Evelyne Kim, who is Korean American, works at the Asian American Drug Abuse Program (AADAP), a Los Angeles, California-based nonprofit organization offering comprehensive programs to counteract substance abuse problems in the Asian Pacific American community. She has been employed there as an adult residential counselor, and presently is the organization's Development Director. She continues to work with the residents, and speaks publicly on Asian substance abuse and treatment issues.

Describe Asians in America today.

The Asian and Asian American Pacific Islander communities are vast and diverse. There are roughly 60 different Asian and Pacific Islander communities and 200 different dialects or languages. An Asian or Pacific Islander is a person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, the Indian subcontinent, or the Pacific Islands. These areas include Japan, the Philippine Islands, India, China, Hawaii and Samoa. Each community possesses unique cultural traits that vary and at times greatly differ from region to region and community to community. In speaking about Asians in America, there are several general terms used to define how Asians here in the U.S. identify themselves, per their bi-cultural status: Asians, Asian Americans, and Pacific Islanders. Those individuals who are new and recent immigrants to the U.S. usually consider themselves Asian. Asians who are born in America identify themselves as Asian Americans. Hawaiians, Samoans, Gaumanians, Tongan, etc., do not identify as being Asian or Asian American, but as Pacific Islanders.

What is the Model Minority Myth?

There are so many misperceptions regarding the Asian/Asian American and Pacific Islander communities, some dating back to time of when Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Filipinos were brought to the United States in the late 1800s to work on the railroads. Stereotypes include Asian men being viewed as untrustworthy, sneaky, or un-masculine. Asian women are seen as either being demure and submissive, or as overly sexualized and dominating.

The biggest misperception is the Model Minority Myth -- that Asian/Asian-American and Pacific Islander communities are successful and do not cause problems for others. This myth, created by the mainstream and still strongly upheld in some Asian/Asian-American communities, is the "double-edged sword" that holds communities back from breaking the denial regarding social ills.

The Model Minority Myth was born back in the late 1950s and early 1960s. When Japanese Americans were released from U.S. internment camps after the end of World War II, this community wanted to prove themselves worthy of being American citizens. The internment camp experience left deep psychological scars to the Japanese-American community. To overcompensate for their experiences and to reconcile their feelings of how they were treated and viewed during World War II, the Japanese-American community overachieved in areas of academic pursuits and career advancements. Tremendous pressure was imposed upon the children who were born and raised after their parents were released from internment camps, with sometimes tragic social consequences. In fact, AADAP was established in 1972 in response to 31 young adult Japanese Americans dying of drug overdoses.

The pressure to uphold the Model Minority Myth is very strong, particularly among Asian immigrant families. There is a drive among these communities to be successful. Children who achieve success do not fully own their accomplishments. Instead, success serves as a reflection of the family and, in particular, the parents' accomplishment of raising an honorable family. In this dynamic, children invariably are caught between two opposing cultural values and traditions. Asian culture places a premium on the family and extended unit. Western culture places emphasis on the individual.

Are there recurring issues when treating the Asian, Asian-American and Pacific Islander communities?

Often yes, specific to age and the generation of the client. Youth and young adult clients who are of first generation or "1.5 generation" often struggle with issues of identity and cultural conflicts. (The term "1.5 generation" is often used by the Korean/Korean-American community to identify immigrants who came to the States between the stage of infancy to early teen years).

First generation adults often struggle with issues of role conflict and displacement. They often feel shameful of their shortcomings and for failing themselves, their families, and their community at large. These feelings also exist among youth and young adults. A power shift may occur in new immigrant families between parents and children. In the most traditional Asian communities, it is incumbent upon the family members to be caretakers for the elders of the household, who [are revered]. Often, immigrant parents have limited English language proficiency. Language translation may fall to the children, creating a dynamic in which the child serves as a negotiator and advocate for his or her parents, and informs his parents about American law and customs. As young children become placed in adult roles and given adult responsibilities, immigrant parents become displaced in terms of how they understand their roles and duties. The credibility and the authority of the parents are undermined.

Due to the political and social upheaval of certain communities, there are certain issues that are specific. The Cambodian community suffers from severe post-traumatic syndrome in aftermath of the massacres that occurred during and after the Vietnam War. In one example of how historical events continue to affect a people, today the educational attainment among many adult Cambodian immigrants is very low. This is because during the massacres in Cambodia in 1970s and 1980s, intellectuals and educators were murdered and many people did not have access to education growth and development. Many Cambodian adults living in American only have elementary school level education, and others cannot write or read their own language, which can have an impact on family health and wellness.

How do Asian communities view alcohol and drug problems?

Different Asian cultures view drugs and alcohol differently. The Cambodian culture sees alcohol use as for medicinal purposes. They can be unaware of the addictive qualities of alcohol abuse. In the Korean culture, alcohol is used for social purposes. Of late, Koreans in Korea are starting see the addictive impacts of alcohol abuse. Japan is also following suit. As for drug addiction, it is a taboo issue in most Asian communities. Most view drug addicts and addiction as failure upon family or individual to uphold a positive image and maintain the norm.

In my experience in working with the Korean community in Los Angeles, many in this community have been in denial for a very long time about addiction issues. Parents and family members are unable to understand that addiction is a disease. Often the client's treatment plan is undermined because parents, family members and friends continue to enable the client. Intensive education regarding addiction, treatment, and relapse prevention is required when working with the various Asian communities. Even after a client who successfully completes treatment is reunified with his or her family and living a life of recovery, often parents and family members are still too ashamed to acknowledge that someone in their family had an addiction.

Though it is important to be culturally sensitive and competent in treating clients of various backgrounds, counselors and other practitioners need not view Asians and Asian American Pacific Islanders as a "special" population. An addict is an addict. Addiction is a disease. It is imperative that all clients understand and accept this. If they are unable to accept that, I would tell them that the services will be available for them when they are ready to enter into treatment. We will be here for them.

For more information about AADAP, please visit www.aadapinc.org.