Exploring my Asian Identity in Austin
As the month of May declares itself in Austin, Texas, I realize that after 8 1/2 years (102 months) of calling Austin one of my homes, I have come to find comfort in the same nuances and treasures while simultaneously welcoming an influx of new experiences.
For the past eight years, the month of May never fails to bring about the following:
Anxiously awaiting the arrival of hotter and rainier days and sprinting from my car to the air-conditioned gateways of H-E-B.
Strategically planning whether to run on Town Lake with my pup Hazle vs. taking a stroll at Roy Guerrero (to avoid the crowds).
Refreshing my browser to catch the official release of this year’s Austin City Limits lineup (debating whether to purchase actual tickets or settle on listening in from Townlake YMCA).
It recently occurred to me that there is a newly added item on this list:
Contemplating how I plan to honor and celebrate Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage month.
AAPI in my Family
Transparently, for my family and I, the existence of AAPI heritage month is new and, for my parents, may not mean anything of significance.
Being a first generation Asian American, I am inclined to educate my immigrant parents of the importance of this month and how it is about honoring their history, culture, and experiences. I feel driven to applaud my parents for raising my brother and I in this country and for supporting our unique adventures and journeys despite the challenges, barriers and fears they carried as immigrants. I am determined to make sure they know that even if they face challenges at work and in their communities due to their Asian identity, that they deserve to take up space.
I recognize how ambitious these desires are, especially since many of these conversations come with difficult realities. I still feel empowered to represent their stories as I maneuver through the narratives of my identity as a first-generation Asian American in living Texas. And, regardless of the month, I feel privileged to honor the history, culture and achievements of my parents, and other Asian American Pacific Islanders every day of the year.
My Personal Journey
Last year, I started my journey of unpacking the meaning and history of identifying as Asian American for both me and my family.
This year, I am exploring and finding meaning in what my role in my community is in honoring and calling attention to AAPI heritage month.
This May, I want to begin by celebrating the Austin spaces that provide me with a community of AAPI inspiration, warmth, and respect:
The Asian American Resource Center, a place to learn and find connection with individuals from similar and different AAPI backgrounds. The AARC gives AAPIs the opportunity to connect over shared intergenerational experiences through cultural events, health and wellness programs and art exhibits.
Asian Family Support Service of Austin, an organization that empowers individuals and families dealing with domestic violence, sexual assault, and trafficking. They provide hotline assistance, basic needs support, job, and education resources and more.
Indie Meme, an organization (and festival) that raises awareness and accessibility to socially relevant South Asian films in America. They provide an opportunity to see the beauty and diversity of the South Asian experience through films and conversations with filmmakers.
How you can Participate
As I sit at Buzzmill Coffee on East Riverside and reflect on my identity as a first generation Asian American, I challenge you to:
Listen to and uplift stories of AAPI-identifying folks.
Reflect on the importance of local community spaces and organizations that are doing impactful work to support AAPI individuals.
And lastly, to recognize the complexity and power of carrying multiple, co-existing identities. For me that is being Asian, being American and living in Austin, Texas.
Ashika G. Raval MSW is the Collective Impact Senior Consultant - Good Measure at Mission Capital. She brings a wealth of experience in authentic community partnership development, education equity advocacy, and leading through a strategic and intentional lens.
Prior to Mission Capital, Ashika spent four years serving as an in-school social worker at Communities in Schools of Central Texas, where she established and nurtured key community partnerships to meet the needs of her caseload. During her time at CIS-CT, she used her solution-focused and big picture thinking to support high-school students and families in utilizing post-secondary college and career conversations as a tool to help overcome various mental/emotional obstacles, combat systematic barriers and stop intergenerational cycles of conflict.
In her free time, Ashika can be found engaging with all the outdoors Austin has to offer, including going for runs around Town Lake, walks with her puppy Hazle, and swims at any watering hole with no entrance fee.