Fil-Chinese prof sues Georgia State U for discrimination

Her work has been referred to as groundbreaking, but her Chinese-Filipino heritage was used against her. Dr. Emelita de Guzman Breyer, formerly an assistant professor at Georgia State University ’s school of chemistry, is now suing her former employer after she was denied tenure without valid grounds. Worst, Breyer said she was subjected to racist remarks by two senior faculty members of the university. One of her tormentors said there were "too many Chinese" in the school’s faculty, reason enough to deny her tenure after six years with Georgia State . Breyer joined GSU in 1999 and applied for tenure in Sept., 2005. Her application was denied despite backing from three distinguished scientists in her field who used the word “groundbreaking" to describe Breyer’s work. After her bid was denied, Breyer decided to sue, saying she wanted to show that “one person can make a difference by standing up against this injustice." “I have suffered discriminatory treatment for years without even knowing it until I started being aware of the situation," according to Breyer. But she added that her battle against the GSU would be both difficult and costly. Breyer is therefore asking for support from the Filipino American and the Asian-American community. Her discrimination lawsuit is against GSU and its Board of Regents. She said she needs legal, financial and community support. Breyer said she came to realize that she was just one of countless Americans of Asian descent who had been barred from moving up by a “bamboo ceiling." Asian Americans are denied promotions and are paid less for the same work done as other Americans, she said. Part of the problem may be cultural. Asians are generally less prone to aggressively fighting for their rights, and this has placed them in a weaker position when faced with discrimination. “For the silent victims, whether the damage is small or serious, they need to realize that they are not alone and if they are afraid to fight alone then we can do it together through this case," Breyer said. She wants nothing more than to get back to doing what she does best, which is to teach. Breyer said that after this ordeal is over, she wants to “continue my work in eliminating health disparity." Breyer’s work in the health related field has been cited for its global impact. Volunteers can e-mail Dr. Breyer at emelita.bryer@gmail.com or write to her at Dr. Emelita Breyer Legal Funds, c/o Dr. Emelita D. Breyer, P.O. Box 1076, Tucker, GA 30085-1076 - Philippine News