Asian, Pacific Islander, Desi American Heritage Month

For many, food is a touchstone of our Asian, Pacific Islander, and Desi American (APIDA) culture, identity, history, and heritage. As we follow recipes passed down from matriarchs and YouTube tutorials, we make dishes once prepared in phantom kitchens lost in time. Here, a spoonful of comfort, a taste of home.

Food is also a site of resistance—from generations of tilling land, to the prickling sweat of labor over a stove, to boycotting in solidarity with the oppressed workers and people. Some fought for a seat at the table, others sought to turn them. As those who came before us participated in hunger strikes and grew gardens out of impossible places, we must remember what it took for us to enjoy abundance in harvest, in choice, in full.

With every mouth we feed, we build communities born out of compassion and community care. Why don’t you come to the table? There is enough for everyone. So set the table, pass a plate, and eat.