Mae Lee, Asian American and Ethnic Studies Professor at De Anza: Navigating Identity in The Classroom

In the next episode of the series Her Way AAPI where we highlight Asian American female leaders, Her Way welcomes Mae Lee, department chair and professor in Asian American and Ethnic studies at De Anza College.  Raised in New York City, Professor Lee grew up in predominantly white neighborhoods and schools with few Asian peers.  She shares how her perception of herself shifted  from identifying primarily as Chinese to embracing an Asian American identity after attending Stanford University.  She describes feeling like an outsider due to cultural differences, but describes how “cultural analysis led [her] to have a deficiency mindset.”  In her courses, she focuses on providing historical context on Asian hate to help people understand the ongoing injustice, and has recently observed heightened sensitivity among her students to Asian hate crimes.  She emphasizes the importance of having this foundation and fosters active participation in addressing contemporary social issues.

We have more coming for the series Her Way AAPI and Her Way Climate so be sure to look out for the next episode. See upcoming live conversations at ⁠herwayspotlights.com⁠ as well.

How to listen:

• Listen on Spotify
• Listen on Anchor
• Listen on Apple Podcasts

See you next time!