Tonight, the Conversation Continues at Duke University

In honor of screening Silent War at Duke University tonight, we’re sharing a clip that asks a deeper question: What happens when simply being yourself is rejected, or treated as “too much”?

Korean American journalist Michelle Li’s story illustrates how everyday racism shows up in subtle but deeply cutting ways. Back in January 2022, she mentioned eating dumpling soup on air on New Year’s Day as part of a Korean tradition, only to later receive a scathing voicemail calling her comment inappropriate and “very Asian,” as if that were somehow a bad thing.

These experiences, often dismissed as small, become turning points. The “lunchbox moment.” The off-hand comment. The message that who you are is somehow wrong. When identity is pushed into the margins, it doesn’t just create disconnection but fuels isolation, internalized shame, and lasting impacts on mental health. As humans, connection is everything—we need it to survive. So when our very existence is ostracized, it lands hard.

Michelle recognized this and chose to give her story an empowering ending by co-founding the Very Asian Foundation, which aims to illuminate Asian experiences through advocacy, storytelling, and celebration.

Taking pain and turning it into something powerful and transformative is exactly what we aim to do with Silent War as well, and we can’t wait to continue that journey this evening. We hope to see you there!

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