Now that AANHPI Heritage Month is coming to a close, that doesn’t mean we should once again sweep the history and culture of AANHPIs under the rug. One way to keep learning and growing with the AANHPI community is to follow AANHPI TikTokers.
Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander history is often left out of mainstream teachings of American history. There is also a general lack of AANHPI representation in popular media, and AANHPI portrayals are sometimes misrepresented as inaccurate stereotypes. A 2021 report from USC’s Annenberg Inclusion Initiative evaluated 1,300 popular films between 2007 and 2019 and discovered that Asian and Pacific Islanders comprised less than 6% of speaking roles and less than 4% of leads and co-leads in Hollywood films.
Asian Hollywood stars have induced change in the TV and film industry, but due to social media, AANHPI representation has found a new platform on TikTok. TikTok has uncovered hidden talent and diverse voices and has introduced the world to new talent and a new wave of activists. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, anti-Asian hate crimes increased by 339% in 2021 compared to 2020. Following this rise in anti-Asian hate crimes, many AANHPI creators took to TikTok to amplify their voices and to advocate for their community. In honor of AANHPI Heritage Month, here are 10 AANHPI activists, influencers, and stars to follow after the month ends, because we should always continue learning.
- Frances Wang
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Frances Wang, an NBC Philadelphia news anchor, uses both her Instagram and TikTok to highlight Asian hate crimes, encourage antiracist behaviors and provide context behind news stories. On TikTok, she makes the news more digestible to her nearly 260,000 followers and spreads kindness.
- Ayn Bernos
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Ayn Bernos is a Filipino entrepreneur, vlogger, and influencer who shares lifestyle and beauty videos on TikTok with her over 1.4 million followers. She also has a second account, which she utilizes to share her tips and knowledge to people who speak Tagalog and want to learn English.
- Janette Ok
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Janette Ok is a lifestyle, beauty, and fashion influencer who promotes diversity and size inclusivity. With over 1.7 million followers on TikTok, Ok highlights her Korean heritage while sharing helpful and fun fashion and beauty tips and proving that beauty comes in all shapes and sizes.
- Drew Afualo
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Drew Afualo is a massive social media star with almost 8 million followers on TikTok. She is known for her humor and quick banter, which she uses to call out misogynists on the internet. She is also an advocate for the Samoan community and a co-host on her podcast, Two Idiot Girls.
- Kari Okubo
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Kari Okubo is the Social Media Manager for 18 Million Rising, an online and in-person AANHPI advocacy company. Okubo herself has over 27,000 followers on TikTok and shares lifestyle and beauty tips while promoting AANHPI owned brands, advocating for AANHPI rights, and sharing her favorite Asian recipes.
- Jasmine Tuitama-Roberts
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Jasmine Tuitama-Roberts is a Samoan TikTok star with over 28,000 followers. She uses her platform to answer questions regarding her Samoan culture while drawing attention to and promoting AANHPI musicians — this is important because AANHPI representation has been severely lacking in the music industry for years.
- Tiffany Yu
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Tiffany Yu was in a car crash at nine years old that took her father’s life and left her right hand permanently paralyzed. Yu is the founder of Diversability, an organization hoping to dismantle the stigma surrounding disability and found a community for disabled people and allies. She is also a TEDx speaker and uses her TikTok to be an advocate for those with disabilities and promote anti-ableism.
- Nabela Noor
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Known for her “pockets of peace” series, Nabela is a Desi lifestyle influencer on TikTok with over 7.6 million followers. She was very transparent about her struggles to become pregnant following a miscarriage, and she now talks about her struggles as a new mom. She often talks about and showcases her Indian heritage in her TikToks as well and is transparent about the challenges that she and her white husband have faced as an interracial couple.
- Seema Pankhania
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Seema Pankhania is a truly global food influencer. She has made it her personal mission to “cook as many dishes from as many countries as possible,” and is currently partaking in a 195-day global food challenge to cook a dish from every country in the world. Seema’s delicious recipes and travel tips are sure to induce both hunger and wanderlust. Her account is a must-follow for anyone with an appetite for adventure.
- Allison Chu
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Allison Chu is a former Miss Hawai’i and Miss Hawai’i USA as well as an actress and model. She uses her social media to share everything from day-in-the-life videos to her love for Hawai’i. (In fact, you may have also seen her in the latest Netflix Squid Game: The Challenge season.) The Honolulu native showcases her busy life between New York City and Hawai’i and she is a total fashion inspiration.
This article was originally posted on May 31, 2022.