michelle li
‘No one is just one thing’: Michelle Li doubles down against racism, launches Very Asian Foundation to amplify AAPI voices
- Michelle Li, a news anchor with KSDK in St. Louis, received a call on New Year’s Day from a viewer who complained about her mentioning dumpling soup.
- The viewer called Li “very Asian,” a phrase that quickly morphed into a movement as politicians, journalists, celebrities, influencers and social media users showed support and shared their own stories.
- Li appeared on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” on Wednesday where she received seed funding to start The Very Asian Foundation, an organization that will amplify AAPI voices.
Editor’s Note: This story has been corrected to indicate that the caller who complained about Li for covering a Memorial Day celebration did not reach KSDK, but another station Li had worked with years ago.
Weeks after receiving a racist voicemail that quickly transformed into a solidarity movement, Missouri news anchor Michelle Li launched The Very Asian Foundation, an organization committed to amplifying diverse Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) voices.
‘She’s being very Asian’: Viewer criticizes Korean American anchor for talking about dumpling soup on New Year’s Day
- A Korean American news anchor in Missouri said on air that she had dumpling soup on New Year’s Day.
- A viewer called in to say she took offense to the anchor’s remarks, saying white people would not be allowed to speak the same way.
- Celebrities, journalists, politicians, influencers and social media users have rallied behind the anchor using the hashtag #VeryAsian on Twitter.
A Korean American news anchor in Missouri received an outpouring of support after a viewer complained about her for talking about dumpling soup on New Year’s Day.
Michelle Li, who works at KDSK-TV, an NBC affiliate based in St. Louis, was reporting on food Americans typically eat during New Year celebrations when she mentioned the ethnic dish.
