Oral 8

[O-8-05] Invisible Wounds: Manifestations and Impacts of Racial Trauma on Asian Canadian Youth

*Lin Fang¹, Sharon Yeung¹, Kimberley Chan¹, Maria Al-Raes^1,2, Yahan Yang¹, Eumela Nuesca¹, Amy Choi³ (1.University of Toronto(Canada), 2.Department of Literatures in English, Cornell University, Ithaca(United States of America), 3.York University(Canada))

Keywords:

Racial trauma,Complex trauma,anti-Asian racism,Youth identity development

Introduction: Although Canada has promoted multiculturalism since the 1970s, whiteness remains deeply embedded in societal norms, continuing to marginalize people of colour. Anti-Asian racism (AAR), while prevalent, often manifests in subtle and indirect ways. Racialised youth are especially vulnerable to these impacts. Centering the experiences of Asian Canadian youth, this study uses a racial trauma lens and community-based approach to explore (1) how youth navigate growing up in Canada, and (2) the effects of AAR on their identities and well-being. Methodology: In collaboration with a Toronto-based community organization and its Youth Advisory Committee (YAC), we recruited 36 Asian Canadian youth (ages 14–23; average age 18.8) to participate in online focus group discussions. We used reflexive thematic analysis to analyze study data. The YAC and the community organization was informed and consulted throughout the study process. Results: Youth shared recurring experiences of alienation and being perceived as outsiders. Ranging from unsolicited remarks, mockeries, to explicit acts of discrimination, experiences of AAR often appeared in subtle, unacknowledged forms that began early in life. These experiences resemble complex forms of trauma that engender not only acute traumatic reactions but persistent emotional experiences of shame and disempowerment. Over time, these effects can undermine self-worth and identity, causing some to normalize racism as a part of life and feel insignificant, while others engaged in racial dissociation by approaching whiteness and distancing themselves from their Asian identities and anything that is “too Asian”. Conclusion: This research sheds light on how racial trauma shapes the experiences and well-being of Asian Canadian youth in a society rooted in white supremacy. By sharing their personal narratives, the study reveals the often-invisible harm of racism and calls for collective action to dismantle the systems that sustain racial inequality.