Asian American Friendship Congress
Wire Services
Home – Asian-American Friendship Congress
Stereotypes have existed for centuries, since ancient times to be exact. They have come in many forms, most would be described as negative, while some have been dangerously pushed as “positive”. One of these “positive stereotypes” is the, “Model Minority Myth”, the idea that Asian Americans are universally successful, hardworking, and academically gifted, while ignoring the disproportionate struggles of other Asian Americans and other races, especially Black Americans and Latino Americans. The fomenters of this myth often try to explain away these disparities as a result of “inherent laziness”, “inferior cultural beliefs”, and a failure to assimilate into White American society, usually covertly phrased as, “Pulling yourself up by your bootstraps.” The Model Minority Myth has deep historical roots in White supremacy and the anti-Civil Rights Movement in the United States. Oftentimes the Model Minority Myth was and is used to push the idea that systemic and systematic racism and oppression do not exist and that government aid and government intervention in relation to unjust policies and treatment that negatively affect people of color as unnecessary. In the 1960s this stereotype attempted to put a wedge between Asian Americans and Black Americans during their unified struggle against racial and economic oppression during the era of the Civil Rights Movement. This tactic for division between Asian and Black people is still executed today with the Model Minority Myth strongly perpetuating and exaggerating strained relations between Asian Americans and Black Americans to create animosity and discourage the collaboration in the fight for racial and economic liberation. The myth also was and is regularly used to devalue the economic and social struggles of many Asian Americans, such as Burmese Americans, Hmong Americans, Mongolian Americans, and other Asian American ethnic groups, especially Southeast Asian Americans, with added emphasis on the inferiority of other races, especially Black Americans and Latino Americans, in comparison with the “model minority”. These disparities are always falsely blamed on “personal shortcomings” and are seen as the fault of those suffering; at fault for not being a “model minority”.
The Model Minority Myth is often pushed as a literal “positive” stereotype, however is entirely the opposite. This racist and dismissive thinking is not only pushed by White supremacy and the political and economic system that upholds it, but it is often internalized by the people who are subjected to it. Studies have shown that many Asian Americans, especially Asian American youth, have suffered a great deal of psychological damage due to the pushing and internalization of the Model Minority Myth. Some medical conditions include somatic complaints, anxiety, and depression. Not only this, but many Asian Americans who struggle with mental illness and/or financial troubles are less likely to seek help or they will even outright refuse help due to fears of the stigma of not being a “model minority”. These constant unreasonable expectations created and perpetuated by this stereotype often causes many Asian Americans to struggle with overall performance in day to day life and they often have problems with identity.
The Model Minority Myth has been a tool used by White supremacy and Capitalism to excuse the oppression and exploitation of Asian Americans and other people of color. This so-called positive stereotype is not positive whatsoever. It is one of the many illnesses that plague our country’s system and society.
Bibliography
Paragraph 1:
(Vinney, Cynthia. “What Is the Model Minority Myth?” Verywell Mind, 1 Feb. 2026, www.verywellmind.com/what-is-the-model-minority-myth-6259907.)
(University of Michigan. ““Model Minority.”” University of Michigan, aapi.umhistorylabs.lsa.umich.edu/s/aapi_michigan/page/model-minority. Accessed 9 Feb. 2026.)
(Dear Asian Youth. “The Truth about the Model Minority Myth and Anti-Blackness.” YouTube, 19 July 2020, www.youtube.com/watch?v=_qrZrL_VVDk.)
(NextDayBetter. “Untold History: Are Black and Asian Communities Really Divided?” YouTube, 16 June 2023, www.youtube.com/watch?v=rs9FPn6ZtQ0.)
(Tran, Victoria. “Asian Americans Are Falling through the Cracks in Data Representation and Social Services.” Urban Institute, 19 June 2018, www.urban.org/urban-wire/asian-americans-are-falling-through-cracks-data-representation-and-social-services.)
Paragraph 2:
(Tran, Victoria. “Asian Americans Are Falling through the Cracks in Data Representation and Social Services.” Urban Institute, 19 June 2018, www.urban.org/urban-wire/asian-americans-are-falling-through-cracks-data-representation-and-social-services.)
(University of Michigan. ““Model Minority.”” University of Michigan, aapi.umhistorylabs.lsa.umich.edu/s/aapi_michigan/page/model-minority. Accessed 9 Feb. 2026.)
(Kim, Dahyeon. “Too Well-off to Seek Help?: The Model Minority Myth of Asian Americans.” Anxiety & Depression Association of America, 1 Apr. 2021, adaa.org/learn-from-us/from-the-experts/blog-posts/professional/too-well-seek-help-model-minority-myth-asian#:~:text=The%20model%20minority%20myth%20places,myth%20are%20likely%20under%2Dtreated.)
(Mae Renehan, Cala. ““Model Minority” Mental Health: An Examination of the Barriers to Effective Care among Young AAPIs.” University of Michigan, 29 Apr. 2022, journals.publishing.umich.edu/ujph/article/id/2317/#:~:text=Within%20many%20AAPI%20cultures%2C%20there,(McLean%20Hospital%2C%202020).)
(Castillo Chua, Phoebe. “The “Model Minority” Stereotype Prevents AAPI from Seeking Mental Health Care.” National Alliance on Mental Illness, 11 May 2022, www.nami.org/blog/the-model-minority-stereotype-prevents-aapi-from-seeking-mental-health-care/#:~:text=The%20widely%20perpetuated%20model%20minority,and%20a%20modern%20%E2%80%9Cluxury.%E2%80%9D.)
(Lee, Sunmin, et al. “Model Minority at Risk: Expressed Needs of Mental Health by Asian American Young Adults.” PMC PubMed Central, 7 Mar. 2012, pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3296234/#:~:text=Using%20a%20software%2C%20we%20organized,to%20racial%20or%20cultural%20background.)
