Have You Eaten Yet? A Dialogue on the Connection Between Culture, Food, and Care in AAPI Communities

In Asian/Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities, food is more than just fuel. It gathers people, bridges generations, empowers community, and teaches culture. Incorporating food that is culturally significant into programming can also help communities and people impacted by violence heal from trauma. However, many AAPI people are left without access to ingredients and dishes that hold meaning for them. How can we, as agents in the movement to end violence, harness the incredible power of food to drive the change we are creating in our communities?

As we closed out APAHM, we gathered for this dialogue with three movement leaders from Banteay Srei, UTOPIA Washington, and Food4Good, who are incorporating food in innovate ways: cooking classes that bridge intergenerational communities, a farming program that sustains Indigenous traditions, and a catering business that builds economic security for refugees. We also heard from participants about the inspiring ways they are honoring AAPI communities and survivors through celebration of food.