Jason Gee

School Social Worker/Wellness Coordinator for SFUSD, Night-Relief Case Manager for CARC

M.S.W. Social Work. Individuals, Families and Groups, PPSC Credential-School

B.A. in Asian American Studies, SFSU, 2004

What was the best part of your experience in Asian American Studies at SFSU?

The best part of my experience with Asian American Studies was undoubtedly office hours with my AAS professors. It was during these times that I could proudly say that I was fortunate enough to get one-on-one face time with some truly extraordinary and amazing people who continuously surprise me with how wonderfully human they are.

How would you describe your personal, academic and/or professional growth, during your time as an Asian American Studies major/minor at SF State?

My transformation was life altering; it completely changed the trajectory of my life’s course.

AAS taught me to love and forgive, to destroy the internalized self-hate and loathing so many Chinese Americans are conditioned to feel for themselves. It made me more patient with my immediate family (who are immigrants), it improved relationships with others and grew the boundaries of what I imagined possible for my community and me.

AAS was both my shield and my spear. The knowledge of self I gained from AAS shielded me from the type of harm caused by systems and institutions designed to subjugate the minds, bodies and spirits of people of color and also functioned as my spear in the sense that it properly prepared me to step out into the real world to combat injustice on all levels, whether through direct action in the streets or through systems and policy change.

What is something you learned in Asian American Studies at SFSU—a tip, a technique, a way of thinking—that you still use today?

What I learned in Asian American Studies is a healthy view for the role the contemporary Asian American plays in establishing solidarity alliances in collaboration with Black and Brown social justice movements. It was through AAS that I discovered revolutionary political and cultural connections between Asian Americans and other People of Color groups has always existed and in modern times is still very much intact!

Finish this sentence: In Asian American Studies at SF State, I discovered...

...knowledge of self and a love for my people that trumped a hatred for our oppressors.

Who was your most influential SFSU Asian American Studies professor and why?

Prof. Gonzales because his brilliant and highly critical mind taught me to question everything as well as be self-reflective of my own practice. He taught me the valuable lesson about the dangers of basing entire movements around icons, symbols and idolatry to the point where the movement loses sight of the people and the original goals. What I appreciate most about Gonzo is that we could be discussing a muscle car or the I-Hotel and no matter the topic, he’d always keep it one hundred.

What was your favorite Asian American Studies class at SFSU?

Valerie Soe’s Asian Americans in Media class. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve shown Sa-i-gu: From Korean Women’s Perspective, as well as Kelly Loves Tony and Who Killed Vincent Chin? to my students during workshops. Workshops that were all made possible due to the fact that these films were shown to me in college.

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