model minority

American  

[mod-l mahy-nawr-i-tee, -nor-] / ˈmɒd l maɪˈnɔr ɪ ti, -ˈnɒr- /

noun

1. a minoritized racial, ethnic, religious, or social group, or a member of such a group, that is stereotypically viewed by the dominant group as being more successful or embodying traits more valuable to society than other such groups or individuals.

   Paradoxically, Asian Americans are perceived as both a model minority—happier, more successful, and more educated—and as perpetual foreigners.

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Etymology

Origin of model minority

First recorded in 1965–70

Example Sentences

The victims “embody that surreptitious, sometimes unscrupulous navigation of America, its legal system and avenues for slick navigation of the law. He is the embodiment of the Western model minority but also a disillusioned rebel against it.”

From Los Angeles Times

Willis’ journey “is such a metaphor for the Asian American experience,” Yang said, “because we are the model minority, but at the same time we are invisible. People talk about Black and white, but where do we fall? You’re just not seen for who you are.”

From Los Angeles Times

Finally, Vance's wife is Indian American, representing another "model minority" group reflected in such diverse figures as Kamala Harris, Nikki Haley and Vivek Ramaswamy, among many others.

From Salon

“As the youngest, I was always hungry for memories of my mother,” says Lieu, a co-host of the “Model Minority Moms” podcast, where she and two Harvard classmates talk about their experiences as Asian American working moms.

From Seattle Times

She reflects on what he can show us about the scourge of the model minority myth.

From Slate