Planting the Seeds of Inclusive Communities
Breakout Session Three:
AAPI in America
Over the years, Michael has had the opportunity to meet with many families who had adopted Korean children. He discussed such issues as adoption, racial identity, racial prejudice, and the overall level of preparedness of these families to deal with the level of racism most of them did not anticipate encountering. The arrival of COVID in America saw Asians being blamed for the pandemic, which has increased the level of racism experienced by them. The session will attempt to address racism against AAPIs past and present.
Presenter: Michael Erickson
Michael is a Japanese American, who was transracially adopted at 18 months old while living in Tokyo. He has lived primarily in Minnesota. Michael is married and the father of 4 adult children. He worked as a School Psychologist for 41 years, with twenty plus years working on various Indian Reservations across the state.