Spreading Some AAPI Love — GATHER Events

This last year we’ve been having a lot of discussions as a team about racism, allyship, cultural appropriation and inequalities. It’s been a transformative time and we’re thankful for all the conversations and opportunities this year has offered us so that we can learn, grow and continue to support and amplify the voices of marginalized communities. Last week’s atrocity in Georgia really shocked and saddened us, and inversely, it has also inspired us to offer our support and love to our AAPI friends and community.

We’re blessed to be a close knit, diverse group of women committed to sharing and celebrating love, stories and community from all backgrounds. We’ve been having a lot of chats these past seven days with our fellow GATHER owner Cuckie (who is Vietnamese American) about growing up as a first generation Asian American in Orange County, CA and what being Asian American means to her. Check out the snippet from yesterday’s conversation (below), as Cuckie shared her thoughts on Asian food culture.

TASTE

From Cuckie:

Asian culture revolves around food. Most family and social gatherings are centered around the dining table. If you have visited an Asian household, chances are you were asked within minutes of arrival ‘Are you hungry? Have you eaten yet?’. Growing up, my family rarely ate out at restaurants and I never really understood why. It only dawned on me when I started cooking for friends and family, why I enjoy it so much: putting love into a meal and feeling the positive effects of filling people’s bellies warms my heart. It is my love language. It is our love language.

Come try one of these quintessential dishes yourself…

Vietnamese Pho

Vietnamese Spring Rolls

Korean Bibimbap

Korean Bulgogi BBQ Beef

Chinese Chow Mein

Chinese Dumplings

Thai Green Curry

Thai Pad Thai

Japanese Chicken Katsu

Japanese Miso Ramen

Filipino Lumpia

Filipino Adobo Chicken

WATCH

We love a good movie or documentary! Here are eight must see titles that share AAPI stories.

The Donut King

The LAist: “Gu's documentary, The Donut King, chronicles Ngoy's thrill-of-victory/agony-of-defeat rollercoaster ride through the American Dream — immigration, capitalism, history, hubris, romance, addiction, family and food…”

Minari

A tender and sweeping story about what roots us, Minari follows a Korean-American family that moves to an Arkansas farm in search of their own American Dream. The family home changes completely with the arrival of their sly, foul-mouthed, but incredibly loving grandmother. Amidst the instability and challenges of this new life in the rugged Ozarks, Minari shows the undeniable resilience of family and what really makes a home.

Sriracha

The origin story of an iconic hot sauce, finally revealed. Sriracha has earned a cult following, but the story of this spicy sauce is a mystery to most fans. Dedicated to Sriracha lovers, this fast-paced documentary travels around the globe to reveal its origin and the man behind the iconic “rooster sauce.”

Asian Americans (PBS)

Asian Americans is a five-hour film series that delivers a bold, fresh perspective on a history that matters today, more than ever. As America becomes more diverse, and more divided, while facing unimaginable challenges, how do we move forward together? Told through intimate and personal lives, the series will cast a new lens on U.S. history and the ongoing role that Asian Americans have played in shaping the nation’s story.

Stateless

A spark of hope came when the US immigration officials returned to Manila to review the cases of over 2,000 Vietnamese refugees who spent over 17 years in the Philippines waiting for resettlement. They have been living in the Philippines without legal status, ownership or employment rights. While nervously waiting for a judgment day, the "stateless" Vietnamese hung on the hope of finding a permanent home.

9-Man

Project that uncovers an isolated and unique streetball tournament played by Chinese-Americans in the heart of Chinatowns across the USA and Canada. Largely undiscovered by the mainstream, the game is a gritty, athletic, chaotic urban treasure traditionally played in parking lots and back alleys. 9-Man grew in the 1930s, at a time when anti-Chinese sentiment and laws forced restaurant workers and laundrymen to socialize exclusively amongst themselves. Today it's a lasting connection to Chinatown for a dynamic community of men who know a different, more integrated world, but still fight to maintain autonomy and tradition.

Maya Lin: A Strong Clear Vision

Explores the life and work of American artist Maya Lin, who created the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, DC. The film tracks her ascent from being a relatively unknown artist, to being selected in a nationwide competition to create one of the country's most beloved memorials. Her Asian American identity, in particular, plays a strong role in defining her artistic vision and why the memorial was initially greeted with skepticism from the DC political landscape.

Asian American Covid Stories

This unique series of mini-docs presented by Asian American Documentary Network offers a unique perspective of Asian Americans on the COVID-19 pandemic, adopting stories that are still largely invisible. By leaning into their strengths as documentarians of the Asian diaspora, the filmmakers offer perspectives that disrupt mainstream narratives about Asian communities. These short-form social media stories contribute to some much-needed representation of Asian American communities at this critical moment in history. The episode "Shu Mai Online" is directed by IDA Member Emory Chao Johnson.