complex and diversified society composed of different races of local students and citizens.

For many Chinese students, suddenly becoming a minority within the racialized environment of the U.S. is often a lot to process. They may experience "discomfort" from many different sources, making them more sensitive to their experiences in the U.S.

Thus, to help U.S.-bound Chinese students navigate the distressing situation and better adapt to the heightening racial tensions in U.S., we will invite four Chinese and U.S. scholars, teachers, and current students to share their experiences and perspectives, and identify actions and recourses to address discrimination.

Featuring remarks and discussion with:

(in alphabetical order)

Angela Curry has been working in international education for over 17 years in a variety of contexts, with the last four years spent at RDFZ-ICC as leader of the AP Program. She began her career in education as a United States Peace Corps Volunteer in Guinea, West Africa followed by four years on the Navajo Nation Indian Reservation as a Paul Coverdell Fellow. She spent six years in the United Arab Emirates working to develop schools and teachers as part of a national reform project before eventually moving to Beijing in 2017.

Curry currently teaches the AP Capstone course, which is a two-year interdisciplinary research course. Her students explore topics of interest in-depth, and create new knowledge through their projects. She has presented her own research at the American Educator Research Association's national conference in the United States. Because of her diverse set of experiences in the education field, Curry is skilled at cross-cultural relationships and the complex nature of our changing world.

She holds a Master of Arts in Teaching from the University of New Mexico and is currently working on a Master of Education Leadership.

Lacey Long is a student of the combined plan program of Columbia University and Wesleyan University. Before attending college in the U.S., she grew up in Beijing and graduated from Beijing 101 High School International Department. Recently, she completed her undergraduate study in Operations Research at the SEAS school. This Fall, Long will continue her study in Business Analytics at Columbia Engineering.

Emerson R. Miller has over 15 years of experience promoting the relationship between the United States and China in the fields of business and education. His posts include working as a coordinator in the office Market Access and Compliance at the US Embassy in Beijing and serving as the sole incorporator of the University of Washington's research and development office in Beijing.

Since joining the team at Beijing 101 in 2013, Miller has played a leading role in elevating the International Department to among the best in China. His previous responsibilities included curriculum design, classroom instruction oversight, recruitment and admissions review, proficiency and placement testing as well as serving as an instructor of English Literature and US History and Government. He is also the founder and director of the department's Senior Speech Program.

Miller is a graduate of Columbia University (BA) and Tsinghua University's School of Public Policy and Management (MPA) in International Development. He was selected to the National Committee on U.S. China Relations and has been an active member since 2015.

Justin Patch is currently a Post-doctoral fellow in Music. He specializes in music and the experience of US politics from the grassroots to the presidential campaign. His writings concern the interplay of institution, sound, and emotions in the political process. His work has been published in Soundings, The European Legacy, International Political Anthropology, and Americana, and will appear in Ethnomusicology Review and The Journal of Sonic Studies this year. He is currently preparing a manuscript on the auditory experience of the 2008 presidential campaign tentatively entitled Discordant Magic: Audition, Affect and the Presidential Campaign. Mr. Patch teaches both American music and world musics with an emphasis on the social ecosystem in which music, performance, industry, and audience are constituted. As an instrumentalist, Mr. Patch plays electric and classical guitar, electric and upright bass and has played SXSW, other dubious venues in New England, Texas, Minneapolis and California.

Reminders

• Event language: English
• Registration for on-site participation will be verified through email.
• Please plan to arrive no earlier than the registration time.
• If you have any questions, please email [email protected]