CUNY DIGITAL HISTORY ARCHIVE

This article profiling the Coalition for the Revitalization of Asian American Studies at Hunter (CRAASH) appeared in the March/April 2008 issue of Pacific Citizen, the national publication of the Japanese American Citizens League (JACL). Founded in 1929, the JACL is the oldest and largest Asian American civil rights organization in the United States. Amongst CRAASH's strategies for putting pressure on the Hunter College administration to increase institutional support for the Asian American Studies Program included a coordinated media campaign. CRAASH received coverage from multiple media outlets, including school newspapers, Asian American publications, and ethnic newspapers.

The Hunter College Asian American Studies Program (AASP) was established in 1993. As the only academic program in Asian American studies in the CUNY system, the AASP offers a minor in Asian American Studies and other resources and programming. The AASP supports scholars, artists, and activists advancing scholarship in the fields of Asian American studies and critical ethnic studies and serves as a resource for New York City's Asian American communities. In 2006, the program was at risk of being cut due to a lack of funding. Students formed the Coalition for the Revitalization of Asian American Studies at Hunter (CRAASH) and saved the program within a year. CRAASH is now a student-run club that continues to advocate for the AASP.