It's wild to see an AAPI: Why Representation Matters in Entertainment CH room right now, after last night in a previous AA representation room where Native PIs, Filipinos, & Indian ppl told that East Asian-centric room why these convos fail. Why this one does too. Here's why: 1/

AAPI representation spaces like this room (Asian American, lets keep it a buck) historically have only focused on representation as it relates to their proximity to whiteness. How can I see me & my ppl repped in these white dominant arenas in my life? 2/

What Native PIs + allies spoke to last night (including myself) is how that concern can never be answered in good faith when we've yet to reckon w/ the way colonialism underlies everything a/b our existence as AAPI. In these spaces, PIs + allies are the only ones who name this 3/

At least here in the U.S. (where most of these convos happen since 'AAPI' was created here): reckoning with colonialism is IMPERATIVE to tackling every single issue we have as a community. This isn't an opinion: this is the work AAPI spaces fail to do time & time again. 4/

The hyperfocus on "why aren't AAPI folks represented in media/sports/entertainment/etc" has been an entry point for decades now. It's always at the top of the agenda. What's never on the agenda unless Indigenous AAPI folks name it? Colonialism. 5/

The reason why colonialism must be reckoned with? Well 1) we're on stolen occupied land built by African enslavement. And b/c of that 2) there's no possible way we can solve these issues that we keep having shallow conversations a/b unless we confront this truth. 6/

AAPI spaces do not confront, reckon w/, or even just simply acknowledge this at all. When they do, it's b/c Native PIs have brought it to the attention of the group. But that's not our job, if we're supposed to be a community like we say we are. Asian folks must lead this too 7/

Particularly East Asian folks, since that's who is seen first when folks refer to the AAPI community. And also: the labor should be heavier on East Asian folks, since they have the most privilege in this context. The problem is that this work isn't happening. 8/

What happens instead? Yet another conversation about why there's a lack of representation in our community. Led by East Asian folks. With no critical interrogation of what us Native PIs + allies were bringing forth a/b colonialism. 9/

Y'all want representation, meanwhile we want, first, land back + reparations for Native/Black folks. We want our OWN (is)land back which some, by the way, were colonized by Asian countries. And yet that is never an entry point into the "representation" folks want so badly. 10/

AAPI representation dialogue are constantly vying for a seat at a table that 1) is not worthy of us to begin w/ b/c its managed by wealthy white ppl 2) doesn't have enough seats for all of us to begin w/. How long have AAPI ppl risked leaving behind PIs for "representation?" 11/

Do AAPI (Asian) ppl even realize or care that that's what keeps happening? Have they ever considered that maybe part of why these issues are reoccurring is b/c they're not being fully honest w/ what they claim to want vs. the actions they're taking to get it. 12/

Ppl aren't saying it so lets name it here: you want representation where you have as much (if not more) power & privilege as white ppl. You want to feel dignified by more faces that look like you in powerful places but you don't want to interrogate the abuse of that power 13/

Some just want representation & that's it. Meanwhile you have Indigenous ppl in your own damn AAPI community who you routinely ignore, whose ppl & land are being made obsolete by climate change, capitalism, genocide, etc. You find that sad but not worth reckoning w/. 14/

Instead of reckoning + reflecting, you went to make yet another room only to have the limited range to moderate.

Native PIs + allies were so gracious w/ naming concrete steps to take & you, moderator who was there last night & made today's room anyways, ignored us. Again. 15/

I said this last night & I'll say it forever: but the work is right here with each other. It's not w/ Hollywood, your non-profit, etc.: it's w/ us. It's in how we move in the world with one another. In a CH room. Everywhere. Asian ppl heard that last night, but didn't listen. 16/

The invisibility of PIs in the AAPI community is a decades worth of compounded violence that Asian folks continue to evade reckoning w/. And yet numerous times last night there was a call for "calling in vs. calling out". The audacity is also violent. 17/

When AAPI ppl are ready to struggle together through these complex layers, hit me up. But until then don't feel the need to pull me up & make me one of your only PI moderators on CH. Don't force yourself to consider genuine liberation if you don't actually wanna be free...18/

...even if I want you free too. Free to be represented in the way you deserve, not w/in systems that stole our lands, killed many of our ppl, banned our languages/cultures, & now watch us fight for a seat at their table instead of wanting the sky. We can have more than this. 19/