Stereotypes chip away at the idiosyncrasies that make us human, leaving only generalizations that fit a false narrative. In our hyperconnected world today, racial stereotyping lurk in different places and in different forms, though at times they might not be immediately obvious. One thing is certain though: stereotypes are always rooted in ignorance, serving only to widen the divide between us as people. Joyce Teng, a 22-year-old artist from Hong Kong, has lived and studied in the UK for most of her life and experienced her share of racial stereotyping, which range from subtle remarks to in-your-face racism. These experiences, along with her observations of the one-dimensional preconceptions of Asians in the West, led her to create ConfrontAsian.

On Polaroids, lines of black-and-white text are scrawled atop each snap. Despite the informality of it all, closer scrutiny of the writing is enough to induce pause. Every photographed individual is part of the Asian diaspora, and the hand-written copy relays their personal experiences with racial stereotypes.

The idea for ConfrontAsian began in 2018. Teng—then studying sociology—was given an assignment where her ideas had to be conveyed in a visual format. Her teacher showed her photographer Jim Goldberg’s Rich and Poor series, which similarly used text and photography to shed insight on the lives of different individuals. This became the creative jolt she needed. “Polaroids feel more ‘authentic,’ and there’s an interactive element to it as well,” she says. “The people in the photos are real individuals who are keen to tell their true stories and experiences.”

There’s also a certain playfulness to Teng’s Polaroids that makes the weighted subject matter more approachable for the average person, one that piques people’s interests and makes them willing to join the conversation. “If you try to force people to understand, it’s preaching to deaf ears,” she says.”

While ConfrontAsian didn’t fully materialize until 2018, the idea for such a project examining issues of race and identity had actually been abrew since Teng’s teenage years. Born in Hong Kong to an American mother and Hong Kongese father, she struggled to find a sense of belonging after realizing she didn’t have much in common with her peers. These personal experiences are what led to her interest in sociology and her belief in equality, but this vision doesn’t exactly mirror reality. “There aren’t many cultural institutions in Hong Kong, so job opportunities in that sector are even more scarce,” she says. “So, five years ago, I decided to study abroad in the U.K., and hopefully leave with some takeaways of how I bring social change to Hong Kong.”

This year, racism has become a hot-button topic. Yet, despite the growing awareness in the wake of BLM, Joyce believes armchair activism can be counterproductive to the cause. She says that change must first begin with examining the stereotypes we unwittingly perpetuate in our day-to-day lives.

In the UK, Joyce was often considered a stereotypical “Asian nerd” by teachers and peers. She was often questioned about her identity because many people couldn’t grasp English proficiency, and at the height of the pandemic, she was even refused a ride by a cab driver. These experiences are indicative of the stereotypical Western perceptions of Asians, but beyond these encounters, she understands that discrimination takes on a multitude of forms. But due to cultural differences, Asians are averse to confrontation, and so many of these experiences are kept bottled up.

Joyce says: “First of all, we need to identify what kind of behavior is stereotypical, and you need to understand why it’s not a friendly gesture when someone comes up to you and says ‘ni hao.’ Not every Asian is Chinese. Asians should also begin standing up against this behavior but in a calm and collected way. This is how we can help them understand us better.”

Stereotypes exist everywhere, and every race can hold stereotypical views of other unfamiliar cultures. Bigotry may be influenced by friends, family, the media, or even propaganda. And so, it’s more important than ever for us to identify and reject these falsehoods. To begin, Joyce believes people must reflect on their worldviews. “We need to find the root of the problem, and understand why it’s so bad to be stereotyped based on our race,” she says. “We need to learn how to be more empathetic, and stop hurting one another because of racial differences.”

ConfrontAsian encourages Asians to be more vocal with their experiences, confronting not only others but themselves. “Once you confront yourself, you’ll realize stereotypes are oftentimes at odds with reality,” she says. “And so, you should realize that people should be treated the way you want to be treated. By looking inward and taking actions in your everyday life, this concept can grow into something bigger.”

Some Asians that Teng has spoken to are not too concerned by stereotypes, and she’s even talked to individuals who disagree with racial stereotyping being a prevalent phenomenon. “I’ve had to convince many people to participate, by explaining the different reasons, whether it be cultural, historical, or views propagated by media,” she says. Despite the frustrations she’s faced along the way, Teng has remained persistent. “Maybe because many Asians grew up with more conservative values, we’ve become ok with the injustices that we often face. But if we want to promote cultural diversity and lessen the gap between us as individuals, we need to step out of our comfort zone.”

In 2018, Teng exhibited the project for the first time in the UK. It was well-received by Asian and Western visitors alike, and at the exhibit, many shared their own experiences with racism with her. Seeing the reaction of viewers in person affirmed in her the importance of this project. “I want other Asians to be more aware of these issues of race and stereotyping, and I think I succeeded on a small scale,” she says.

To completely eradicate the negative stereotypes of Asians in the West is a bit unlikely, but if it can make even one additional individual more mindful of these issues around racism, that’s enough for Teng.

Due to the pandemic, the latest showing of ConfrontAsian, which was originally scheduled to take place in London, has been moved online. Click here to browse the exhibition.

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Contributor: Pete Zhang