Though they’re still fighting to be heard in the entertainment industry, Asian-Americans have found a refuge of sorts in YouTube.
Members of the minority group, who’ve been largely brushed aside by mainstream media, have emerged as some of the strongest voices on the video-sharing site. As YouTube has steadily risen in popularity, Asians have dominated. Among those top online personalities is Anna Akana.
Akana, whose channel now boasts more than 2 million subscribers, has used humor and wit to create a massive repertoire of funny skits and short films on topics ranging from cats (she has six!) to mental health. She does not shy away from her Asian-American identity online, often making videos that speak to the community — like this one on yellow fever, or this one about that moment of solidarity that occurs when Asian strangers in the U.S. spot each other. (It’s so real.)
The actress will be starring in upcoming teen dramedy “Youth & Consequences,” premiering on March 7 on the paid streaming service YouTube Red. In the series, which is being described as a “woke ‘Mean Girls,’” Akana plays high school queen bee Farrah Cutney.
The significance of an Asian-American lead who bucks the quiet, obedient Asian stereotype isn’t lost on Akana, who hopes to show viewers what Asian-American representation can look like.
HuffPost sat down with Akana to chat about her new series, the Asian-American space on YouTube, as well as why fellow YouTuber Logan Paul’s trip to Japan was all-around horrifying.