The Latinos of Asia: How Filipino Americans Break the Rules of Race

Is race only about the color of your skin? In this talk, Dr. Ocampo, Assistant Professor of Sociology at Cal Poly Pomona, focuses on Filipino Americans to show that what “color” you are depends largely on your social context. Filipino Americans are officially classified as Asian, but share many cultural characteristics with Latinos. Are they “becoming” Asian or Latino? By elevating the voices of Filipino Americans, Dr. Ocampo will discuss how their racial identities “change” depending on the communities they grow up in, the schools they attend, and the people they befriend. This talk offers a window into both the racial consciousness of everyday people and the changing racial landscape of U.S. society. Moderated by Professor Daniel Martinez HoSang, the latter half of this event will provide opportunities for attendees to engage in a Q&A with Dr. Ocampo.
SPEAKER BIO: Anthony Ocampo PhD is a scholar and writer who focuses on issues of immigration, race and ethnicity, and gender and sexuality. He is the author of The Latinos of Asia: How Filipino Americans Break the Rules of Race, recently featured on NPR Morning Edition. His book examines the racial lives of Filipino Americans, who trace their roots to a society in Asia, but also share many cultural characteristics with Latinos. The Latinos of Asia raises the puzzle: Are Filipinos in the United States “becoming” Asian American or Latino? Ocampo draws on the voices of Filipino Americans to demonstrate how demographic shifts in the U.S. are changing the way immigrants and children understand race. His book also provides a foreshadowing of what race relations in America will look like as our society moves further away from the black-white racial paradigm.
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**This event is a part of the AACC Leadership Certificate program playlist**