Mapping Solidarity, Liberation, and Activism: A Critical Autoethnography of Asian American Leaders in Counseling

Abstract

Researchers have documented the disproportionate amount of racism against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) and a wide swath of exclusionary leadership practices in professional contexts (e.g., higher education, academia, professional associations). AAPI leaders have been largely underrepresented in counseling leadership, higher education, and the broader profession. Due to stereotypes associated with the bamboo ceiling and the model minority, AAPI communities are overlooked for advancement and leadership opportunities while experiencing racial discrimination in a given context (e.g., workplace). However, AAPI leaders can draw from multiple pathways that instill liberation and leverage activism to sustain their footing in leadership spaces. Using an AsianCrit paradigm and critical collaborative autoethnography, seven Asian American counseling leaders explored their experiences with leadership to illustrate the cultural contexts that identified opportunities for solidarity, liberation, and activism. Findings culminated in four themes: (1) recognition; (2) embracing standpoint, social identities, and cultural heritage; (3) resisting through research, scholarship, and leadership; and (4) leaning on community.