If you care about cultural sensitivity, want to understand the impact of racism on AAPI communities, or just want to hear a real, honest conversation about identity and representation, this episode is for you.

More info, resources & ways to connect - https://www.tacosfallapart.com/podcast-live-show/podcast-guests/randomlyjme

In this episode of Even Tacos Fall Apart, I sat down with Jamie, aka randomlyjme, to talk about cultural sensitivity, racism, and resources for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI). Jamie, a certified occupational therapist assistant and therapy program manager, shared her personal experiences growing up as a Korean adoptee in a white family in the Midwest.

Jamie opened up about her cultural identity struggles, explaining how she didn’t really think about being different until others pointed it out. Growing up in a small Missouri town, she didn’t have many people around who looked like her, and her parents never really engaged with Korean culture. Things shifted when her family moved to South Korea for three years, where she suddenly felt out of place in a different way. Despite looking like everyone else, she didn’t speak Korean and wasn’t fully accepted by Korean peers. This back-and-forth experience shaped her complicated relationship with her cultural identity.

We discussed the rise in anti-Asian hate crimes, misinformation, and the impact of racist rhetoric—especially after COVID-19. Jamie shared a painful moment when an older couple in a store blamed “her people” for the pandemic, leaving her stunned. She admitted that in those moments, she often feels taken aback first, then angry later, wishing she had spoken up. At work, she tries to educate colleagues when they make ignorant comments, helping them understand how language and assumptions can be harmful.

The conversation shifted to the “model minority” myth—the damaging stereotype that all Asians are high-achieving, hardworking, and successful. Jamie broke it down: while some Asians are wealthy and highly educated, a huge number live in poverty, particularly in cities like New York. The stereotype also creates a harmful comparison to other minority groups, suggesting that if Asians can “make it,” then systemic racism isn’t real—when in reality, it's a deeply flawed narrative.

We also touched on the importance of representation, from media to video games. Jamie shared her mixed feelings about Dead by Daylight’s attempt at adding Korean characters. While the killer character was done well, the survivor didn’t actually look Korean—more like a generic white model with an Asian name slapped on. Representation matters, and getting the details right is part of respecting a culture.

For those wanting to learn more or support AAPI communities, Jamie highlighted resources like Stop AAPI Hate and the Asian Mental Health Collective. Stop AAPI Hate tracks hate crime incidents and provides multilingual support, while the Asian Mental Health Collective focuses on breaking the cultural stigma surrounding mental health in Asian communities.

At the end of the day, Jamie emphasized that cultural sensitivity isn’t complicated—it starts with asking thoughtful questions, listening, and being aware of the impact words can have. Understanding someone’s culture is great, but it should always be part of learning about them as a whole person, not just a label.

This conversation was raw, insightful, and a reminder that there’s always more to learn.