About This Course

This is a self-paced/asynchronous, 10-hour on-line mini-course.  The course welcomes all adults who identify as or serve Asian Americans in a professional capacity, or who are simply interested in learning about the contemporary Asian American experience for personal reasons. It is  designed for those working in K-12 education who want to gain better insight into the complex lives of the Asian American students and families they serve. K-12 teachers in particular will be provided resources that they can incorporate into their curriculum.  

As outlined below, the course will focus on the following topics: Asian Americans’ history of immigration and settlement, Asian American identities, Asian American families and intimate relationships, Asian Americans’ educational achievement, and  Asian Americans' economic experiences. The course approaches these topics from a sociological perspective (which is Dr. Rodriguez's training) that is also deeply informed by ethnic studies/critical race studies and thus examines how Asian American life is shaped simultaneously by the economy, politics and culture and how these social structures are in turn shaped by systems of inequality rooted in white supremacy, patriarchy and heterosexism, as well as capitalism. Check out the FAQs or this video if you have additional questions.


Course Outline

Content will be accessible on Oct. 1, 2021

  • 1

    Welcome to the course!

    • Welcome to Asian America: An Introductory Course!

    • How to use this course

    • Before we begin...

    • "Model Minority Mutiny" Article (Required)

    • Race, Ethnicity, Gender and Sexuality (Optional)

    • Recording of Instagram Live session where Dr. Rodriguez answers questions about this course (Optional)
  • 2

    The Asian Immigration to the U.S.: History & Current Issues

    • What's in this module? (Required)

    • Nuanced Understandings of Immigration History (Required)

    • "A Different Asian American Timeline" Website (Required)

    • "History of Angel Island Immigration Station" Website (Optional)

    • Legal Status and its Impacts (Required)

    • "Eighteen states have already enacted 30 laws this year that will make it harder for Americans to vote" article (Required)

    • "Deportation of Southeast Asian Refugees" Video (Optional)

    • "Asian American DACA Recipients Share Their Stories" Video (Optional)
  • 3

    Asian American Identities

    • What's in this module? (Required)

    • When and How Ethnic Identities Matter (Required)

    • "How/Where Identity is Formed" Illustration/Poster

    • Anti-Asian Racism and Its Impacts (Required)

    • Intersectional Identities (Required)

    • "'Am I Asian Enough?' Adoptees Struggle To Make Sense Of Spike In Anti-Asian Violence" Article with Audio (Required)
  • 4

    Families and Intimate Relations

    • What's in this module? (Required)

    • A Diversity of Family Forms (Required)

    • Asian American Adoptees (Required)

    • "Reclaiming my voice as a transracial adoptee" Video (Optional)

    • Asian American Home Life: Issues and Struggles (Required)

    • "The Language Of Domestic Abuse in South Asian Communities " Video (Optional)
  • 5

    Educational Achievement

    • What's in this module? (Required)

    • Asian Americans' Varying Schooling Experiences (Required)

    • Dr. Ellen Wu Discusses her research on the origins of the "model minority" myth video (Optional)

    • "Parents fear anti-Asian racism as schools mull reopening" Video (Optional)

    • Dr. Min Zhou Discusses the "Asian American Achievement Paradox" Video (Optional)

    • "Alice Wong and the Disability Visibility Project" Video (Optional)

    • "Ethnic Discipline Gap: Unseen Dimensions of Racial Disproportionality in School Discipline" Article (Required)
  • 6

    Economic Experiences

    • What's in this module? (Required)

    • Not Just 'Crazy Rich' Asians (Required)

    • "How Income Inequality Became A Big Issue Among Asian Americans" Video (Required)

    • "Hearts Suspended" film focused on the spouses of H1B migrants (Optional)

    • Race & Gender for Asian American Laborers: A Case Study of Domestic Workers (Required)

    • "The Human Trafficking Of Domestic Workers In The United States" (Required)

    • "After Years of Organizing, Domestic Workers Win Bill of Rights Law in New York" (Video)

    • Asian American Poverty & Unemployment (Required)

    • Consolidate Your Learning
  • 7

    Next steps

    • Congrats! Here's what's next...

    • Before you go...

Registration Fee for Asynchronous/Self-paced Course (Content Available on Oct. 1, 2021)

After basic course expenses are paid, registration fees will go towards expanding the School for Liberating Education's offerings as well as a non-profit organization Dr. Rodriguez is setting up in her late son, Amado Khaya's, and other social justice groups with which she works. For free learning opportunities, please follow Dr. Rodriguez's work on her website. She frequently gives public lectures and shares her knowledge through, blogs, newsletters, social media, YouTube and other platforms. Groups interested in Dr. Rodriguez's training and workshops can also inquire about booking there.

Registration Fee for Hybrid Option (Meetings on Nov. 6th & Dec. 4th, 2021)

Register here if you want the chance to meet with other students and participate in discussions with Dr. Rodriguez while also taking the self-paced/synchronous course.

  • 5 x $51.80

    5 x $51.80Asian America: Introductory Course (Hybrid Option)

    Registration fee includes access to content for the asynchronous/self-paced course (available starting Oct. 1, 2021) and additional virtual synchronous meetings taking place on Nov. 6th and Dec. 4th, 2021.
    Register now!