Free; registration required: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/251299 Part of CULINASIA: The Future of Asian Food in America Presented in collaboration with the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center and the Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art In both film and popular media as well as farming and land ownership, Asian Americans have been historically underrepresented and repeatedly denied opportunities for advancement. In 2017, Asian Americans comprised less than one percent of United States farm owners, in comparison to the approximately ninety-five percent of full-time operators who were white. The Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, the California Alien Land Law of 1913, and Japanese internment during World War II are among the factors that contributed to sharp declines in previously “ubiquitous” Asian American land ownership. Whether as a means of “cultural reclamation” or with the intention of building lasting foundations for future generations, both the fictional and real-life drama of being Asian in America is further complicated by the model minority myth and the “perpetual foreigner” burden carried by diverse communities. The Oscar-nominated film Minari offers a unique opportunity to explore these themes. Join Asian American farmers and vintners for a discussion inspired by this story of a Korean American family that embarks on a new kind of American dream, traveling from their California home to a rural Arkansas farm where they nurture the father’s hopes of growing Korean produce to sell to vendors in Dallas. Presenters include Mai Nguyen, founder of the Asian American Famers Alliance; Kamayan Farm co-founder Ariana de Leña; Thai American winemaker Kenny Likitprakong of the family-owned, California-based Hobo Wine Company; and Kristyn Leach, whose project, Second Generation, supports communities of the Asian diaspora in tending to their respective food traditions and wisdom. Please Note: A screening is not part of this program. However, you can view Minari on Friday, June 18 at 7pm as part of the Freer and Sackler’s film program. Find more information here. About CULINASIA Asian foods and cooking have long been an indelible part of America’s food culture, and yet we also harbor complicated relationships with the people who prepare our meals. Earlier this year, Asian American activists carried signs reading “Love Us Like You Love Our Food” as they denounced a surge of anti-Asian racism in communities across the United States during the global pandemic. CULINASIA is a dynamic, free series of virtual conversations that explore food legacies and the ways in which Asian Diaspora cuisine continues to change and enrich our lives. Join chefs, food writers, food entrepreneurs, home cooks, cookbook authors, and other participants whose heritage and experiences span the complex spectrum of Asian Diaspora identities in the United States as they discuss the successes, the challenges, and the future of Asian food in America. CULINASIA is curated by Burmese American restaurateur and cultural connector Simone Jacobson. This series received federal support from the Asian Pacific American Initiatives Pool administered by the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center. CULINASIA program dates: May 5 & 19, June 9 & 23, 2021 |