Symbolic representation of Asian and Black solidarity

Beyond Black and White: How Asian Americans Navigate the Complexities of Race and Solidarity

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Rhea Morgan in Culture & Society June 2025 • 4 min read.

"Unpacking the model minority myth, anti-Blackness, and the fight for true racial justice in the age of Black Lives Matter."


The portrayal of Asian Americans as the “model minority” has long been a fixture in American discourse. Often lauded for their academic achievements and economic success, they are sometimes held up as an example for other minority groups to emulate. However, this narrative is not only overly simplistic but also strategically deployed to mask deeper racial inequalities, especially in relation to the Black community. This has created a complex and often fraught dynamic, particularly within the context of the Black Lives Matter movement.

Wen Liu’s research delves into this intricate landscape, examining the ways in which Asian Americans navigate their racial identity, body politics, and relationship to the Black Lives Matter movement. Drawing from ethnographic fieldwork in New York City, Liu uncovers the tensions and contradictions within the Asian American community, revealing the divisions between those who advocate for solidarity with Black lives and those who perpetuate anti-Blackness in pursuit of the American Dream.

This article explores how the “model minority” myth is used to disguise racial inequality, the manifestations of anti-Blackness within the Asian American community, and the ongoing efforts to build cross-racial solidarity. It examines how historical narratives, political ideologies, and transnational influences shape Asian American identity and its role in the broader struggle for racial justice.

The Model Minority Myth: A Double-Edged Sword

Symbolic representation of Asian and Black solidarity

The “model minority” stereotype paints Asian Americans as hardworking, docile, and successful, often contrasting them with other minority groups, particularly Black Americans. This image is not only inaccurate but also harmful, as it ignores the diversity within the Asian American community, masks the systemic barriers that many Asian Americans face, and perpetuates a narrative of racial hierarchy.

The stereotype also serves a specific political purpose. By positioning Asian Americans as successful despite facing racial discrimination, it suggests that systemic racism is not a significant barrier to advancement and that other minority groups should simply work harder to achieve similar success. This argument is frequently used to undermine affirmative action policies and other efforts to address racial inequality.

  • Undermining Solidarity: The model minority myth can create a wedge between Asian Americans and other minority groups, making it difficult to build solidarity and collective action.
  • Ignoring Diversity: It flattens the experiences of Asian Americans, obscuring the challenges faced by Southeast Asian refugees, low-income immigrants, and other marginalized subgroups.
  • Perpetuating Anti-Blackness: The stereotype often relies on implicit or explicit comparisons to Black Americans, reinforcing harmful stereotypes and justifying racial inequalities.
However, it’s important to recognize that not all Asian Americans subscribe to the model minority myth. Many actively challenge this stereotype and work to dismantle the systems of oppression that it supports. By understanding the complexities of this narrative, we can begin to unpack its harmful effects and build more authentic and meaningful connections across racial lines.

Moving Forward: Reclaiming Life Against Multiculturalism

The journey toward racial justice is complex and requires a willingness to confront uncomfortable truths. For Asian Americans, this means acknowledging the ways in which the model minority myth and anti-Blackness have been used to divide communities and uphold white supremacy. It also means actively working to build solidarity with Black Lives Matter and other movements for racial equity. Only by recognizing our shared vulnerability and challenging the structures of privilege can we create a future where life is truly livable for all.

About this Article -

This article was crafted using a human-AI hybrid and collaborative approach. AI assisted our team with initial drafting, research insights, identifying key questions, and image generation. Our human editors guided topic selection, defined the angle, structured the content, ensured factual accuracy and relevance, refined the tone, and conducted thorough editing to deliver helpful, high-quality information.See our About page for more information.

This article is based on research published under:

DOI-LINK: 10.1353/jaas.2018.0026, Alternate LINK

Title: Complicity And Resistance: Asian American Body Politics In Black Lives Matter

Subject: General Computer Science

Journal: Journal of Asian American Studies

Publisher: Project Muse

Authors: Wen Liu

Published: 2018-01-01

Everything You Need To Know

1

What is the “model minority” myth and why is it considered harmful?

The “model minority” myth portrays Asian Americans as uniformly successful due to hard work and docility. This stereotype is harmful because it ignores the diversity within the Asian American community, masks systemic barriers they face, and perpetuates a narrative of racial hierarchy. It also undermines solidarity with other minority groups by suggesting that systemic racism is not a significant barrier to advancement.

2

How does anti-Blackness manifest within the Asian American community, and what impact does it have?

Anti-Blackness within the Asian American community manifests through the acceptance and perpetuation of stereotypes, discriminatory practices, and a preference for proximity to whiteness. This can be seen in attitudes towards Black individuals, resistance to Black Lives Matter, and the belief that Black people should emulate the perceived success of Asian Americans. This behavior undermines cross-racial solidarity and reinforces systems of racial inequality.

3

What does Wen Liu's research reveal about Asian Americans and the Black Lives Matter movement?

Wen Liu's research explores how Asian Americans navigate their racial identity, body politics, and relationship to the Black Lives Matter movement, revealing tensions and contradictions within the community. Her ethnographic fieldwork in New York City uncovers divisions between those who advocate for solidarity with Black lives and those who perpetuate anti-Blackness. The research highlights the complexities of the Asian American experience and its impact on racial justice movements.

4

What are the key steps to building cross-racial solidarity between Asian Americans and other communities?

Building cross-racial solidarity involves challenging the “model minority” myth, dismantling anti-Blackness, and acknowledging shared vulnerabilities across different racial groups. It requires Asian Americans to recognize how the myth has been used to divide communities and uphold white supremacy, and to actively support movements for racial equity like Black Lives Matter. This also means confronting uncomfortable truths and actively working to dismantle structures of privilege.

5

In what ways is the 'model minority' myth utilized to disguise racial inequality?

The 'model minority' myth is a tool that disguises racial inequality by suggesting that Asian Americans' success demonstrates the lack of systemic barriers to advancement. This argument is then used to undermine affirmative action policies and other efforts to address racial inequality. By positioning Asian Americans as successful despite facing racial discrimination, it implies that other minority groups should simply work harder to achieve similar success, thus masking the true extent of systemic racism.

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