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Sean Dao
Professor Moskowitz
Asian-Americans and Racism (61Z)
7 December, 2025
Racial Triangulation: The Labyrinth of Racism
Racism against Asian-Americans in the United States first came around the 19th century
which notably began with the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882. These people immigrated from all
parts of Asia in search of greater opportunities, but instead, they were set back by constant
discrimination and hostility. Over time, they put in endless efforts in hopes of being more
recognized in these divided communities. To become successful, they strongly believe hard work
is what is needed to attain this goal. Despite their achievements, racism would only expand
further, as well as evolve in many new forms, establishing a systemic relationship between them
and other minority races, particularly African-Americans. This would resort to conflicts between
them due to factors like how Asians are seen as more wealthy through their hard efforts. Also,
they all still remain in a society structured by White dominance, constantly placing all minority
races as inferior. This ongoing cycle is used in the idea of Racial Triangulation, which fully
reveals the interconnectedness of racial hierarchies and discrimination. Through this lens, it
becomes more clearly known that racism against Asian-Americans is deeply rooted from the
oppression of other minority races, making solidarity among these diverse communities
significant in fully addressing and understanding these interconnected forms of discrimination.
To first understand the concept of Racial Triangulation, one must acknowledge how
Asian-Americans have become labeled as the “model minority,” a stereotype rooted in their hard
work and socioeconomic success. According to TIME, Viet Thanh Nguyen explicitly states
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“what it means to be a model minority: to be invisible in most circumstances because we are
doing what we are supposed to be doing, like my parents, until we become hypervisible because
we are doing what we do too well, like the Korean shopkeepers” (Nguyen). Simply, he considers
the accomplishments and dedication his people constantly put in as a “trap.” Instead of seeing
these successes as a way to battle racism against Asian-Americans, it gives into the rise of
American vulnerability to economic competition. They heavily rely on Asian-Americans for
economic success, but they would feel behind if they actually accomplish in doing so. In
addition, Nguyen states “[I]t is easier to blame a foreign country or a minority, or even
politicians who negotiate trade agreements, than to identify the real power” (Nguyen). Not
wanting to accept the reality that Asian-Americans could surpass them, they resort to blaming
them for their problems. This creates a never-ending cycle of racism, where Asians are
constantly being put in the middle: neither fully accepted as “white” nor fully considered equals
among other marginalized groups. The “model minority” label places them in a distinct spot
within racial hierarchies, a core part of Racial Triangulation. As a result, this label and other
stereotypes revolving around it put more pressure for them to meet these expectations. This
“trap” reveals the ongoing cycles of unrealistic expectations they feel like they need to meet.
Racism not only remains after times of “success,” it keeps coming back in new forms in a society
becoming more diverse. The hate that Asian-Americans can experience shows how regardless of
their standing, they will still be blamed simply because they are “un-American.” Thus,
understanding the concept of Racial Triangulation teaches one that to fight racism, one must
challenge the stereotypes instead of blindly complying with them. Then, one will become more
able to dismantle any kind of label and stereotype that racial triangulation perpetuates.
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Another aspect of Racial Triangulation can be seen through times of violence, in particular
being protests advocating for African-Americans. Journalist Aaron Mak retells a time when he
came to report a BLM protest in Milwaukee. As he approached the incident, he got aggressively
beaten up until some random person yelled “‘Stop! He’s not white! He’s Asian’” (Mak). As an
Asian-American journalist, Mak felt out of place and questioned if his presence even made sense
in this incident. In a protest that revealed the systemic racism against African-Americans, anger
fueled into violence to the extent everyone was consumed by it. In an attempt to enact change,
they end up only bringing unnecessary destruction. Race is actively revoked even in times of
racial violence, where it was used to stop Mak from getting beat up even more. This connects to
how even when Asians strive to find their place in a White-dominated society, they are still seen
as strangers rather than an ally to whiteness. Therefore, these groups fail to unite against this
issue, especially in times of disaster, showing how distant they are from each other.
This shows how Racial Triangulation works, especially when a lack of solidarity ends up
creating distance between marginalized communities. This is indicative of how some
Asian-Americans are skeptical in advocating justice for African-Americans. Mak states that
Asians’ hesitation to stand with Black Lives Matter comes from the fear of bringing race into any
debate can turn society into a zero-sum game where “they often lose” (Mak). Simply, some
Asian-Americans are skeptical about participating in the BLM movement, where they think it
means losing their social status, which culminates all from generations of racial triangulation.
The “model minority” label gives them greater incentive to focus on proving their worth through
their own accomplishments rather than aligning with others. This makes them see solidarity with
Black communities as risky, splitting up these two groups. This comes from how the system
places minority groups against each other, as if they are in competition. Therefore, as a result of
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treating racial justice as a “zero-sum” game, it makes it more difficult for marginalized groups to
actually battle against racism. Instead of seeing the other as competition, both races must
acknowledge each other as every other human being and always uplift each other in times of
distress.
Affirmative action used against Asian-Americans also plays a significant role in discussing
how racism only persists but in new forms through Racial Triangulation. When discussing this
topic, Hasan Minraj highlights how systemic structures result in tension between minority
groups. He says that “there are more Black people in the Wu-Tang Clan than there are at
Caltech,” bringing up the lack of representation of Black students in prestigious universities
(Patriot Act). While it is true Asian-Americans often achieve great levels of academic
achievement, other minority groups still experience barriers rooted in structural inequalities. It
shows how they are commended for their successes, but it is often used as a benchmark which
results in competition and division with other marginalized groups. This is generally seen when
it comes to college admissions, where there are a certain amount of spots allotted for each race. It
makes Asian-Americans feel greatly disappointed when denied only because these spots were
limited, despite the grand amount of hardworking applicants. Thus, this makes it easy to blame
other races, further bringing tension between minority groups due to affirmative action.
