2021 marks the 20th anniversary of the attacks on September 11, 2001. As we reflect on this time together, the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center (APAC) is pleased to present new resources about this anniversary, including new videos in the We Are Not A Stereotype: Breaking down Asian Pacific American bias series. This topical Learning Lab collection expands on the video content, featuring Vishavjit Singh, Alison Kysia, Dr. Sabrina N'Diaye, Homayra Ziad, Sahar Aziz, and Margari Hill, new interviews on APAC's Learning Together website. 

What are these resources about? 
Many stereotypes negatively affect Sikh and Muslim American communities in the United States. These stereotypes existed long before 9/11, and they continue today, twenty years later. Our new resources introduce you to speakers who reflect on the 9/11 anniversary, talk about stereotypes that negatively affect Sikh and Muslim American communities in the United States and what they love about their identities and faiths, and the diversity of Sikh and Muslim American communities in the US. As you watch these videos, we encourage you to think about the stories and information they are sharing with us through these questions, which you can use for quiet reflection or a group discussion:

What are some of the stereotypes that Sikh and Muslim American community members face?

How do the stories shared by the speakers dismantle stereotypes?

How can we make space to embrace and celebrate differences while also validating these experiences?

Reflecting on the 9/11 anniversary in a rapidly changing world.

It is essential to reflect on this anniversary by listening to as many perspectives as possible. Listening to and learning about the lived experiences of communities connected to the South West Asian and North African (SWANA) region helps us better understand the multiplicities and complexities of Asian American narratives, histories, and contemporary life. As you include and expand Asian American stories in your teaching practice and learning, we encourage you to include stories from SWANA communities, and you will be able to find some of them in the collection below. 

How do we connect this anniversary to broader Asian American and Pacific Islander stories? 

We encourage you to think about the following keywords, below, and their interconnections with current events in Afghanistan, the 9/11 anniversary, and many stories related to Asian American and Pacific Islander communities today:

Agency, Asylum Seeker, Community, Cultural Memory, Diaspora, Generation, Global Cold War, Humanity, Immigrant, Media, Migrant, Refugee, Resettlement, Trauma

What do these words mean to you? Who do you see when you read these words? This collection provides definitions of these words and additional Smithsonian and community-created resources to contextualize their meanings related to broader Asian American and Pacific Islander histories. These resources can be used for lesson planning or as reading assignments for students.