Social media has become a primary platform for sharing resources, taking a stand, and hearing about current events. Racism against Asians is no exception. It has only been brought to greater attention recently with the ongoing pandemic, but hate towards Asians have always been a problem.
Unlike 20 years ago, we now have the convenience of being able to speak from our rocking chairs with just a click of a button. Sometimes this is done with courtesy, and sometimes it is not. You may be reposting infographics in your stories to raise awareness or voicing statements like "I can't believe that this is still happening," but have you put in the effort to learn about the diversity of Asians and their cultures? Stop and think for a moment. If the answer is "No," it's time to change that. It takes more than solely reposting infographics, voicing your disdain for the crimes, and signing petitions to be an ally. In fact, it takes more than browsing the political side of social media to be an ally. Though one of the least things you can do is allow your timeline to consist of content from different people and cultures, and this means following people in other areas besides social justice. With that said, here are 10 Asian content creators to hit the "follow" button on right now!
@tiffy.cooks
Taiwanese-Canadian cook Tiffy Chen shares Asian recipes primarily stemming from Japanese, Chinese, Korean, and Taiwanese cuisines. Tiffy herself was born in Taiwan and moved to Canada when she was in high school. She's called Taiwan a "food haven" and has shared dozens of recipes ranging from Yakisoba to Sesame Balls to Tamagoyaki Miso Soup and so many more!When I first saw one of her Reels on Instagram months ago, I was immediately hooked and wanted to continue watching her cook! She also has a TikTok account and a blog where she shares her recipes in-full. She has made me want to cook in the kitchen more often, and if you love looking at food content, you should definitely support her!
@mysuitcasejourneys
Jas is a travel influencer who has traveled to 17 countries and counting. Like Tiffy, she is also Taiwanese-Canadian. She was born in Taiwan and immigrated to Canada when she was nine years old. Another interesting thing is that they both live in the same city, Vancouver.Her Chinese name is Ming Yu, which is the origin of the name "My Suitcase Journeys." She has shared photos from her trips to Singapore, Thailand, Japan, and other countries. Her photos are aesthetically pleasing and very vibrant! She's also on TikTok, runs a blog, and has been featured on Buzzfeed News' Facebook page. Although the pandemic has caused a halt in travels, there is nothing wrong with following travel accounts to take a virtual vacation. Let her photos take you on one by checking out her profile right now!
@yuniqueyuni
Yuni is a travel and lifestyle account worth following! Although she currently resides in Singapore, she was born in Indonesia and is ethnically Chinese. Her photo content mainly consists of spots in Singapore and her life as a mother, but she has also shared highlights from her visits to other countries.Her photos are colorful and eye-popping, yet they also feel down to Earth. To me, there is something special about sharing her photos in my stories. Along with having an Instagram page, she has a blog where she shares more content with her audience. If you like accounts with a balance of travel and lifestyle, go follow her!
@missminaoh
I first discovered Miss Mina around two years ago when a video of her visiting the Tokyo Capsule Hotel landed in my recommended videos feed. I had never heard of that place, but watching that video made me want to see more of her content. I have not forgotten about the videos where she visited the Unicorn Cafe in Thailand and the Toilet restaurant in Taiwan (not joking, it is a real place). She has visited some weird restaurants, but that's part of her brand as a food and travel travel influencer.
Aside from visiting some strange restaurants and museums, Mina has also done street food tours, visited 5-star hotels, and tried different types of food. Her content primarily focuses on Asian cultures but has also visited Iceland and Canada. Despite the pandemic, she has made an effort to continue creating content in essence to her brand. As of right now, Mina has just over 1 million subscribers each on her main YouTube channel and her Korea-centric sweetandtastyTV channel. She has a blog as well, but it is less-frequently updated with posts.
Those who follow heyitsfeiii may already know who Mina is due to their video collaborations, but for those looking for Asiacentric content, this Korean-American influencer is one you must follow! Her mother is even a regular in her videos. How sweet!
