SCHOOL your LUNCH

Article by Hannah Kim

Photo by Daniel Shi

As children of immigrants, the main and easiest way to stay connected to the culture of the mother country is food. There are always memories associated with specific spices and dishes, and the phrase “homecooked meal” does not just stand for the warmth of home, but the reconnection to our culture, both in the large scale as an ethnicity and also how our family interprets that culture in the U.S. So I understand why being made fun of for what your mom packed you for lunch in elementary and middle school is such a changing experience for many. This isn’t just food, it’s a representation of family and love.

But to reiterate the title, I don’t care. Okay, there’s some hyperbole in there. There is a lot to be said about growing up as a person of color who is second generation (or first, or one and a half) immigrant, but that’s exactly it. We as a community need to stop bringing this incident up every time we discuss racism or xenophobia we’ve faced. It was effective 10 years ago when Asian American representation was starting to grow, but now, in a world that is growing to accept more and more cuisines, in a world where the discourse regarding the Asian American — or any immigrant — experience is much, much more nuanced, there also needs to be change in our points. experience. The same way Asian representation in entertainment becomes shoehorned in stereotypes and even attempts to address racism that do not hold the deepness we know exists, using this example only makes racism seem shallow. Using simple examples like these make it seem like racism is an issue that can easily be recognized and stopped, when usually the case is not.

In the year 2022, racism is not a concept that’s said in hushed voices anymore. The community that listens and cares about the immigrant experience knows what it is and how nuanced it can be. So why are we still bringing up blatant examples like being made fun of at lunch? Yes, it is an example and I will not deny that. Whatever you felt and what happened is valid and absolutely should not be normalized, but this is not the only

As someone who grew up in a predominately white town in the Northeast, the racism that has consequence is not eight year olds making fun of my lunch. The real racism lies in less tangible explanations and examples, the feeling of always needing to do twice as much, the expectations that lie constant on your back, the remarks that aren’t racist per se, but “other” you either way. We need to move on from obvious examples. We know. They know. Kids being more tolerant of different foods does not eliminate how deep racism and stereotypes can run.

I beg. Your cuisine does not exist so you can avoid going in depth about the real realities of racism. Please stop using your food, your lunch, as the core for examples of racism just because it is the easiest to discuss.