Chen Korean Video

I agree with Chee that community building is super important and probably more effective in the long run than physical confrontation. His father was really smart about this—helping people find jobs, learn the system, build networks. That's powerful stuff, and I think it actually creates lasting change.

But I want to add something from my perspective as someone from Japan. Reading this, I'm struck by how different the Asian American experience is from what I know. In Japan, I never had to think about being Asian or defend my appearance or explain why my face looks the way it does. That's just... not a thing.

So when I read about Chee's father erasing his accent, only speaking English at home, dressing in expensive Western suits to avoid suspicion—it's kind of shocking to me. Like, this is what survival required? Hiding your language and culture just to be treated like a human being?

And I think Chee accepts this strategy a bit too easily. He talks about his father's tactics working, getting upgraded on flights, avoiding racist treatment. But he doesn't really question whether immigrants should have to do all of this just to exist safely.

From my outside perspective, it seems like the real problem is that American society made people feel like they had to choose between keeping their identity and being safe. That's not normal. That shouldn't be the standard.

So yeah, community organizing is important, but I wish Chee had pushed harder on the question: why should anyone have to give up their language, their accent, their culture just to be treated with basic respect? That part feels like it got lost in the survival strategies.

That's my take.