20 Asian-Americans Reveal The First Time They Felt Represented In The Media And Their Answers Will Give You Chills

    "I didn't realize how much I was aching to have that kind of representation until I saw it."

    by
    Kimberleigh Anderson
    by Kimberleigh Anderson

    BuzzFeed Staff

    ,
    Nicole Martinez
    by Nicole Martinez

    BuzzFeed Staff

    We asked the BuzzFeed Community about the first time they felt represented as an Asian-American on television or in film. Here are some of the best responses.

    1. Mindy Lahiri from The Mindy Project

    FOX

    "Seeing someone like her breaking ground and being a female Indian lead who drinks a lot and has frequent relationships while also being a strong and successful character makes it feel more realistic for people like me to also have that kind of ambition. The confidence and inspiration you feel when you look up to someone who is similar to you and who is from your culture is unlike any other inspiration you will have."

    —Tyisha Murphy

    2. Trini Kwan from Mighty Morphin Power Rangers

    FOX

    "Growing up, I felt like my ethnicity and culture was something that only my family understood and knew, but then Trini came around bearing a name that I could pronounce and recognize. I was beyond excited to see that not only was she Asian, but specifcally a Vietnamese actress playing a superhero!"

    —judyt43bc46fe5

    3. Lars Barriga from Steven Universe

    Cartoon Network

    "As someone who came from the same background as Lars, I got super emotional because I saw myself for the first time in the media when he made an Ube cake. Had this show come out about 10 years earlier, I could've grown up with a character who was proud of his mixed background."

    —laurenbrownjpg

    4. Cristina Yang from Grey's Anatomy

    ABC

    "As a child, I didn't feel represented in media, but eventually I ended up really connecting with Sandra Oh's character on Grey's Anatomy. Smart, Korean, blunt, sarcastic, and a little dark. I mean, I had never seen myself represented so well on TV before."

    —Jea Hyun from Facebook

    5. London Tipton from The Suite Life of Zach and Cody

    Disney

    "Even though London might not have been the most inspiring character, it meant a lot to have an Asian character on TV who wasn't smart or nerdy or even ambitious — who just wanted to shop and party and have fun, just like me. She helped me prove that I could be Asian and not enjoy math or homework or care about good grades."

    —chrissyhp

    6. Dev Shah from Master of None

    Netflix

    "Though I didn't grow up in the US like Aziz Ansari did, the show's topics on relationships with parents and the generational gap with religion, customs, and the differences that come with Indian kids today and their parents is done very well."

    —sharvaris

    7. Min from Barney and Friends

    PBS

    "I will never forget how excited I was as a three year old to hear her sing 'Happy Birthday' in Tagalog to Barney. To feel represented, even at that age, is incredibly important, and the impact is long-lasting."

    —mehhues

    8. Princess Jasmine from Aladdin

    Disney

    "It didn't even bother me that she was super American because I was too! We talked the same way, her skin color was just like mine, and we both had long black hair. It was glorious. And she's still my favorite princess!"

    —sahars4568258f5

    9. Short Round from Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom

    Paramount

    "He was so cool — he hung out with Indiana Jones and could drive a car — but he was also little and Asian and talked differently…just like me."

    —Kirk Damato

    10. Lily from Modern Family

    ABC

    "She is an Asian-American adoptee with gay parents, and that's something that I could directly relate myself to. I never felt truly represented until that moment and, at that point, I was an adult. Being an Asian American is hard, but being adopted by two women on top of that makes it hard for me to feel truly represented."

    —lilag4cbae5508

    11. Todd from Difficult People

    Hulu

    "I never really see Asian characters who are part of the LGBT community, and, as a bisexual Korean-American girl, that can really suck. But most recently, John Cho on Difficult People changed that! Billy and Todd have this kind of love-hate relationship, and they later ended up kissing. (On the mouth, wow!!!!!)"

    —skylark4b450f5cb

    12. Mulan

    Disney

    "Mulan was the first Asian character I remember ever seeing, and I loved her so much. She was someone I wanted to be like because she was strong and independent and tried to make the right choices. I'm Asian mixed with Hispanic and she was the closest character I could've ever related to as a child and even now."

    —alexeam

    13. Margaret Kim from All-American Girl

    ABC

    "All-American Girl had a few stereotypes, but for the most part it taught me that I was normal, that I could be funny, that I could be different and cool, and that I could be myself. Margaret Cho was a huge icon in my life growing up."

    —kyled476a98496

    14. Suki from 2 Fast 2 Furious

    Universal Pictures

    "Seeing a character who is unapologetically a bad bitch without having to be the stereotypical 'Asian baby girl' made me want to play right along with the boys throughout my life. It also made me want to prove to people that all of the prejudices that come with being an Asian woman are absolutely wrong."

    —charlottelaurend

    15. Bodhi Rook in Rogue One

    Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

    "When I heard Riz Ahmed was going to be in Rogue One, I freaked out because he is Pakistani like me. I had never seen a Pakistani in an American movie before, so I felt like I could be someone big like him one day."

    —meekho03

    16. Lea Salonga in Les Miserables

    engchi93 / Via youtube.com

    "The first time I felt represented was seeing Lea Salonga as Eponine during the 25th Anniversary of Le Mis. My dad had the VHS, and I used to watch it on repeat when I was in elementary school."

    —itsalyssa

    17. Manny Santos from Degrassi: Next Generation

    CTV

    "I am half Filipino, and one of the first times I felt represented on TV was watching Manny Santos on Degrassi: The Next Generation. You rarely see Filipinos represented on TV so I enjoyed seeing someone like me on screen."

    —simonej4417637cf

    18. Alex Munday from Charlie's Angels

    Columbia Pictures

    "I was maybe six or seven years old before I saw an Asian woman on screen. I was amazed. She didn't speak with an accent, she interacted with non-Asian people who treated her like an equal, and she wasn't defined by her race. I didn't realize how much I was aching to have that kind of representation until I saw her."

    —burberrymuffin

    19. Grace Park from Hawaii Five-O

    CBS

    "Even though I'm Chinese, I grew up in Southern California and was always super tan/dark compared to most Eastern Asians on screen. Her decision to leave the show because she and Daniel Dae Kim weren't being paid as much as their white co-stars makes her even more of a bad bitch in the show and in real life!"

    —obviouslichenni

    20. Hiro and Gogo from Big Hero 6

    Disney

    "I feel like the film included not only the usual western culture in it, but so much of Japanese culture as well. The representation of both cultures really meant a lot to me, since I am half Japanese and half British. I especially felt represented by Hiro and Gogo, because the film showed how these smart, clever asians could also be just as bad-ass and strong. Not your stereotypical Asian geeks!"

    —sugarsnap603

    Note: Submissions have been edited for length and clarity.

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