Asian-American Heritage Month

Ali Wong

Ali Wong is a famous Asian-American comedian, actress, writer, producer and director in the entertainment industry. She was an executive producer and co-starred in the Netflix dark comedy series Beef. In 2023, she won two Golden Globe Awards and two Primetime Emmy Awards which made her the first Asian woman to win an Emmy for a lead acting role and the first Asian woman to win a Golden Globe for Best Actress. After graduating from UCLA where she studied Asian-American studies, she started her career as a comedian at just 23 years old. She then moved to New York and began performing almost nine times a night. She was cast in a couple series like Are You There, Chelsea? and Chelsea Lately. In 2014, she started writing for a show called Fresh Off The Boat. On Mother’s Day in 2016, her first comedy special, Baby Cobra, was released on Netflix for which she was 7 months pregnant during filming with her first child. From 2016 to 2021, Wong starred in a TV series called American Housewife. In 2018, her second special came out called Hard Knock Wife which she was also 7 months pregnant with her second child. In 2019, she starred in and helped write a Netflix film called Always Be My Maybe. In October of 2019, Wong published her own book called Dear Girls: Intimate Tales, Untold Secrets and Advice for Living Your Best Life. In 2022, Wong released her third Netflix special called Don Wong. To say Ali Wong has led a successful life would be an incredible understatement. She is a multi-talented entrepreneur and mother to two children. She made large footsteps for Asian women in the acting industry and is an incredibly inspiring person who should continue to be admired by people. 

Dev Patel

Dev Patel is a filmmaker and actor from the United Kingdom. His parents, who are of Indian descent, immigrated from Kenya to London, where Patel was born. He excelled in school and martial arts, but also found a passion for theater when he was 11 years old. His mother later encouraged him to audition for a role in the British show Skins, on which he played the role of Anwar from 2007 to 2008. Following his role in Skins, Patel was cast as the main character in the British film Slumdog Millionaire, which depicted the life of a young boy in the slums of Mumbai, India. Patel won many awards for this film, including a Critics Choice Award. Patel has starred in many other award-winning films, including The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel and Lion. He also portrayed David Copperfield in The Personal History of David Copperfield, a role which Patel considered special because it wasn’t associated with his heritage, as many of his other roles had been. Patel has a deep connection to India, and has worked to raise over $250,000 dollars for children in Indian slums. In 2024, Patel directed and wrote his first film, Monkey Man, where he also starred as the main character. Patel’s work in the film industry has paved the way for many other Asian actors, and Patel is set to produce and star in many more amazing films. 

Yoko Ono

Yoko Ono, age 91, is a Japanese multimedia artist and singer. She is most known for her artistic achievements and her marriage to the late John Lennon. Born in 1933, in Tokyo, Japan, she endured an era of mass global conflict as a child. In her adult career as an artist, she strived for peace and inspired many through her music. Her work has been defined as boundary-pushing and Ono as a creative and experimental artist. In the early 60s, living in New York, Ono joined a movement made up of artists to break the boundaries between artistic disciplines, this movement was called Fluxus. Her constant support of artistic freedom and unwavering support of global peace heavily influenced her music. Ono is continually recognized for her significance in the realm of contemporary art and her utilization of art for positive social change. As an inspiring and creative artist, Yoko Ono should continue to be recognized for her accomplishments and contributions to society. 

Huh Yunjin

The music industry is a difficult space to survive in, especially when you’re a teenager, alone in an unfamiliar country. Huh Yunjin, although being born in Seoul, South Korea, lived in Niskayuna, New York for the majority of her life. Throughout Yunjin’s childhood, she developed a passion for music, especially singing, leading her to pursue and harness skills with the ukulele, piano, guitar, and most importantly, her voice. A passion and love for music led Yunjin to dream about entering the American music industry and to be able to one day perform her music on a big stage like Coachella. This all changed after watching BTS, a Korean boy band, win an award at the American Music Awards where she then began to consider becoming an artist in South Korea.

At just sixteen years old, Huh Yunjin made the move to South Korea to pursue a career as a K-pop idol. Upon arrival, she enrolled in a school and joined their music program, as well as becoming an idol trainee under Pledis Entertainment. After training for just six months, Yunjin was given the opportunity to compete on Produce 48, a reality-TV-type show where a 12 member K-pop girl group would be formed out of the contestants at the show’s conclusion. Despite showing incredible talent and performing excellently in every episode, Yunjin only made it as far as episode eleven, ultimately ranking 26th.

