On Sunday November 5th, AAAYA hosted a nation-wide virtual kitchen conversation exploring the Asian-American experience. AAAYA members from across the country shared touching, thought-provoking, and deeply personal stories on their lived experiences. We engaged in lively discussions on our trials and tribulations as Asian-Americans growing up in this country and also attending Yale. We laughed, we cried, and we bonded. We hope to continue these conversations into the future and would love to hear from those who are interested in being involved with planning similar events!
Jenny Mei: jenny.mei@aaaya.org
Austin Baik: austin@aaaya.org
Seung Eu: seung-hee@aya.yale.edu
To those who attended:
A big thank you to all who joined in our virtual AAAYA kitchen conversation:
Saving Face or Being Vulnerable: The Rise of the Asian American Experience on Social Media
We thank you for your honesty, insights, unique and shared experiences, heartfelt stories of struggles and strength, reflections and so much more about love, family, acceptance, and identity.
We began by chatting about how online Asian creators are pulling back the curtain on culture and identity – with authenticity, not just for a quick punchline. We saw their cultural vulnerability as a way to forge community and connection, which opened the door for us to do the same.
We were especially moved by the stories of our families’ imperfect ways of showing and expressing love. Every awkward “I love you” or compliment was a step toward closing the distance between generations. One participant shared the exact date when her mother first spoke the words, “I love you.”
The sacred space of our conversation felt like oral history that should be recorded as a resource for others. The event was not recorded. If you have an interest in preserving the oral history of Yale Asian Americans, please let us know. Also, be sure to keep an eye for our next virtual kitchen conversation!
