Six years after the global pandemic, xenophobia and discrimination remain a persistent reality for Asian Americans, driven in part by the enduring “perpetual foreigner” stereotype. 

Committee of 100 hosted a conversation highlighting new findings from the second report in the 2025 State of Chinese Americans survey four-part series, and examined how the assumption of foreignness shapes experiences of belonging for Chinese Americans and broader Asian American communities.   

The data reveals a troubling pattern: U.S.-born Asian Americans continue to be viewed as perpetual outsiders, facing race-based discrimination and questioning of their belonging at higher rates than any other racial group in the nation. Those who regularly encounter these assumptions face feelings of exclusion and psychological distress. The stereotype also dampens political engagement, reducing policymaker responsiveness to AAPI community needs. This stereotype can lead to dampened political engagement, and thus, decreased responsiveness from policymakers to Asian American community needs. Our panelists explored these findings and what can be done: 

• Teresa Hsu, PhD, Founder and Executive Director of SPEAK (Supportive Place for Empowering Asian Americans & Kins) 

• Vivien Leung, PhD, Assistant Professor of Political Science at the University of Santa Clara 

• Katie Soo, Board Chair of Asia Society Southern California and Trustee of Asia Society Global Board

This discussion offers advocates, policymakers, mental health professionals, or community leaders data-driven insights and practical perspectives to better support Asian American communities.

Teresa Hsu, PhD
Founder and Executive Director of SPEAK (Supportive Place for Empowering Asian Americans & Kins)

S.P.E.A.K. is founded by clinical psychologist Dr. Teresa Hsu, PhD (she/hers), a second-generation Taiwanese American and an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Pediatrics at Albert Einstein College of Medicine. As a former Assistant Director at Montefiore Medical Center, she helped establish one of the largest pediatric integrated behavioral health primary care programs in the nation. She believes it is essential to increase access to care and decrease barriers to treatment for marginalized populations, so her work and research focus on collaborative care, a systemic (family, neighborhood, cultural) understanding of child and adolescent mental health, prevention, and population health in diverse, historically marginalized communities. Her research has been presented nationally and published in peer-reviewed journals. She has been interviewed by The New York Times, WHYY PBS & NPR, VeryWell Family, Romper, Modern Healthcare, and NJ.com, among others. Dr. Hsu is the author of The Asian American Teen’s Mental Health Workbook: Skills for Children of Immigrants to Navigate Family and Cultural Expectations, Challenge Racism, and Celebrate Who You Are (New Harbinger Press, 2025).

Dr. Hsu attended Northwestern University, where she received her BA in Psychology and Piano Performance and received her PhD in Clinical Psychology from The George Washington University.

Vivien Leung, PhD
Assistant Professor of Political Science at the University of Santa Clara

Vivien Leung (she/they) teaches courses in American politics, racial politics, and quantitative methods. This year they will be teaching Introduction to American Politics, Quantitative Methods, and a course in race and ethnicity. Their research areas are in race and ethnic politics, political psychology, immigration, and American politics. More specifically, they are interested in the racialization of Asian Americans and how context shapes identity formation and influences behavior. Her work has appeared in Political Behavior, PS: Political Science and Politics, the Journal of Race, Ethnicity, and Perspectives on Politics.

Leung received their BA from California Polytechnic State University, Pomona in 2013, MA from American University in 2015, and PhD from the University of California, Los Angeles.

Katie Soo
Board Chair of Asia Society Southern California and Trustee of Asia Society Global Board

Katie Soo is a media, technology, and cultural strategist known for building category-defining platforms at the intersection of entertainment, consumer behavior, and community. She has shaped how modern audiences engage with content, brands, and experiences — leading transformation and growth initiatives across industries spanning leadership roles at HBO Max, Warner Bros. Digital Networks, DC Universe, Hulu, and direct-to-consumer disruptor Dollar Shave Club, where she led and scaled growth of globally recognized brands and franchises including Game of Thrones and Wonder Woman.

Soo’s work increasingly focuses on building cultural and institutional infrastructure that extends beyond traditional companies. She serves as Board Chair of Asia Society Southern California, the first woman to hold the role, and is a member Asia Society’s Global Board of Trustees and Committee 100. She also co-founded AWE (Asian Women Empowered), an initiative advancing AAPI women into leadership and board positions, and serves on the Advisory Board of the California State University Entertainment Alliance. Recognized by AdAge, Adweek, Promax, the Webby Awards, Clio, Digiday, and the Shorty Awards, Katie was named to Goldhouse’s A100 list of the most impactful Asians in culture.

She advises global founders, executives, and organizations on building enduring platforms that shape culture, unlock new markets, and drive long-term impact.