I'm a Parent | BOBA Project

Why participate with your teen?

Build your bonds.

Bonding with your child during their teenage years is particularly challenging. The BOBA Project, a completely online research study, allows you to learn about your teen’s perspective and bond around your Chinese American identities.

Learn from your teen what it means for them to be Asian American.

Major U.S. events such as anti-Asian hate and Supreme Court decisions have highlighted the salience of Asian identity within U.S. public discourse. The process by which Asian American teens view their identity and determine what their identity means to others, is a developmentally appropriate process. And how your teen thinks about their identity is important as they navigate the world on their own. Taking part in the BOBA Project is a way for parents to recognize and support that development.

Get a firsthand look at research funded by the National Institutes of Health.

By participating in this activity with you, teens will broaden their understanding and contribute to research that is relevant and urgently needed for the Asian American community. You and your teen will get to see the kind of research design and data collection involved in such a study. The BOBA Project team is eager to share about the research process with teens and is active in training the next generation in research and advocacy through the BOBA Project Youth Advisory Board and through workshops at local schools.

Check out the testimonials below.

"I don't think we spend enough time discussing the impact of growing up and or being Asian in today's USA. This was a good experience to have to talk it in a structured setting."

"It is a fun exercise and conversation, it was helpful in understanding my child better."

"The intentionality to hold space for this type of conversation is very valuable."

"The situations created reflection of what has transpired in the past and allowed for conversations that do not always happen organically."

“It was a nice way to slow down and spend some quality time with each other."

"This is a new place to start having more conversations, and ways of processing."