Film and the Stories to Elevate Asian Voices: Non-English Speaking Asian Immigrants and the Mistrust of the American Healthcare System

Ikeda, Tristan

Undergraduate Honors Thesis

Film and the Stories to Elevate Asian Voices: Non-English Speaking Asian Immigrants and the Mistrust of the American Healthcare System Public Deposited

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Citations

Citeable URL: https://scholar.colorado.edu/concern/undergraduate_honors_theses/5h73px64x

Abstract

Film has the power to impact various audiences on different subjects of life. I utilize filmmaking and film as a medium to empower people to bring up difficult conversations, to have people of color emphasize their voices and perspectives, and to inspire to make positive change in society. I have had a continuous curiosity of Asian American discrimination and ethics in past history and our current society. In 2021, my non-English speaking Japanese Grandmother passed away due to cancer from having a language barrier when trying to receive medical attention from Health care officials seventeen years ago. This unfortunate event led me to become invested in creating a short narrative documentary from my Grandmother’s perspective to illuminate her voice and her story as a non-English speaker in America, as well as to take a deep dive into the discrimination of the healthcare system towards non-English speakers. I realized in my investigation of the data on Asians in the American healthcare system that there was a common denominator of mistrust. I studied the relationship of mistrust between non-English speaking Asians and the healthcare system as it starts from the amount of lack of data that has not been studied or recorded, cultural differences, institutionalized discrimination, and lack of diverse doctors to represent the cultures of which Asian immigrants. This missing data has the potential to further increase the betterment of care for Asian patients. I began this thesis to speak on the evidence of non-English Asian immigrants and the discrimination they face when trying to receive healthcare in America.

Creator