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“I was wondering why you don’t have an accent,” U.S. figure skater Mirai Nagasu recalled a parent asking her at a recent meet-and-greet, after asking if she was from California.
Nagasu froze, unsure how to respond.
Did the person assume all Asians were recent immigrants? Was it naive ignorance or subtle racism?
The moment passed, but Nagasu continued to dwell on the interaction. As a public figure and role model, she needed to be diplomatic, especially when interacting with kids. But she also felt the need to push back, especially now during the resurgence in anti-Asian hate and xenophobia that left her parents concerned for their safety.