Riverdale actor Charles Melton penned an essay discussing his plans to be a better defender of Asian heritage in the wake of a recent spike in Anti-Asian racism throughout the world.
"I've often been told that I’m not Asian enough. Not white enough. And I question whether I am enough at all," Melton wrote at Variety. "I am conflicted by my racial identities and the trauma that comes with that. In light of the recent horrors, I am compelled to share my story."
The Riverdale actor (Reggie Mantle) wrote that he was born in Alaska to a white father and Korean mother. "Over these past few months, I’ve reexamined my roots," he said. "With that, I’ve been thinking a lot about my mother. My earliest memories are with her, out in the world among friends and strangers. But there was always pain in these interactions. I remember people talking down to my mother as if she didn’t belong."
Melton also discussed the multiple instances of racism he experienced growing up, which included his friends' comments about his "house smelling funny" because of his mother's cooking and making anti-Asian jokes at school in order to beat his classmates to the punch.
"With the continued rise in horrific hate crimes towards my community, I have been in deep introspection by recalling my own experiences, unpacking my past, and trying to understand it all," Melton added. "I’ve realized that I never stood up for my Korean heritage."
The actor also admitted to "willfully [ignoring] the racism and microaggressions directed towards me and my people," noting, "I failed to defend my heritage in fear of retribution. And now I can’t help but wonder what I did to contribute to the violence against Asian Americans."
He wrapped up the essay by promising to no longer be complicit, adding, "While I’m still trying to figure out how to merge my past and my present, I know the first step is to acknowledge that the problem exists. I intend to do the work in learning my own place."
"I do know that I want to use media and entertainment as advocacy," Melton concluded. "I want to tell inclusive, representative stories. I want to reconcile my identity and come to terms with who I am, despite the pain. I want to uplift the AAPI experience through storytelling, caring, understanding, and kindness that I can share with the world."
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings star Simu Liu also recently shared his thoughts on the Anti-Asian violence that's occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic in an op-ed.
Source: Variety
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