YouTube has always been a treasure to me, not only for the cat videos and lip syncing masterpieces, but also for all the Asian American-generated content. The beauty and fashion bloggers like Michelle Phan and Jenn Im, the musicians like David Choi, AJ Rafael, and Clara C, and the personalities like KevJumba and NigaHiga - they all got their start on YouTube. These were the people I grew up watching when there weren't Asian American faces on any other media platform. Not only that, but these were Asian Americans in creative industries, which definitely wasn't something you could see in traditional media.
Wong Fu Productions, whose work I remember watching since the late 2000's, has a special place in my heart for their storytelling. It was a rare sight - Asian Americans making videos about Asian Americans and casting Asian American actors (what a concept!). It wasn't political content (although I would also argue that Asian Americans making creative content is already in itself a political act), it was just them telling stories about their lives, about love, friendships, sometimes funny, sometimes serious. Wong Fu would partner with other Asian American creatives and creators that I also loved, and it made YouTube feel like an alternate media reality that was my own little secret.
As I grew older and became more politically aware, I kept finding myself wanting for these influencers to also show that they were aware. I wanted them to talk about the 2016 presidential election, say that Black Lives Matter, and talk about their identity. At the same time, I acknowledge that it is their choice to decide what sort of content they produce.
I go back and forth between this all the time: Should public figures be responsible for speaking up against injustices? Especially for public figures from minority communities, should they be responsible for speaking up for their communities and being politically vocal in their content even when their usual content isn't political in nature?
