The Founders
Tiffany Yu and Donna Lai on founding Watercress, a Medium Publication focused on highlighting stories of the Asian American community
Our last feature of 2020 is on the story of how it all began. In March 2020, college students Tiffany Yu and Donna Lai created a publication to celebrate the Asian American community by publishing pieces that centered on identity, heritage, and culture in the midst of a tumultuous year that impacted Asian Americans on a large scale. From criticizing racist rhetoric, analyzing cultural phenomenons, to presenting authentic narratives of growing up Asian in America, they have built a platform for over 6000 readers around the globe. As Tiffany and Donna brace for what the new year will bring, they reflect on this past year.
Tiffany Yu is a senior at UC Berkeley completing her bachelor’s degrees in Public Health and Data Science, with a focus in emerging technologies in health. When she’s not juggling multiple projects at once, she enjoys reading, playing the piano, and listening to podcasts.
Donna Lai is a senior at San Jose State University studying Computer Science with a concentration in databases. She enjoys taking pictures for her food account on Instagram and spending time with friends.
Tell us about the communities you both grew up in. How did community, culture, and heritage play a role in shaping who you are?
Tiffany: Donna and I both grew up in Millbrae, a small town south of San Francisco. Millbrae is composed of a strong Asian American community, where the older generation and younger generation constantly walked side by side. It is a place where Chinese herb stores and supermarkets that have existed before I was born neighbor Asian fusion restaurants and popular boba milk tea franchises. It is a place where you can purchase a roasted duck prepared by a century’s old recipe and also purchase a Japanese souffle next door. It wasn’t until high school that I realized how much this community shaped my perspective. Living in a place where people who looked like me were unapologetic and powerful played a vital role in my assertion of my identity as a Chinese American.
As a young girl walking on the street, I discovered the power and pride of what representation meant to me, and why it was so important.
Donna: Like Tiffany said, Millbrae is a pretty small town with a predominantly Asian American community. Asian American food and culture is woven through the streets of our downtown in the form of restaurants, cafes, and stores. It feels special looking back to have been able to see how inclusive our community has been of Asian food and culture. It was only until I moved away for college, that I realized how much Millbrae’s large Cantonese community really shaped much of who I was.
What led you to founding Watercress?
Tiffany: In early 2020, I was receiving notifications on social media that many Asian Americans were becoming targets for hate crimes because of scapegoating due to the coronavirus pandemic. As reported hate crimes increased and racism became more explicit against the Asian American community, I became frustrated with the lack of awareness from mainstream media and national leaders on these attacks against my community. Donna and I had been talking about starting a podcast on Asian American issues a couple of months prior, but once it became apparent to us that there was a severe lack of content on Asian America at the start of the pandemic, we decided to create Watercress, one of the first publications on Medium dedicated to highlighting Asian American stories. I’m so proud of how far Watercress has come in one year, with over 50 pieces written by different writers from across the country, features on incredibly inspiring individuals, and features in Medium Politics, Culture, Film, and LGBTQ. This is just the beginning of what we can accomplish!
What is your hope for the future of America?
Tiffany: That’s an interesting question because if I were asked in June, I would discuss the moral reckoning the nation has to undergo in regards to race and privilege in society. If I were asked this question in August, I would’ve brought up the need for stronger climate policies and environmental management infrastructure. If you asked me this question in November, I would have discussed tackling political polarization and peaceful civic discourse. If you ask me now, I would say all of the above plus a hope that both the nation and those who live in it don’t lose optimism for a better future. There’s understandably a ton of pessimism and fear towards the future at this current moment, but I truly hope that we don’t lose sight of all that hasn’t yet happened.
Lean on each other, support one another, and retain any ounce of hope you have, because we will get through this together.
Donna: I hope that we can all show a bit of empathy to each other and try to be more open minded. It has felt pretty dire for the past year with the pandemic, racial tensions, and worsening economy. There will inevitably be greater challenges this country will face, but we have to keep pushing on. I hope that we can recognize our mistakes and pitfalls to better the conditions of all Americans.
What is your advice to young Asian Americans growing up during this time?
Donna: First, it was important for me to leave a community like Millbrae and the bubble I lived in to really understand how lucky I was. I am so much more appreciative of the community I’ve grown up in. I’d say that if you do live in a community like ours, go out and experience what others have to offer. Second, learn as much as you can about your culture and heritage! Take classes or ask your family members. I was lucky enough to attend a university that offered Asian American studies and it changed my perspective and appreciation for those who paved the way and came before me. There are many who came before us and sacrificed a lot to allow us to live comfortably the way we do now. Third, it is never too late to connect with your culture. Join a club or sport (like Dragonboating!). It was a great experience for me to participate and just meet more people outside of my immediate community.
Tiffany: When I was fifteen, on the last day I ever saw him, my math tutor and I had a conversation.
“You have to change the way they see Asian Americans,” he said.
“But why me? Why can’t it be someone else, like you?” I asked.
“It’s too late for me. I’m too old, and they’re not going to listen to me. But not you. You and your generation can change things for all of us,” he said.
I still feel the weight of those words, and for the longest time, I wasn’t sure how to ‘change things for us.’ But now I do, and here is my advice: be you, and only you. Stay true to yourself, and never let the words of others shape how you view yourself. Maintain your sense of self worth, and make it so strong that no one can possibly tear it down. Stand up for yourself, but also stand up for those in our community who don’t have the voice that you do. Be intentional about your weapon of choice when you fight.
Most of all, hold your head high, lean on your community, and always remember that no matter what, you belong and you matter.
I’m so excited to announced that my work here at Watercress is what led me to launch Modem, the first lifestyle and wellness digital media company for Asian Americans. It is my hope through Modem that we can improve mental health and wellness in the Asian American community and pave the way for the normalization of stigmatized topics and needed care.
