Last week a student society that promotes and celebrates the Asian cultures in Benenden hosted a talk and Q&A session with the historian Dr Jack Tchen.
Six One student Nicole gives a rundown of the evening:
“Our student society has been having many conversations on the historical contexts for 21st century anti-Asian racism – we have found Dr Tchen’s research invaluable in equipping us to discuss race with all its nuances and complexities.
“Dr Tchen delivered a talk to an engaged audience of Six Ones where he touched upon a variety of topics: from colonialism and the forced displacement of Native Americans to the eugenics movement and exclusionary immigration laws. He stressed the importance of intersectionality and inclusion in conversations around racism, explained what we can do as individuals, and recognised how ingrained racism is in the cultural fabric of America and here in the UK. “During the Q&A session Dr Tchen generously gave answers to questions on eugenics’ impact on modern political culture, policing, and the recent passing of the Asian-American hate crimes bill in the Senate. We were also given various recommendations to expand on the topics raised in his talk, resources ranging from books to Netflix shows. “We are all very grateful to have had this opportunity and we hopeful for more captivating guest speaker events in the future!”