James Zarsadiaz

Candidate statement

I am an Associate Professor of History and Director of the Yuchengco Philippine Studies Program at the University of San Francisco. I specialize in Asian American history, urban and suburban history, and the twentieth-century United States. My first book, Resisting Change in Suburbia: Asian Immigrants and Frontier Nostalgia in L.A. (University of California Press, 2022), focuses on the impact Asian immigrants and their families made on the cultural, political, and physical landscapes of Los Angeles’ East San Gabriel Valley between the 1980s and 2010s. I've published articles in Alon, American Studies, and the Journal of Urban History. I’ve attended nearly every AAAS annual meeting since my second year of graduate school, so I consider AAAS one of my academic homes. I previously served on the board as Graduate Representative from 2012 to 2014. I would gladly return to serve as Northern California/Nevada Representative. I intend to address the needs and concerns of students and faculty across rank. As someone currently in a public-facing administrative role, I value the contributions of activists, community organizers, artists, and allies invested in Asian American Studies. Among my goals is to ensure their interests are also part of the association’s long-term plans.