After failing to debut on Produce 48, Yunjin expressed feelings of isolation due to the language barrier that came with being one of the few fluent English speakers in the country paired with a notable lack in Korean skills. In a documentary involving Yunjin, she stated, “I sometimes felt like I couldn’t convey my feelings properly no matter what I said because my family is all in the US now and I grew up speaking English.”

After finally coming to a breaking point and deciding to leave South Korea, Yunjin is suddenly contacted by music company, Source Music, asking her to be a part of a group they were putting together to debut. Despite having received offers from other companies, this one drew her in, leading her to stay in the country and begin training with this group. After several more months of training, Yunjin finally debuted, along with five other members, on May 2, 2022, with their group being called Le Sserafim, an anagram for “I’m Fearless”.

Yunjin, along with her fellow members, have become very successful in such a short amount of time, achieving accomplishments that have taken others years to reach. One such achievement took place this April where Le Sserafim became the third Kpop girl group to ever perform as part of the lineup at Coachella. Many were shocked by the group's talent, and Yunjin stood out among them by being their group’s main speaker as the only one fluent in English. 

Yunjin has also found personal success in her solo career, collabing with other noteworthy artists from all over the world such as MAX or j-hope. Ultimately Huh Yunjin went through various trials and tribulations on the way to achieving her dream but by staying determined in a place where she felt isolated, she was able to find companionship in her group and achieve her lifelong dream of becoming a music artist.

Maya Soetoro-Ng

While it’s common knowledge that former President Barack Obama used to live in Hawaii, it is not common knowledge that he also spent many years in Indonesia alongside his half-sister, Maya Soetoro-Ng. Born to Ann Dunham and Lolo Soetoro in Jakarta, Indonesia, Soetoro-Ng was (and continues to be) very in touch with her Asian roots. She traveled often with her brother until their parents divorced, causing her to move back home to Jakarta and continue her studies at an international school in the city. Much like her half-brother, Soetoro-Ng returned to Hawaii for higher education, focusing on education and language studies before getting her PhD in international comparative education. 

Throughout her life, Soetoro-Ng has been an advocate for peace education and climate change. She co-founded the Institute for Climate and Peace with law professor Maxine Purkett and has been working alongside the Obama administration to advocate for AAPI American citizens and just peace overall.

It’s an unfortunate truth that not many Indonesian-Americans get to see themselves represented in their communities, let alone in the media or in the political scheme. However, Soetoro-Ng is proud to be an Indonesian-American, and while she’s not as well-known as her brother, she remains an inspiration to thousands of little girls who aspire to make a difference too.

Anna May Wong

Anna May Wong, born Wong Liu Tsong on January 3, 1905, in Los Angeles, California, was a trailblazing figure in Hollywood during the early 20th century, and one of the first Asian American actresses to achieve international success. Growing up in the predominantly white neighborhood of Chinatown, Anna May Wong experienced firsthand the challenges of being a minority in America. She faced extreme racism throughout her childhood, and faced countless obstacles in the pursuit of achieving her acting dreams. Despite all the roadblocks, Wong acted in her first film at the age of 17 in the silent film "The Red Lantern" (1919). Unfortunately, Wong's early roles were often limited to stereotypical portrayals of Asian characters, reflecting the racial prejudices of the time. However as time went on, Wong was able to make a name for herself. Throughout the 1920s and 1930s, Anna May Wong rose to fame in Hollywood, defying stereotypes and carving out a niche for herself in the industry. With her striking beauty, charisma, and talent, she starred in both silent and sound films. Wong's breakthrough role came in "The Toll of the Sea" (1922), where she portrayed a complex multi dimensional character, challenging the portrayals of Asian women prevalent in mainstream cinema. Finally being able to showcase her versatility as an actress, Wong went on to star in over 50 films. Wong's performances not only showcased her talent but also paved the way for greater representation of Asian Americans in Hollywood. Despite her success, Anna May Wong faced numerous challenges in Hollywood, including typecasting and limited opportunities for more complex roles. Frustrated by the lack of quality roles available to Asian American actors, she often found herself casted to supporting parts or smaller characters. Nevertheless, Wong remained steadfast in her commitment to breaking down barriers and advocating for better representation in the industry. Anna May Wong's legacy extends far beyond her groundbreaking performances on screen. Even today she continues to inspire Asian American actors and filmmakers. In recognition of her contributions to film and her impact on representation, Wong has been honored many awards even after her death.

