Article 5: Teaching Ethnic Studies Remotely Amid Global Pandemic

The 2019–2020 academic year was expected to be festive for us—the educators and students in the Asian American Studies—as it was the 50th anniversary of Ethnic Studies. Born by student activists in San Francisco who demanded universities to center the self-determination and power to the people in education in 1968–1969, Ethnic Studies have worked to challenge the racism and U.S. imperialism of the nation through teaching, researching, and organizing. To commemorate its 50th anniversary, my department had planned numerous events such as symposiums, invited talks, and homecoming gathering for alums with excitement. Unfortunately, however, we could not make them all happen due to the rise of the COVID-19 virus. A stay-at-home order was put into place in California in late March 2020, and our campus moved all the instruction to remote learning. With the unprecedented transformation, our students felt anxious and isolated. In addition, unfortunately, they were forced to face even harsher adversity soon: the escalation in xenophobia and anti-Asian racism resulting from the global pandemic.