I was invited to attend a private viewing of "12 Years a Slave" with a world leader that I greatly respected.

After the film was shown with gasps and sobbing from the audience, he turned to me, surprised at how unaffected I seemed to be and asked me what I thought.

My response was that it was too soft... If you're going to tell the story, TELL the story.

At times, it would probably be more advantageous for me to censor my "honesty", but I haven't completely developed that skill yet.

All I could think of was truths like this, and how enslaved women were mindfucked as well by having to "perform" for their "Massa's" or watch their men and children destroyed for their lack of "enthusiasm".

I have since been criticized for continuing to bear witness to this and other horrific details of the dehumanizing brutality of the African American Holocaust... at times for good reason.

A brilliant filmmaker, who I admire and respect, told me of the greater need to express past that pain into a better reality. I used to feel that way as well. That is where my love for comics and Sci-Fi came from. Another also respected artist pointed out the metaphysical aspect of giving energy to that which you are opposed to, empowering it into a more significant reality.

More truth.

But maybe stubbornly I believe that the history of this has mostly been erased... that an entire generation lacks the perspective of what a people's position in society is and where ours progressed from.

As a writer it is important for me to understand that my people were forcibly taught to sing church hymns while pieces of their relatives were displayed in store windows as trophies.

It teaches me not to gamble on the conscious of people who cut into and burned my ancestors as entertainment for their children.

More importantly, it educates me to respect the value of history and truth, even when writing ridiculous fiction.

And lastly, without disrespect to anyone else, it is the source of love for my people, who are still here and still glorious.

Stand up.

Protect your neck.

In response to the controversial use of the term “anchor baby” by some GOP candidates, high school student Jason Fong inspired Asian Americans to share their varied stories under the twitter hashtag #MyAsianAmericanStory.

Several outlets have covered this story including Dex Digi of the L.A. Times, Colorlines and Storify.

Below are a few #MyAsianAmericanStory tweets that made me smile, cry or both:

Margaret Cho: Why are we #AnchorBabies – is it because we always end up doing the news? #conniechung

Multiracial Ahjussi: #MyAsianAmericanStory was hearing my white mom’s friends ruthlessly add an accent when imitating my Korean dad’s voice after he died

N’jaila Rhee: Explaining to people where Trinidad is and that yes Asian people live there too and Asians can also be Brown.

Bruce Reyes-Chow: My US Army Grandfather was told he might get shot by his unit because he “looked Japanese.”

Abida Haque: I have more! Being asked, “are you a feather Indian or a dot Indian?”

ESCH: Being called “oriental” or “exotic” – I’m not a rug or a vase. I’m human. I’m Asian.

Dragon Lady: My Filipino ex-boyfriend calling me out for wearing a shirt that said “Pinay” cause I’m “only half so it doesnt count”

Alyssa W. Christensen: “American men will like you becuz [Asians] are traditional & [subservient].” Yeahhh ask my husband about that…

Officer Ahoge: So does your family like… bind your feet??

Susanna / 13 DAYS: Americans care more about making Kim Jong Il/Kim Jong Un jokes than helping North Koreans escape their living hell.

Ma Anneliese Clare: “You’re not like ‘math chinky asian’ you’re like ‘third world asian’”

Kathy Khang: Being told by vets I should be more grateful for what they did in the Korean conflict/war

Thao: Them: “You’re very assertive for an Asian female.”
Me: “Fuck off. How’s that for assertive?”

Alice Wong: Understanding the anti-blackness roots of the model minority myth and trying hard everyday to resist & dismantle it

The following were some of my own contributions to #MyAsianAmericanStory:

Onjena Yo: Being told I could start a sweatshop with my family when I shared my goal of starting my own business…

Onjena Yo: Exposure to a new slur… Kigger… Korean-N*gger

Onjena Yo: My mother stating that she missed diversity after returning home from her visit to Korea.

Onjena Yo: Telling my classmate that I was not different from her but we were different from each other.

Onjena Yo: [Being asked] “Why don’t you pass?”

Onjena Yo: My mother being “accused” of having a different father for each of her children because we varied in complexion & hair

Onjena Yo: Correcting my verbal attackers that I was Korean and not Chinese.

Onjena Yo: My mom (@ogi_gogi): “I’ve been an American citizen longer than you’ve been alive.” In response to taunts to “go back”

Onjena Yo: “So, how did you get such pretty hair?” Toddler Me: “Rice!”

I also shared the following pics respectively titled: "Bathtime" and "Love."

carbonfibreme_the_ethyr_patriot_survey_says_korean_american_multinational_myasianamericanstory_bathtime.jpg

carbonfibreme_the_ethyr_patriot_survey_says_korean_american_multinational_myasianamericanstory_love.jpg

Naturally many of our stories were dismissed as homogeneous and we were told to “go back home.” [Yes, in 2015]. To which I posit, perhaps the similarities in #MyAsianAmericanStory can be attributed to the force that inflicted the pain & not how we are somehow monolithic.

I’ve found it to be a very recent phenomena for Asian Americans to express their cultural pride, at least publicly. I’ve repeatedly stated that expressing one’s pride is not the same as proclaiming supremacy. My attempt at exploring and expanding what is perceived of as “American” is a questionnaire titled, PATRIOT SURVEY SAYS!!!.

We ask who you are and what experiences have shaped you, both here in the United States and in your “other” country. If you have an interest in sharing your experiences, the form/questions are here.