| Description |
Largely excluded from conceptions of racial injustice in the United States, Asian Americans also experience marginalization in the Environmental Justice (EJ) movement. This invisibility is reinforced by EJ literature, which contains comparatively little research on Asian Americans compared to other ethnic groups. However, despite this omission and lack of recognition, Asian Americans have historically been affected by environmental injustice and active in fighting for equity. This Honors Thesis explores some of the damaging stereotypes attached to the Asian American experience, reviews the defining characteristics of the EJ movement and its shortcomings in relation to Asian Americans, and presents an overview of the existing EJ literature about Asian American communities. Additionally, it summarizes two seminal case studies of Asian Americans engaged in EJ (the fight to protect Parcel C in Boston, Massachusetts' Chinatown and the campaign for a multilingual warning system in Richmond, California), analyzes their effective strategies, and traces their results from publishing to the present. Moreover, it recommends possible avenues to continue momentum and expand engagement of Asian American communities involved in EJ. Ultimately, to uphold its commitment to creating just, resilient, sustainable communities for all, I argue that it is imperative that the EJ movement and EJ scholarship extend recognition and allyship to Asian American communities, acknowledge historic and current Asian American injustices and contributions, and meaningfully involve and center Asian Americans in research and inclusion efforts. |
