HBO docuseries explores Asian American and Pacific Islander identities

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A new HBO documentary titled “The A List: 15 Stories from Asian and Pacific Diasporas” explores the diverse experiences within the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community. The film, which debuts May 14 on HBO Max during AAPI Heritage Month, features interviews with prominent figures such as Sandra Oh, Kumail Nanjiani, and Bowen Yang, as well as everyday individuals, according to the Associated Press (src_001).

Director Eugene Yi said he has long been interested in the term AAPI and its inclusiveness. He noted that when discussing Asian Americans, the focus is often on people who “might look like you and me, and maybe not people who look like (New York City Mayor) Zohran Mamdani,” Yi told the AP (src_001). He added that he questioned why the term is not more inclusive.

The documentary is the latest installment in “The List Series” created by Timothy Greenfield-Sanders. The series has previously highlighted prominent Black, Latino, and LGBTQ+ Americans, according to the AP (src_001).

Yi captured intimate interviews conducted by journalist Jada Yuan with 15 people of AAPI heritage across various industries. Interviewees include TV broadcaster Connie Chung, Democratic Sen. Tammy Duckworth, and “Basement Bhangra” creator DJ Rekha, the AP reports (src_001).

Chef and owner of Vinai, Yia Vang, who was born in a Thai refugee camp, recounted his experience with being interviewed as being similar to a confessional, according to the AP (src_001). Vang tearfully told how he threw out lunches of sticky rice and fermented vegetables packed by his mother in an attempt to not be “the weird kid,” the AP reports (src_001).

Vang said he realized, “I will never, ever try to be ‘cool,’” adding that he wants to stay true to the integrity that his parents laid before him. The dishes he once rejected are now on his restaurant’s menu, according to the AP (src_001).

According to a new survey by The Asian American Foundation, adults in the U.S. have a harder time recognizing the influence of AAPI people compared to other racial groups. The STAATUS Index, in partnership with NORC at the University of Chicago, found that 4 in 10 U.S. adults cannot name a single, famous Asian American, with Jackie Chan, who is not American, being among the most frequently named, the AP reports (src_001).

Norman Chen, CEO of The Asian American Foundation, applauded the film’s breadth of personal stories, which he believes might not have been made a decade ago. He said that the audience was moved by the stories of celebrities and everyday people, according to the AP (src_001).

Yi said that he hopes people recognize the struggles AAPI people have endured while building community, according to the AP (src_001). He added, “We can really move forward from this moment in terms of rebuilding and reclaiming and taking up space with confidence and hope again.”