By Jerrica KF Ching

A role model is someone that we can look up to, who possesses traits and qualities that we ourselves wish to embody.  This person gives us the feelings of, “I hope I can be like them someday” and we become inspired.  I believe for those of us born before the age of social media, role models were people who we knew in our everyday lives.  My role model as a child was my fifth-grade teacher.  She wasn’t related to me, but she also existed in the space before my very eyes.  I could observe her and all her qualities; how she was strict but fair, patient but accountable, and instilled a feeling in me that I could do a lot of things, with perseverance.

This got me thinking – who are role models for youth today?  During a global pandemic where many of our interactions with others are through pixels on a screen, can we really observe people in the same way?  When we say that we “know” a celebrity because they posted pictures of their pets on social media, is that really knowing the qualities of who they are as a person? 

As a mental health counselor who works with young children, whenever I ask them who they look up to, they’ll often give the name of a music artist who has an active presence on Instagram, or of an influencer that posts specific content on TikTok.  While it would be very easy to brush these off, I found myself wanting to dive a bit deeper into what made these people so magnetic.  My conclusion is that these influencers are role models to youth because they make themselves known in very relatable ways.  They are often flawed and demonstrate humility and accountability when they make mistakes.  They appear to us as though we could know them as well as we know others who we interact with in our everyday lives.  They also are those who do good acts for the betterment of humankind, whether it is through raising awareness of social justice issues, or owning up to and apologizing for unruly behavior. Those who are not relatable seem too far removed and don’t seem as “real” if they are far too perfect.

What does the Bible say about role models?  In Titus 2:1-15, we learn what it is to teach God’s people.  Titus 2:7 stands out to me, specifically because it calls upon youth to, “Do what is good.  Set an example for them in everything.  When you teach, be honest and serious.”  Although this was spoken to young men, I believe it’s something that many of the role models out there in the world have done or are doing; they are setting an example of how to react to certain situations, regardless of whether or not this reaction is helpful or not helpful.  So perhaps, as Asian American women working towards using our gifts to spread the Word to others, we too can embody this verse, and do what is good.

Doing what is good and being a role model to others may look like telling God’s truth even when the circumstances are difficult; holding true to what is just and what is right, even when others may disagree. So many events that occurred for the AAPI community this year were shocking reminders of how important it is to speak our truth. We are coming to realize that we are allowed and able to speak up when we see something wrong, for what example would we be showing if we taught younger people in our community that it is okay to not speak up? Let us strive to be the role models that we ourselves wish we had.

Jerrica KF Ching grew up on the island of Oahu, Hawaii and currently lives in the beautiful state of Washington, working as a licensed mental health counselor and Asian/Pacific Islander mental health specialist, working with children, teens, and adults within the AAPI community. She graduated with an MA in Marriage, Couple, and Family Counseling from George Fox University, where she is now an adjunct professor and supervisor. Her research on racial colorblindness has been published in The International Journal of Social Science Studies.