Notes from the In-Between: Arts-Based Autoethnography of an Asian/Thai American Immigrant Community Art Educator

Abstract

Records of racialized art educators remain underrepresented in dominant narratives of art education. In recent years, Asian American art educators have begun addressing their unique racial challenges by reflecting on their professional identities and pedagogical practices. This thesis contributes to the voices and challenges of Asian American art educators from the perspective of an Asian/Thai American immigrant. In response to the lack of Thai American representation, I situate this research within the broader Asian American coalition building efforts while aiming to diversify racial narratives by highlighting a Thai American experience. I explore my understanding of race and identity by shuttling in-between Asian, Thai, American, and immigrant to negotiate the complex dynamics of racialization in the United States. Using arts-based autoethnography, this study seeks to elucidate significant connections between my personal experiences of shuttling in-between and my professional identity as a community art educator. This research contributes to ongoing efforts to diversify the field of art education while advocating for shuttling in-between as a site of transformation and a pedagogical asset for community building and connection.