Our Chicago: Diversity Within the AAPI Population & The Model Minority Myth
CHICAGO (WLS) -- May is designated as Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage month, celebrating and recognizing the contributions of Asian Americans across the country.
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In honor of AAPI month in Chicago, one of the largest social service agencies in the Midwest serving Asian Americans is hosting an event called "A Taste of Transformation".
The hope is to focus the conversation around the diversity within the AAPI population and address the model minority myth, topic the Chinese American Service League says demands attention especially during this time.
The event will feature some trailblazing Chicago chefs of AAPI Heritage.
"What we thought would be really important is to highlight the myth that there are certain career paths that AAPI communities are supposed to get into. And that there are careers that are totally overlooked that have not been represented," said Annie Reyes, Vice President of Marketing and Communications, for the Chinese American Service League.
CASL has put together a panel "to really talk about the struggles because of all the different stereotypes that have made it super challenging. And how do we, as a community, start to make a path to overcome that."
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Beverly Kim is the Executive Chef and Owner of Parachute, Anelya and the soon-to-come, Parachute Hi-Fi.
She grew up in Downers Grove, the daughter of Korean parents. Kim went on to win a James Beard Award and compete on Top Chef.
Kim explained she had to fight against myths about Asian food.
"I think even a lot of the contestants were unfamiliar with the diversity of Asian cuisine," she pointed out that Asia is not a monolith. "Even when I was growing up in the culinary industry like certain cuisines were looked at as second class. Like you can only pay so much for this kind of cuisine."
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