On May 7, 2021, I was pleased to join HIFF and the Consulate General of the Republic of Korea in Honolulu as a speaker on the #LiveTogether Virtual Panel, which happened in conjunction with a free virtual screening of the Oscar winning film MINARI, about a Korean American family that settles in rural Arkansas.

The film, which was nominated for 6 Academy Awards and garnering a historic win for Yuh-jung Youn for Best Supporting Actress (a first for a Korean actor), is a milestone in the rise of major Asian Pacific Islander (API) film and TV in American mainstream media. On the opposite end of the spectrum, however, is a rise of anti-Asian hate, sparked by the COVID-19 pandemic. Racial division, the model minority myth, and xenophobia has brought these tensions to the surface as a rise of Asian attacks in the U.S. and around the world has become alarmingly prevalent. The story of MINARI is truly an American one, of an immigrant family pursuing their American Dream. In this panel discussion, we explore the importance of this film, the advocacy for #StopAsianHate​, the need for unity and allyship in the moral and cultural arc of "America."

#LiveTogether​ Challenge was launched by UNESCO and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea. It is a campaign against racism and discrimination, raising solidarity and inclusion in the international community to cope with hate crimes that have become more serious due to the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic.