Prof. Judith Scott Awarded BU Grant to Empower Asian & Asian-American Families against Racism
The COVID-19 pandemic led to a greater focus on the increasing racism and discrimination faced by Asian individuals. Tragically, disinformation on the pandemic fueled already present anti-Asian sentiments, leading to a heightened level of hate directed towards Asian communities. This crisis reached a breaking point in June of 2020, when Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh declared racism to be a public health crisis facing the country. To reduce the negative impacts of anti-Asian hate, Prof. Judith Scott, with co-principal investigators Yoyo Yau of Boston Chinatown Neighborhood Center and Catherine Vuky of South Cove Community Health Center/William James College, will conduct a pilot intervention study funded by a Boston University Initiative on Cities (IOC) Early Stage Urban Research Award.
The study, “Supporting Asian Parents and Children Talking about Race and Racism,” empowers Chinese and Vietnamese families to discuss the significance of race with their children. Asian-Americans constitute a large portion of Boston’s population, and past research has highlighted how parental engagement in socializing children on racial and ethnic issues can lessen the consequences of racism. According to research on the impacts of racism, any direct or indirect exposure to anti-Asian hate increased the risk of developing mental health disorders, negative self-esteem, anxiety, and depression among Asian and Asian American individuals, including children. However, the practice of ethnic-racial socialization (ERS) has rarely been researched within the context of Asian and Asian-American families with elementary age children, which is something Prof. Scott’s research aims to change.
The study will first understand the perspectives of Chinese and Vietnamese parents of elementary school children, and how they believe racism has impacted their children’s mental health. Then, the researchers will develop and pilot an ERS intervention model, which educates children on race, empowers children against racism, and increases cultural pride. Their goal is to mitigate the negative impacts of racism by engaging with education institutions, like Boston Public Schools and Quincy Public Schools, to address racism within these institutions.
Prof. Scott and her co-principal investigators will use the IOC grant to promote just and equitable transformations in urban areas like Boston. The BU IOC addresses pressing issues of urban areas pertaining to sustainability, health, poverty, and inclusivity. They encourage research and learning through their grants to support urban communities-in-need.