Lea Salonga

Lea Salonga, a renowned Filipino singer and actress, has had a remarkable career that has spanned decades— this is marked by her captivating performance on both Broadway and the international stage. From her iconic portrayal of Kim in “Miss Saigon” to her timeless voice as Jasmine in “Aladdin”, Salonga has captivated audiences worldwide with her talent and charisma. Salonga was born on February 22, 1971 in Manila, Philippines. She began at a young age in the entertainment industry and was able to captivate her audiences with her singing and performance skills. Beyond her extraordinary talent, Salonga has advocated for the Asian community. She uses her platform as a celebrity to make Asian voices louder and address issues of representation in the entertainment industry. Salonga has been very vocal about stereotypes and breaking barriers for Asian performers. 

George Takei

George Takei is a renowned actor and activist, best known for his role in the Star Trek franchise. Over the years, he has starred in countless movies, TV shows, and even theater productions. He served as the inspiration behind the musical Allegiance, which explored what life was like for Japanese-Americans affected by internment in World War II. Much of his early life was spent in relocation centers, leaving his family with very little at the end of the war. Nonetheless, he continued with his academics, and later attended UC Berkeley and UCLA for architecture and theater. He has continued his acting career throughout his life, still acting now that he is 87 years old. From the early 2000’s and onwards, he was an avid LGBTQ+ rights advocate, after coming out in 2005. Takei has also had a very vocal role in politics, running for a few public offices and advocating for human rights and immigration.

Olivia Rodrigo

Olivia Isabel Rodrigo was born on February 20, 2003, in Murrieta, California. Early on, Rodrigo started showing off her talent in the musical arts, even landing her debut role as Grace in the American Girl Doll movie in 2015 at age 12. Soon after, Rodrigo moved to Los Angeles and there she landed a main role in the Disney show, Bizaardvark, in 2016, which went on to air three extremely popular seasons. A couple of years later, Olivia Rodrigo got her most known role as Nini in the show High School Musical: The Musical: The Series, which led her to write and perform her original song “All I Want” on the show. Leaving the show during the third season, Rodrigo transitioned her acting career into a singing career and released her first single “Drivers License”, which hit Number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and reached more than one billion streams in 2021. She followed it up by releasing her first album Sour in May of 2021 and later her second album GUTS in September of 2023. Rodrigo stands as an Asian-American role model to kids of all ages, due to her success in the industry.

Maitreyi Ramakrishnan  

Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, born on December 28, 2001, is a Sri Lankan Tamil actress known for her roles in television and film. Raised in Mississauga, Ontario, by her parents who fled the Sri Lankan Civil War, Ramakrishnan attended Lisgar Middle School and Meadowvale Secondary School before deciding to pursue a career in acting. She deferred her acceptance to York University in Toronto to focus on her acting career in Los Angeles after being casted as Devi Vishwakumar in the Netflix series Never Have I Ever. Her success in the show led her to earn more acting roles such as Priya Mangal in Turning Red and Zipp Storm in the My Little Pony series. Beyond her acting career, Ramakrishnan is actively involved in activism and philanthropy. She serves as a global ambassador for Plan International Canada, advocating for women's rights and gender equality. Additionally, she participates in charitable initiatives, including the clothing brand Nobis' #NoColdShoulder campaign, which focuses on collecting and donating used jackets to those in need every November. Ramakrishnan hopes to continue to inspire others like her through her acting and future projects.

Yuri Kochiyama-

Yuri Kochiyama was born on May 19, 1921 in San Pedro, California. After the bombing on Pearl Harbor, her father (who had just gotten out of surgery and was extremely weak) was arrested and detained in a hospital, hidden behind a cloth labeled “Prisoner of War”. He would die a week later. Shortly after, Yuri and her surviving family were forced to go into the Japanese Internment Camps and would stay there for many years. This was the beginning of Yuri’s awakening. She began to understand the government's shortcomings, and saw how society never was structured to support minorities or the working class. She was a major part in the movement demanding, and eventually achieving  reparations for Japanese Americans who went through the Internment camps. Throughout her career, Yuri would fight for the rights of countless amounts of people. She stood in solidarity with workers in New York City who were being paid unfairly, protested next to Puerto Rican activists fighting for independence, and fought with civil rights leader Malcom X and was even there at his death. Until her death in 2014, Kochiyama never stopped fighting for the rights of all people around the globe. Her impact is still felt today, with her strong words, her solidarity with marginalized groups, and her genuine care and concern for the communities around her.