ASIAn AMERICAN GOTHIC
THIS IS A PSA IN RESPONSE TO ONGOING ANTI-ASIAN VIOLENCE IN AMERICA AND THE REST OF THE WORLD. THE ORIGINAL ICONIC PAINTING, “AMERICAN GOTHIC”, BY MARK GRANT WAS PAINTED NEARLY 100 YEARS AGO. IT WAS AN INCREDIBLE SNAPSHOT OF AMERICANA. AMERICA LOOKS DIFFERENT TODAY, IT IS MORE COLORFUL, MORE DIVERSE AND MORE BEAUTIFUL BECAUSE OF IT. WE BELIEVE IN DOUBLING DOWN ON UNITY. THIS VIDEO STANDS ON A SIMPLE MINDED-MESSAGE - ASIAN AMERICANS ARE AMERICANS.
PRODUCED BY ONLY TODAY + A CREW COMPOSED PRIMARILY OF PEOPLE OF THE APPI COMMUNITY.
MONTHANUS (AMY) RATANAPAKDEE, DAUGHTER OF VICHA RATANAPAKDEE STANDS AT THE SITE OF HER FATHER’S DEATH. WE THANK MONTHANUS FOR HER TIME AND HER DEDICATION TO THE AAPI COMMUNITY, AS WELL AS HER PART IN THE VIDEO.
“...there wasn’t enough being said or enough people saying it. I had been threatened and called atrocious and xenophobic slurs. In the growing list of victims, I saw in them who could be my mom, friend, or niece. What we needed were more voices and I was tired of waiting for them in vain. I wanted to remind people of a simple truth. And sometimes something needs to be said even if only a few people are willing to hear it.”
