Review of Fighting Invisibility: Asian Americans in the Midwest. Rutgers University Press

Despite the imperative to shed light on the experiences of Asian Americans residing in the Midwest, previous research has predominantly centered around Asians residing on the coasts. This phenomenon, as elucidated by Erika Lee in her concept of “doubly invisible” Midwest Asian Americans, highlights their dual marginalization—they are not only conspicuously absent from mainstream literature but also from the broader discourse on Asian American experiences, which primarily revolves around those on the East and West coasts. However, it is within the heartland of America that we witness one of the most profound transformations in Asian America over the past few decades. Monica Trieu’s book, Fighting Invisibility, addresses this critical gap by drawing upon a comprehensive dataset, including 52 in-depth interviews with 1.5 to 2nd generation Asian Americans residing in the Midwest, census data, and cultural productions from Asian Americans residing in ten Midwestern states. This interdisciplinary research rigorously dissects the demographic landscape of Asian America in the Midwest, unveiling three prominent themes: spatially defined isolation, pervasive invisibility, and racialized visibility.