Furthermore, Minhaj clarifies that "Affirmative action isn’t punishing Asian Americans; it’s
about leveling the playing field for those who’ve been historically marginalized” (Patriot Act).
He emphasizes how these tensions are not innate between these groups, but instead constructed
by systemic racial policies. It is as if the government is controlling all of the communities and
pitting them against each other. This solidifies the “middle” position towards Asian Americans
that keeps them excluded from full inclusivity, even in marginalized spheres. Through this, racial
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triangulation becomes evident, especially when policies like affirmative action are perceived as
zero-sum contests where it becomes a free-for-all among everyone. The fact different minority
races are willingly going against each other for the same goals highlights the urgent need for
solidarity between these groups. By recognizing the shared struggles and battling structural
racism, marginalized groups will become more able to challenge systemic racism. In summary,
Minhaj’s speech not only mentions the misuse of Asian-American success to oppose policies like
affirmative action, it also demonstrates how community cooperation is vital to fight the
hierarchies developed as a result of racial triangulation.
The significance of solidarity becomes greater through the brutal 1992 Los Angeles riots
where sudden shifts in blame can pit minority communities against each other instead of
confronting the structures of White supremacy. One major source of tension between Asian and
Black-Americans emerged after the killing of Latasha Harlins, where Abraham Torres says she
“was killed by a Korean store owner. [The store owner] basically got only five years probation.
She didn’t go to jail. People were pissed off” (Rhodes). Moments like this caused distrust
between Black and Korean communities, which overshadowed the justice system that failed to
hold the store owner accountable. This only shifts rage away from institutional power and goes
towards another marginalized group, showing that this did not take root from inherent conflict.
The results were devastating, and everywhere was left in flames where firefighters had to contain
all the fires alone. In addition, even emergency responders were endangered, as Torres states
“Firemen were being shot at because LAPD wouldn’t cover them while they were putting out the
fires. Actually, the Smithsonian has tapes of the fire department calling in for backup, and the
LAPD is just ignoring” (Rhodes). Even when destruction escalates, the polices’ refusal to not
protect firefighters, businesses, or residents shows they always retreat from neighborhoods of
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color. No matter how much Asian-Americans have achieved, not only do they end up in disputes
among other races, they also only suffer the same consequences as everyone else. Thus, the lack
of presence of white authorities allowed chaos to erupt uninterrupted. Together, racial
triangulation places Asian Americans in a space rebuked by African-Americans for injustices
created by social perception, while receiving inadequate protection from resources covered by
white dominance. This solidified the idea that marginalized communities were left abandoned to
“fight” among themselves, pushing them into conflict with one another while the dominant
system remained above scrutiny. Therefore, the 1992 LA riots reveal the importance of working
together in solidarity. If minority communities remain ignorant to the constant pattern of
institutional neglect, they will only become divided whenever unity is most vital.
Viet Thanh Nguyen underlines the central point shown across these various aspects of
racial triangulation: “If you think America is in trouble, blame shareholders, not immigrants;
look at CEOs, not foreigners; resent corporations, not minorities; yell at politicians of both
parties, not the weak, who have little in the way of power or wealth to share” (Nguyen). From
centuries ago until now, racial triangulation has evolved to constantly trap marginalized groups
to blame one another, while those who maintain this structural racial hierarchy remain at peace.
From the “model minority” label in which Nguyen considers a “trap” among Asian-Americans,
the hate surrounding the affirmative action Hasan Minraj critiques, to the tensions during the
1992 Los Angeles riots, the pattern remains the same. Despite the shared experiences of injustice
among these communities, only conflict persists. Yet, these inequities are often easily neglected,
leaving minority groups to suffer from the consequences. Understanding this deeply helps one
learn how to resist racism by rejecting labels and stereotypes that leave communities fighting
against each other, and to focus on what causes these divisions to erupt. To slowly overcome
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racism requires solidarity where other marginalized groups are seen as partners who share the
same struggle. If they only see each other as competitors, they can only fight for second place
that always sets them behind white dominance. Regardless of their position, they must
understand that to battle racism means to stand up against first place, the root cause of this issue.
Thus, they must put their differences aside, and work together in confronting these systems to be
able to break the cycle of racial triangulation and build an environment where everyone can
coexist in unison.
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Works Cited
Mak, Aaron. ““You’re Asian, Right? Why Are You Even Here?”” POLITICO Magazine, 23
Aug. 2016,
www.politico.com/magazine/story/2016/08/milwaukee-protests-asian-american-black-liv
es-matter-214184/.
Nguyen, Viet Thanh. “Asian Americans Are Still Caught in the Trap of the “Model Minority”
Stereotype. And It Creates Inequality for All.” Time, Time, 25 June 2020,
time.com/5859206/anti-asian-racism-america/.
Patriot Act. “Affirmative Action | Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj | Netflix.” YouTube, 28 Oct.
2018, www.youtube.com/watch?v=zm5QVcTI2I8. ‌
Rhodes, Messiah. “An Unseen Side of the 1992 LA Riots.” VICE, May 2017,
www.vice.com/en/article/an-unseen-side-of-the-1992-la-riots/.
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