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Name: Jenny Banh Title: Associate professor of Asian American Studies and Anthropology Department: Anthropology Academic Degrees: B.A. from UCLA in anthropology, M.A. from Claremont Graduate University in cultural studies, Ph.D. from University of California, Riverside
How long you have worked at Fresno State? 5 years
What is your most notable accomplishment in your field, and why was it important? In the last four years, I have published four articles, seven book chapters and two edited volumes. My research focuses on Asia and Asian American studies, cultural anthropology and popular culture. My current research is on restaurants, barriers and bridges to Southeast Asian American minority college students and a Hong Kong transnational corporation. I have previously published "Barack Obama or B Hussein" (2012) and "DACA Spaces" (2018), and co-edited Anthropology of Los Angeles: Place and Agency in an Urban Setting (2017). I recently developed 13 new ASAM classes and the Asian American and Asian Studies major.
What are you most passionate about in your field and why? FOOD! I am a Chinese restaurant kid who grew up in the Midwest. I am passionate about helping minorities, first-generation students to succeed in academia. My father went to school as far as the eighth grade, so my parents went up to random strangers at UCLA when I was an undergrad and asked them to take care of me. When I got my Ph.D., my father asked me to knock on our neighbors’ doors to ask for a job in engineering. My mother told me to get a job as a mailman. So I am very aware of the struggle our first-generation students have with family dynamics. This led to my second edited volume American Chinese Restaurants (Routledge 2019). I also love traveling and have visited 35 countries.
What is a memorable moment you had at your job? Asian American graduations always make me emotional as I know that the first-generation students have been through so much to make it to the end. I am so awed by these student warriors. They sometimes contact me years later and it makes me so happy.
What is a memorable moment you had in class, and what does that reveal about your teaching style? I once taught how to "code" oral histories by a local Cambodian American Pol Pot genocide survivor and I literally could see the students lifting out of their chair. They read about his abuse, lower social economic status, etc. and how he survived and it really affected them. As they read, I could see that they related to his survival strategies. His story lifted their spirits. I always tell my students that their ancestors are proud of them.
What do you like to do for fun in your spare time? Yoga, traveling, biking, hiking, walking my dogs, writing, eating different foods, meditating, reading graphic novels, watching Netflix, family, UCLA dorm girlfriend time, looking for outfits online because in class I often like to dress up in costumes from different eras. (The students can’t tell that I am cosplaying 1960s or 1940s women wear.)
What is something interesting about you that most people don’t know? I don't use social media and like the Taylor Swift lyric "I make it up as I go..." I have a lab-boxer named Bella; who is this huge black dog who is really the sweetest thing — but people are frightened of her. In contrast, I have this model-looking corgi named Honey, who is the worst dog on the planet and barks at everyone and sheds all over. I love Marvel, Disney, Star Trek and any sci-fi/fantasy.
Is there something else you would like to share that was not asked? Well, I went to Catholic school in the Midwest. I have wanted to be an anthropologist since age eight after watching PBS and Star Trek. I am living my life dream everyday in class. I tell that to my students sometimes — that I am literally living my 8 year old life dream!
My most recent online event had more than 1,000 registered participants.
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