I’m Jeff Yang, not Jeff Chang! The everyday horror of having to say ‘Sorry, wrong Asian’

What is the impact of calling an Asian the wrong name? #WrongAsian

This is common in un-diverse spaces. Every Asian experiences this, its matter of how often. At the National Speakers Association I has highly involved as the president of Washington state and at the national level for 11 years. Out of the 2000 members, 7 were Asians and 3 were Asian females and the other two were 10 years older and 3 sizes larger and taller. Of course, we were mistaken for each other.

Think about how this could affect you? You could believe you are not memorable. You didn’t make an impression. They just see your appearance, not the whole you. Listen, read and hear from Asian voices of the frequency and impact.

Do you want your Asian colleagues and friends to feel like you respect them?

Know your limitations and/lack of familiarity with Asian faces and do better. Take the time to figure out how to remember who they are. Show that you care.