PREZ RACE: Asian American ads need to think of South Asians, too

Almost exactly 10 years ago today, I submitted an essay for NewsWatch Quarterly, a project of the Center for Integration and Improvement of Journalism at San Francisco State University, about the how South Asians get lost in the broad term that is "Asian American." I wrote, in part:

Complaining about the U.S. media's coverage of foreign regions is nothing new, and it is easy to find a paucity of stories about almost any area of the world. But the inadequate coverage of South Asia and its emigres to the U.S. is particularly remiss. For the media, "Asia" too often means East Asia and Southeast Asia, while South Asia--with its nuclear ambitions, growing economic ties to the West and a billion-plus population--is relatively ignored.

Re-reading the piece, "South Asians: The Forgotten Minority," I see a lot has changed in a decade. The amount of coverage about the subcontinent has increased dramatically - thanks to the Pakistan's politics, India's economy, the 9/11 attacks and much more. South Asians have since made much progress in various parts of the American consciousness. I wrote the essay before Jhumpa Lahiri won her Pulitzer; before M.I.A. and Norah Jones released their first albums; before M. Night Shyamalan made "The Sixth Sense" and Kal Penn had even earned his first small parts on "Buffy the Vampire Slayer"; and before movies like "Monsoon Wedding," "Bend It Like Beckham" and "The Namesake" made waves in some U.S. circles. Several South Asian business execs run a variety of companies with household names (Citigroup, PepsiCo, Ethan Allen). And, as I discussed with a group of South Asian actors (Aasif Mandvi, Manu Narayan, Kavi Ladnier) on Friday (see notes and audio here), there are a lot more opportunities in TV and film than ever before (but there are never enough, of course).

But I am writing today to bring attention to the fact that to some (just some) Asian Americans, South Asians still don't count as Asian Americans.

How else to interpret these two political public service ads, created by and starring Asian Americans and aimed at Asian Americans? Take a look at each and see neither bothers to put in any South Asian faces. John Cho, one half of the "Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle" team is featured in both ads, but you won't find his at-least-as-equally-famous partner, Kal Penn, in either ad. Nor will you find Naveen Andrews from "Lost" or Parminder Nagra from "ER," Mindy Kaling from "The Office" or... well, you get the picture.

The first ad, which I saw airing on local cable in NYC a couple of weeks ago, is by APIAvote.org:

APIAVote envisions a society in which all Asian Pacific Islander Americans fully participate in and have access to the democratic process.

The second ad is by MTV, as part of its "Choose Or Lose" campaign.

I am glad there are such efforts out there to get Asian Americans to vote. But I am struck by how ridiculous it is not to have even a token brown face in these ads.

I am NOT trying to slam all Asian American groups, of course. Many Asian American organizations, such as AALDEF-Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund and AAJA-Asian American Journalists Association (among many others) have done a lot for, and with, South Asian organizations, including SAJA. Other groups should learn from them.

Aseem Chhabra, who was on that Hollywood webcast discussion with me, points out: "Imaginasian TV (I have started doing a small movies segment with them) runs an voting PSA on their cable channel as well as on their site that features all Asians, including South Asians." See that ad here.

Another example of the ads aimed at Asian Americans is here, from DeclareYourself.

[UPDATE, Sept. 21, 2008: Tanzila Ahmed, writing in SepiaMutiny, finds a South Asian in a prominent voting PSA.]

What do YOU think? Post your comments below.

Earlier examples of ignoring South Asians in stories about Asian Americans:

• MEDIA WATCH: NYT "Styles" section needs a diversity - and geography - lesson
• EDUCATION: NYT on Asians at Berkeley

Comments

[southasiaisnotasia]

they dont include us because we dont look like them. just because the west lumps as all together under one checkbox doesnt mean that we have anything in common.

[Vishesh]

One company that represents South Asian & Asian Americans is ImaginAsian TV.