Objective Our goal was to explore racial socialization practices in Asian American families during a time of heightened racial tension. Background Asian Americans hold a complex racial position in the United States, made even more complicated by an increase in public protests regarding socioracial injustices in the United States experienced by racial minority groups. Discussions about race and ethnicity occur within Asian American families but often focus on cultural heritage rather than awareness of discrimination and the historical roots of racism. Method Our study used an inductive–deductive thematic analysis to collect data from 12 Asian American young adults. Semistructured interviews queried participants' experiences with racial socialization in their nuclear families and their own racial identity. Findings Qualitative analysis revealed the following themes: (a) Participants received limited messages regarding racial issues, (b) participants engaged in “bottom‐up” racial socialization and taught their parents about race, and (c) participants felt left out of society's racial dialogue. Conclusion During this time of heightened racial tension, Asian American young adults struggle to find their place, despite wanting to participate in community building. Implications Without strong Asian American racial socialization practices in families, young adults must educate themselves and initiate racial meaning‐making in their families.

Asian Americans hold a complex racial position in the U.S. They have been considered “honorary Whites,” unaffected by racial discrimination while simultaneously viewed as perpetual foreigners in their homeland. This study was conducted in the context of a historic uprising against racism and police brutality. Semi-structured interviews with 12 Asian American emerging adults explored how participants defined “Asian American” and their position in sociopolitical dialogue. An inductive/deductive thematic approach revealed: participants (1) challenged a monolithic Asian American identity, (2) experienced discrimination and stereotyping related to anti-Muslim sentiments, the “perpetual foreigner” stereotype, and the model minority myth, and (3) described a lack of visibility and representation of Asian Americans in the racial dialogue. In this time of increased racial tension, Asian American emerging adults face discrimination and stereotyping due to misconceptions about Asians. Participants demonstrated active engagement in racial meaning making and found solidarity in relationships with other racial minorities.

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