McDonald’s spotlights barrier-breaking stories of Asian Pacific Americans
#WeAreAPA photo series.
CHICAGO – Unique stories of the diverse Asian Pacific American community are being told through the #WeAreAPA photo series sponsored by McDonald’s in partnership with Dear Asian Americans (DAA) podcast and the Center for Asian American Media (CAAM).
#WeAreAPA spotlights eight people through seven stories of trailblazers in industries less traveled by Asian Pacific Americans:
Carol and Andrew Chin – Carol, a Chinese immigrant from Venezuela, and McDonald’s franchisee, with her son Andrew, a former professional baseball player
Kana Hatakeyama – a Japanese American actor and CAAMfest 2021 filmmaker who explores her experiences of living in Japan and the U.S. in her works;
Steve Kim – a Korean American and formerly incarcerated University of Southern California professor who founded Project Kinship, a prison reform and human rights advocacy organization;
Mike Magpayo – a Filipino American and current head basketball coach of University of California, Riverside, and the first-ever Asian American Division 1 basketball head coach;
Sapna Pandya – a queer Indian American pandita (Hindu religious scholar and marriage officiant) who is reimagining inclusivity within South Asian faith and cultural traditions;
Georgina Pazcoguin – a half-Filipina New York City Ballet dancer who is leading the charge to remove “yellow face” in ballet;
Sunmi – a non-binary diasporic Korean cartoonist whose zines and upcoming graphic novel inspire other Asian American youth.
“Every day at McDonald’s, we strive to uplift the communities of which we are a part,” said Jimmy Ferguson, an Austin, Texas McDonald’s franchisee and chair of the Asian McDonald’s Operators Association (AMOA).
“And during this important month, with the APA community in the spotlight now more than ever, we’re honored to amplify these powerful stories that showcase the diversity and strength of our community.”
Up to three stories will be featured weekly on DAA’s Instagram, while CAAM’s social channels will post select content throughout May.
Each feature will include a set of portraits that represent their story, and a complementary interview that will highlight life lessons and what it means to them to be APA today.
“Dear Asian Americans is rooted in authentic and diverse storytelling,” said Jerry Won, founder and host of Dear Asian Americans. “We’re excited to partner with McDonald’s to tell seven stories of perseverance that will inspire others and also show the strength of the APA community.”
Independent photojournalists Eric Lee and Emanuel Hahn, whose work has been featured in major national publications, captured each person and their story. Lee and Hahn’s personal ties to the APA community provided an authentic point of view that aided in capturing the complexity of each story.
McDonald’s has previously celebrated Asian Pacific American Heritage Month with APA Legacy, a series of public service announcements highlighting Asian American changemakers, that aired nationally for more than seven years.
