Race has shaped our lives throughout history and continues to do so to this day. As many in America and in Chicago seek new awareness about race, it is important now more than ever to be educated on and to shed light on modern racism, particularly amid a spike in anti-Asian discrimination and hate crimes.
In the videos below, members of the Asian American Pacific Islander communities in the Chicago area recount personal incidents of racism and microaggressions they've experienced. Several discussed both how these events have impacted them and how we can move forward.
Watch, learn and empower others.
For complete coverage of NBC 5's ongoing Race in Chicago series, click here.
Joanne Molinaro is an attorney in Chicago who is also known as the "Korean Vegan" on social media, with millions of followers on her blog and TikTok account where she posts recipe videos and shares details of her family's story.
Her parents immigrated to the U.S. from what is now known as North Korea. Some of the stories she's shared on TikTok detail her family's experiences, while others address the rise in anti-Asian hate and discrimination.
"The truth is, for better or for worse, dealing with racism is a part of my American life," Molinaro said. "Part of my experience is dealing with what other people perceive to be my foreignness and questioning whether or not I belong."
