In light of recent events surrounding race and identity on campus, Asian Students’ Association (ASA) has decided to change our name to Hyphen (Asian-American Students’ Association).
Two major changes have been made: the new title, Hyphen, and the addition of the –American to our subtitle.
- The name Hyphen was chosen to represent the space between Asian-American, a space which is not necessarily hyphenated but is one that Asian Americans must constantly negotiate, reclaim, and redefine.
- This is also why we chose to add the –American to our subtitle; part of negotiating our identity includes struggling with American racial dynamics and the “Model Minority” myth and “Forever Foreigner” stereotypes, among others. These stereotypes falsely homogenize the Asian-American experience by erasing the prejudices we face as people of color from a diverse group of cultural minorities.Despite our name change, we still welcome those who do not identify as Asian-American. But our club mission remains the same: to start conversations about Asian American identity and its intersections, especially within Bryn Mawr College; to serve as a general safe space for Bryn Mawr College’s Asian-American community; and to stand in solidarity with those who must also identify as a –American.
