Min Jin Lee Wants You to Pay Attention

The National Book Award finalist and author of Pachinko and Free Food for Millionaires wants to give a more nuanced portrait of Asian-American life, including the everyday racism communities face

- Diana Suryakusuma

Until recently, Min Jin Lee was primarily known as the bestselling author of Pachinko, a novel that follows a family of Korean immigrants in Japan through the 20th century. (The Apple TV+ adaptation premieres on March 25.) But over the past two years, as violence targeting people of Asian descent in the U.S. has surged, Lee, who grew up in Queens and lives in Manhattan, has turned her Twitter feed into a record of anti-Asian racism. In an interview with Diana Suryakusuma, Lee explains why and how she hopes speaking up will lead to greater equality for all. Here are edited excerpts from their conversation:

The news has been increasingly filled with horrifying stories of violence toward Asian Americans. What motivates you to speak out about anti-Asian hate?

I’m tired of people saying that an attack was random rather than race-based. I believe that when Bipoc women and men are attacked, race is always part of the consideration. It may not be the determining factor, but it’s part of our consideration. I can’t walk out of the house and not be Asian.

Because the problem is complicated, people keep saying the problem doesn’t exist. I’m saying it does. Look at the numbers of Asian Americans being attacked, assaulted, insulted, and killed around the country. It doesn’t matter how well-educated you are or how safe you think you are in your suburbs: We come from a very long history of being persecuted in this country.

And not all Asian Americans are high-income. Asian Americans have more income inequality than any other racial or ethnic group.