Media engulfs us all, whether or not you choose to pay attention to it. It’s everywhere, yet not all of us are reflected; it is important to feature underrepresented people such as AAPI. One article is not capable of capturing the experiences and cultures of the AAPI umbrella term, but it helps bring attention to the amazing people within this community. Here are some iconic and new uprisings in the media headlines:
East:
Everything Everywhere All At Once:
This film won seven awards including Best Picture in 2023. Ke Huy Quan, who is Vietnamese-born but ethnically Chinese-American, won the 2023 Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. Despite the film’s ridiculous name and plot, it does a great job of being a window into what it is like to own an Asian family business. The film accurately depicts the disconnection parents have from their kids due to the difference in environment and culture growing up.
Parasite:
Parasite is the 2020 Academy Award winner for Best Picture. This film showcases the physical economic gap in South Korea. In a dramatic interpretation, the film depicts what life is like in wealthy South Korean families compared to lower-class families.
Mitski: She is a Japanese-American indie/alternative musician with seven albums, one featuring the song “Your Best American Girl.” This song contains lyrics describing her experience growing up in a Japanese household and accepting how it is okay to be raised differently compared to a stereotypical American household:
“Your mother wouldn’t approve of how my mother raised me
But I do, I finally do
And you’re an all-American boy
I guess I couldn’t help trying to be the best American girl”
South:
Suni Lee:
From Saint Paul, Minnesota, she is the first Hmong American to compete in the Olympics while also being the first Asian to win the all-around gold medal in women’s gymnastics during the 2020 Olympics. Look for her appearance in the 2024 Paris Olympics this upcoming summer.
Olivia Rodrigo:
FIlipino-American actress and musician known for her two popular pop albums: Sour and Guts. She won the Grammy Award for Best New Artist in 2022. On her Guts tour, Rodrigo is performing at the Climate Pledge Area in August of 2024.
Ms. Marvel:
Some authentic experiences shown in film unlike Crazy Rich Asians is in the 2022 Marvel show, Ms. Marvel. Ms. Marvel, or Kamala Khan, is a Pakistani teenage girl living in New Jersey with her immigrant family. The show follows a young girl discovering her family’s ancestral history and how her past relatives have shaped her into who she is.
Kamala Harris:
First woman, first African American, and first Asian-American to become Vice President of the United States. Born in Oakland, California, she was raised by her Indian mother and Jamaican-American father. She continues to advocate for abortion and reproductive rights with the power she holds as Vice President.
PI:
Tua Tagovailoa:
Born in Oahu, Hawaii, he is the oldest son out of his Samoan family. He was the fifth overall pick in the 2020 NFL draft. Currently, Tua is the starting Quarterback for the NFL team Miami Dolphins. His brother, Taulia, also plays QB and is on the Seattle Seahawks rookie minicamp, hoping for a spot on the team.
