Episode 4 of the PBS series Asian Americans explores the collective identity that emerged from activism in labor and educational movements before the term Asian American even existed. The 1965 Delano Grape Strike was a critical milestone for Filipino and Mexican labor organizations to merge and form the United Farm Workers. As historian Alex Fabros Jr. recounts, Delano became “the West Coast civil rights movement for people of color.” The narrative shifts to Vietnam, an identity-altering event: Asian Americans not only faced racism in the U.S. military but also were confronted with the complexities of fighting overseas. Antiwar sentiment combined with racial tensions propelled student activists to demand Black studies be taught on their college campuses and call for solidarity with other people of color. At San Francisco State University, students advocating for a School of Ethnic Studies violently clashed with university administrators and local police. Ultimately, each turning point highlights the power of collective action in the Asian American narrative. KL