Breaking the Model Minority Myth with Colonel Trish Csank


“Focus on sharing your story and affecting the people that are hungry for your light.” In this episode, I welcome back Colonel Trish Csank to kick off Asian American Pacific Islander Leaders Unmuted, a series of conversations to educate and inspire each other on the Asian experience. We discuss the Model Minority Myth, how it is harmful to all minorites, the dark side of trying to live up to unrealistic expectations, and why remaining true to yourself allowing others the same respect can yield optimal team results. 

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Summary

Direct Link to the YouTube episode – https://youtu.be/ou9twcaQBAo

What is the Model Minority Myth (MMM)?

What we can do to break the MMM:

  • MMM is a tool of manipulation that undermines the opportunity for everyone to express our race-related experiences. It is unfair to say “Racism isn’t a thing, look at how successful AAPIs are” because it attempts to negate the challenges any minority has experienced and continue to experience. 
  • MMM isn’t about AAPIs being smart or really good at math. MMM is a stereotype, plain and simple, and stereotypes will only hurt our ability to perform as an Air Force. We all have stories and diverse backgrounds that make our Air Force great, but MMM may prevent those important perspectives being shared because it over-generalizes success across an extremely diverse population with varied experiences. As AAPIs, we have the responsibility to speak up, shape a new definition of success, share our stories of wins and losses, and break this myth for ourselves and our teammates.

References