The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) community celebrates the new movie Raya and the Last Dragon for its much-awaited Asian representation since Mulan. The story follows Raya’s journey finding a dragon and reuniting the Kumandra tribes. Raya serves as a role model for many Southeast Asian children and young adults.
The lack of Southeast Asian representation in animated movies has been an issue for a long time; this is what increased anticipation for the movie. The fusion of many different Southeast Asian cultures brings together a region of the world that is distinct from North Asian culture. According to NBC News, Qui Nguyen, co-writer of the screenplay, says he is “elated his first feature film contains heroes who are “brown,” with whom his sons could identify.”
Raya and the Last Dragon is also a reminder of the room for growth as a society. USA Today reports that Asian Americans are experiencing a significant increase in hate crimes, harassment and discrimination tied to the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, and many Asian Americans are afraid of even stepping out of the safety of their homes. Although a movie is far from the solution against this racial injustice, Raya and the Last Dragon may shed a bit of hope and inspiration to those that feel unsafe or ashamed of their own identity right now.
Article by Rio Gutierrez of John F. Kennedy High School
Photo Courtesy of Slashfilm.com