Becca Choi is a junior women’s swimming student-athlete at NYU. She is the co-vice president of the Violets’ Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), a mentor for the Undergraduate Stern Women in Business, and a leadership program coordinator for Academic Affairs and Advising. Choi is majoring in finance and statistics, and aspires to work as a financial analyst after college.
The UAA “Conversations About Race and Racism” series seeks to lift the voices of people of color and recognize the challenges faced in both athletics and academics at the collegiate level. By sharing personal stories, we hope to elevate the conversation about race to raise awareness and bring about change.
External Motivation
“In school, as an Asian, people often perceive us as good at math or stellar scholars even if they don’t know anything about us. I always felt like I had to live up to that standard because I didn’t want to be ‘that Asian’ who wasn’t good at math or wasn’t one of the top students in school,” she recollected. “I always considered myself someone who enjoyed math class, but now that I am looking back, I see that I may have closed my mind off to other subjects I could have been good at. The stereotype may have pushed me to work harder and be better, but my goals were often externally motivated based on impressing other people and fulfilling their expectations of me based on my race.”
Reflecting on her high school experience has allowed her to develop and follow her own advice in college. “Find a goal that is separate from all external factors that may influence it,” she recommended. “For example, one of my goals in life is to be self-sufficient. It has nothing to do with race, societal, or family pressure. It is a goal I set for myself. By creating a similar goal, you can work to be the best version of yourself and not be affected as much by external forces.”
She also advises reaching out. “Find a community or support system for when you do deal with societal and personal racism. You are not alone. People care and want to hear your story. It makes balancing everything in your life easier when you know other people care and struggle through the same things,” she said.
Being an Asian Swimmer
“Many people think it is uncommon in the Asian community for an individual to do a sport competitively, let alone at the collegiate level. Oftentimes when I say I’m a swimmer, people think of the recreational swimmers they see at the pool,” she commented. “When I say I’m on NYU’s swim team, I am met with a surprised look as though I said something they didn’t expect me to say. I feel like others see an Asian person and think their only goals are to do well in school to get into a dream college and get a dream job.”
Choi believes the diversity of NYU, and the swimming and diving program, has helped ease some of those issues. “I have not felt overlooked at this institution. However, I did grow up in a primarily white suburban community outside of Philadelphia,” she described. “I wish there had been an Asian swimmer role model to look up to when I was growing up. My peers were often white and didn’t quite understand the cultural expectations of being an Asian immigrant. If they were Asian, they did not play a sport or take their sport seriously, so they didn’t understand my passion and drive in swimming. I really didn’t have someone to look to for guidance and support, which would have been helpful.”
The Model Minority Myth
“Asians are often considered a ‘model minority’ in the United States. Therefore, people often don’t think of us as a ‘real’ ethnic minority. I don’t think people understand how harmful that is,” she stated. “Each ethnic minority has its own set of challenges and they are uniquely significant. We all have to fight in our own way to be seen as equal and no particular route is easier than another.”
Choi pointed out several ways in which she has educated herself and others about the “model minority” myth:
‘Model Minority’ Myth Against Used as a Racial Wedge Between Asians and Blacks
What is the Model Minority Myth?
Too Well-Off to Seek Help? The Model Minority Myth of Asian Americans
Role of Teammates and Allies
“Allies need to normalize the uncomfortable conversations that racial issues bring. These conversations are emotional, difficult, and frustrating. However, they are necessary in educating allies in what ethnic minority groups experience,” she expressed. “Additionally, it educates ethnic minorities on why a white individual may have had a misconception about them. It is difficult but both sides need to work together to begin to bridge the gap between them. The conversations may be awkward at first, but the more we have them and normalize them, the quicker we can see progress around racial issues.”
Choi believes it is critical for teammates to stand up against racism. “When a teammate says something racist, if you do nothing, you are reinforcing harmful stereotypes and unintentionally complicit,” she remarked. “By calling them out, you are deconstructing these stereotypes and giving others the courage to speak up when they see systemic racism. It is important to set an example for your teammates and other teams by not allowing racist comments in the first place.”