A conversation with Dr. Funie Hsu
Wednesday, November 16th, 2022
7pm EST
Click HERE for the Webinar video
Most convert Buddhists in America aren’t aware that Buddhism was first practiced in this country by Asian immigrant laborers. How did this historical fact get left out of the mainstream narratives of American Buddhism? This talk will discuss some of the early Asian American communities and histories at the root of American Buddhism. It will also highlight how these foundations of American Buddhism have been excluded. It details how the combined forces of racial and religious domination have impacted Asian American Buddhists, and how they’ve persisted. It will conclude by highlighting ways that we can work together to amplify the Asian American foundations of American Buddhism to offer a more accurate and just Buddhism for all.
About
Funie Hsu (she/they) is Associate Professor of American studies at San Jose State University. She is a transdisciplinary scholar whose work melds American studies, Asian American studies, Education, Buddhist studies, and other fields. She is a former University of California President’s Postdoctoral Fellow and received a Ph.D. in Education (UC Berkeley); an Ed.M in Education (Harvard); and a B.A. in Asian American studies (UC Davis). Prior to her academic career, she was an elementary school teacher in Los Angeles Unified. Hsu is currently an editorial board member for the Journal of Global Buddhism, an advisory board member on the Asian Pacific American Religions Research Initiative (APARRI), and a co-organizer of May We Gather, a national Buddhist memorial for Asian American ancestors. She is a recipient of a Spencer Foundation Grant for her project on mindfulness, race, and schools. Her articles and essays have appeared in American Quarterly, Journal of Global Buddhism, Educational Studies, CATESOL, L2 Journal, Rondo, The Progressive, Lion’s Roar, Buddhadharma, Turning Wheel, Huffpost.com, and elsewhere.
Past Webinars
Trusting our emotions
Jenny’s favorite Taiwanese dish
A conversation with Dr. Jenny T. Wang
Wednesday, October 5th, 2022
4pm CST, 5pm EST
In this WonLAB webinar, Won Institute's Grace Song will chat with Dr. Jenny Wang about the intersections of Asian American identity and mental health. In Dr. Wang's recent book, Permission to Come Home: Reclaiming Mental Health as Asian Americans, Wang destigmatizes mental health within the Asian community and empowers Asian Americans to embrace their mental health while honoring the richness of their heritage. She will lead us on a journey toward acceptance, healing, and belonging, demonstrating that home is a place we must create for ourselves.
Asian American Identity and Mental Health
About
Dr. Jenny T. Wang is a Taiwanese American clinical psychologist and national speaker on the intersections of Asian American identity, mental health, and racial trauma. She received her doctorate from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center and completed her postdoctoral training at the Duke University Medical Center. She is the founder of the @asiansformentalhealth community on Instagram and created the Asians for Mental Health directory to help Asian Americans find culturally reverent mental health care.
Future Webinars
Date: TBA
Remembering Saigu (4.29, 사이구): Thirty Years After the LA Civil Unrest w/ Dr. Edward Chang