@itsnotheritsme
Itsnotheritsme is run by Toshiko Shek, a photographer based in Los Angeles who earned a degree in Art Practice from UC Berkeley. She was born in Hong Kong but moved to the San Francisco Bay Area when she was 12 years old. Her primary interests include fashion, photography, and art, which she has utilized throughout her career, both before freelancing and after she started freelancing. With the experience she has in fashion and photo styling, her skills really show in each of her posts. Toshiko also posts about her other interests, such as traveling, cooking, and being a plant mom (let me not forget to link her blog). The inspiration for her account name comes from her philosophy that she wears what she wants and dresses how she feels, "because at the end of the day, it's not her, it's me." For those who love multifaceted photographers and influencers, she is definitely one to check for!
@misohungrry
Misohungry is a Los Angeles-based food blogger who tries different foods from different restaurants and dining hotspots (even fast-food restaurants!). The first time I heard of her was when I viewed a Reel of her trying Ethiopian food, and I thought it was worth sharing in my stories! Her favorite cuisines are Thai (she's half-Thai btw) and New Mexican food. As she is from New Mexico, she has shared content about New Mexican food, which is not the same as Tex Mex food.She shares her love of food not just on Instagram, but also on Tiktok. Seeing her short clips makes me want to visit those places when I have the opportunity to travel around. It's just a joy to watch her clips and fantasize yourself visiting one day! If you love hearing about different restaurants, follow Misohungry right now!
@linqanaaa
Since I've started following Ana, I've always looked forward to each new post! Ana posts clips of her cooking different recipes, and they are not recipes that you hear about everyday either. She's cooked things like Fried Milk (yes, it is a thing), Mochi Clementines, Cheese Corn Dogs, and so many more! For the Harry Potter fans out there, she's recreated Butterbeer, and fans of The Orville may be surprised to know that she's recreated a few foods from the show as well.Ana can also be seen on TikTok, which is where some of her content has gone viral, most recently with her recreation of Ratatouille. Her content is very unique and memorable, so those who love seeing food and quirkiness collide will love her for sure!
@little_lao_kitchen
Now if you would like to gain exposure to a different type of Asian cuisine, Little Lao Kitchen is definitely an account to check out! You most commonly hear about Chinese food and Japanese food. Though how many times have you heard about Lao food? For the majority of people, the answer is 0. While Laos is becoming a more popular travel destination, it is still not commonly talked about.
While I have never tried Lao food (yet), I want to try Lao food one day. The photos make me want to do that and possibly recreate the dish in my own kitchen at some point. Learning about different cuisines is a great way to broaden your mind and become more culturally competent, so Little Lao Kitchen is a great springboard to learning more about Lao food and culture!
@mamalinda1020
Let me tell you that I once tried Mama Linda's dumpling recipe. While it turned out to be a mess due to the pan I used (my own fault), the dumplings themselves were tasty and addicting. She even gave me a shoutout on her account, which was an honor! Linda Mama's account is primarily homemade cooking mixed with some food-themed DIYs. She markets herself as your "Instagram/TikTok Asian mom," and you can find her content on both platforms (link to her TikTok). I love her chill, down-to-Earth nature, and she delivers with her presence on each clip. Watching her is so relaxing and is a feel-good account to go view right now!
@kamilas4amart
For the ones looking for a jewelry business to check out, this one is it! Kamila is actually not the name of the creator, but rather a mix of the creator's (Mimi), her sister's, and her mother's names. The 4amart part is inspired by how she would get up early to study for school. Although Mimi lives in Japan right now and ships her jewelry from there, her elements come from Japan and the Philippines.
Speaking of elements, a unique thing about Mimi is that she makes her jewelry using real plants from nature. Think sakuras, chili peppers, flowers, the list goes on. Each piece of jewelry you see on her account was real and preserved. You know something is authentic when it is made of real and not faux materials. Her goal is to eventually turn Kamila's 4AM Art into a social enterprise that's eco-friendly and gives back to the community.
Mimi's jewelry is AMAZING, so go view her masterpieces, and if you can, buy a couple of them. I plan to do so one day myself. Those chili pepper earrings are iconic, I tell ya! Mind you, the prices are in Philippine pesos, but you can convert it to the currency of your country on Google.
Because these are not all of the Asian creators I follow, Part 2 will be coming soon! Until then, go check out these accounts and put them on your radar. Remember that it takes work outside of social media to be an ally, but learning more about different people and cultures is a big step towards pulling up for humanity.
Originally Published on Instagram Guides: 10 Asian Content Creators You Should Follow
