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‘I want to spend the rest of my career doing nothing but uplifting our communities’
Awkwafina has finally addressed longstanding criticism for her employment of a “blaccent”, but people aren’t satisfied with her explanation.
Awkwafina, real name Nora Lum, has often come under fire for her appropriation of black vernacular, also known as African American Vernacular English (AAVE).
Sharing a lengthy statement on Twitter, the Shang Chi actress said: “As a non-Black POC, I stand by the fact that I will always listen and work tirelessly to understand the history and context of AAVE, what is deemed appropriate or backwards toward the progress of ANY and EVERY marginalized group.
— nora (@awkwafina) February 5, 2022
“But I must emphasize: To mock, belittle, or to be unkind in any way possible at the expense of others is: Simply. Not. My. Nature. It never has, and it never was.”
She then explained her own background and how she is “still trying to figure out” her own journey and identity.
She said: “My immigrant background allowed me to carve an American identity off the movies and TV shows I watched, the children I went to public school with, and my undying love and respect for hip hop.
what an eloquent way to say nothing at all https://t.co/2HCwzfhbkD
— i can be your long lost pal (@PallaviGunalan) February 6, 2022
“I think as a group, Asian Americans are still trying to figure out what that journey means for them – what is correct and where they don’t belong.
“And though I’m still learning and doing that personal work, I know for sure that I want to spend the rest of my career doing nothing but uplifting our communities. We do this first by failing, learning, acknowledging, hearing and empathizing… And I will continue, tirelessly, to do just that.”
Explaining why putting on a “blaccent” is harmful, Cheryl Bedford, the founder of Women of Color Unite told Buzzfeed: “Putting on any marginalized person’s identity in comedy equates a person’s voice and culture to not being taken seriously.
This is a long way of saying I completely understand why exploiting aspects of Black culture is upsetting and wrong but hey, it is what it is.
People like Awkwafina and Joe Rogan have always understood the harm they cause, they just decide it was more profitable to continue. https://t.co/KJyQtK6xbm
— Shanita Hubbard (@msshanitarenee) February 6, 2022
“It’s making fun of, and it upholds white supremacy by turning the voices of a community into a joke.”
Awkwafina later noted that after a suggestion from her therapist, she is “retiring from the ingrown toenail that is Twitter.”
Britni Danielle replied: “Also? The fact that Awkwafina dropped that non-apology word salad about her blaccent during #BlackHistoryMonth feels calculated and even more awful. Like sis…nobody asked you to say anything at all in the first place.”
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