Asian American and Pacific Islander broadcasters and performers reflect on the coverage of recent attacks against the AAPI community and what would be needed to effect change.
Telling the stories of our community [within] mainstream media has to mean that we are not always telling the ‘Asian story,’ but the ‘American story.’
Richard Lui
Journalist
SAG-AFTRA, in partnership with the Asian American Journalists Association, hosted an April 14 discussion titled #StopAsianHate: Journalists & Actors on How the Media Can Support the AAPI Community. The hour-long session was part of the union’s Stop the Hate Week, which brought together performers, industry professionals and advocates to discuss ways racism and discrimination can be better addressed and combated within entertainment and media.
Moderating the panel was WAVE3 News anchor and reporter Maira Ansari. Featured guest panelists included broadcasters Juju Chang of ABC’s Nightline, ABC7 reporter Dion Lim and MSNBC/NBC News anchor and journalist Richard Lui, along with actors Olivia Munn (The Newsroom) and Brian Tee (Chicago Med). SAG-AFTRA Vice President, Los Angeles, Clyde Kusatsu and National Asian Pacific American Media Committee Chair Ren Hanami gave opening remarks.
The panelists conducted an insightful conversation about the rise of violence against the AAPI community, including the attacks in Atlanta. Each speaker noted the importance of not only giving coverage to such stories locally or via social media, but within the media at large to more effectively drive the conversation, strengthen allyship and effect change.
“When we get mainstream media to talk about [the AAPI community], it really does make a difference because [our stories] aren’t competing with an algorithm anymore. And that's what we need: We need people in mainstream media to continue talking about this,” said Munn.
At the same time, the group discussed how the current climate has spurred them into advocacy, whether through approaching AAPI-centered stories with more cultural sensitivity or through addressing discrimination experienced on set.
Said Chung, “I’ve spent the greater part of the year [educating people] about why something’s offensive and dehumanizing. And in my newsroom, we’ve talked about having more Asians as experts and, when covering disasters, making sure we’re covering people of color. Really it’s only when we see Asians in every form that we have progress.”
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The views expressed by the guests are their own and not that of SAG-AFTRA. Any mention of products or services does not imply SAG-AFTRA’s endorsement.
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