Three young Asian Americans in red API PA t-shirts
🌱 What does the future of our movements look like?
These changemakers are building power, one conversation at a time — and you can too. The SEED Fellowship is a summer organizing program for Asian American community members who are ready to step up, speak out, and fight for our communities. ✊🏽💬
Raffle Info The raffle is collecting menstrual supplies and laundry detergent for Southwark School and South Philadelphia High School as well as funds for South Philadelphia Community Fridge. When Wednesday, April 23 7:00PM Where Cartesian Brewing 1326 E Passyunk Ave
South Philadelphia Community Fridge will be raising funds for our fridge and pantry locations as well as collecting laundry detergent and menstrual supplies for Southwark School and South Philly High #CommunitySchoolsPHL
Amidst federal funding cuts to universities, museums, and libraries, it's more important than ever to step up and support educators and students. If you're looking to make a difference, here are a few simple ways to do it.
ow.ly/tS5l50VE9rB
Our goal is to one day have our own kitchen so that we can offer more Community Cooking Days and to foster more opportunities for connection within a dedicated space, cooking and eating together. #Philly #AAPI
Asian Food Collective 2nd Anniversary Celebration Saturday, April 26 1 - 3 PM Old Pine Community Center 401 Lombard St.
Join us for our 2nd anniversary celebration and fundraiser!
🗓️ Saturday, April 26 at 1PM
📍 Old Pine Community Center (401 Lombard St)
🔗 bit.ly/celebrate-afc
🗣️🗣️ Donate food in the way that you would want to receive it! 🗣️🗣️
With the weather warming up we want to remind everyone to please stop putting raw meat and dairy in the community pantries. We have community fridge locations that you can find here: southphillyfridge.com/locations
TLDR: please donate food in a way that YOU would like to receive it!
Mirror selfie of 7 people at Baby’s.
Matcha cookie and Hojicha Latte
Lechon Sisig and Hojicha latte
Aerial view of Hanna and Jaj waiting in line.
Lunch at Baby’s today 🥰
Screenshot of Philadelphia Inquirer article. “How the Asian Food Collective harnesses the power of community in Philly”
“There was this beautiful moment of this community sharing food and meals from our different cultures together [from inside] and outside of the kitchen. And it was just so sweet.” Read what we’re all about ➡️ www.inquirer.com/food/asian-f...
📝 Kristine Villanueva for @inquirer.com
📸 Tyger Williams
Food is Political Food is inherently political. From the ownership and care of crops to the sale or exchange of food, what we eat is subjected to a variety of policies on all levels. Recipes are passed down from generation to generation, imbuing each ingredient in a dish with a rich history and cultural significance. Food is a pervasive part of our lives. The act of eating is not only imperative for daily living but also an avenue for people from all communities to share culture with each other. Photo collage: a drag queen in a Chinese takeout costume, hummus, and a community garden.
✨ Food is Political
Food is inherently political. Food is a pervasive part of our lives. The act of eating is not only imperative for daily living but also an avenue for people from all communities to share culture with each other.
✨ Solidarity We stand in solidarity with all oppressed and marginalized groups. We welcome all Black, LGBTQ+, disabled, Indigenous, Latine, and Muslim people to our collective.
✨ Solidarity
We stand in solidarity with all oppressed and marginalized groups. We welcome all Black, LGBTQ+, disabled, Indigenous, Latine, and Muslim people to our collective.
Community Care We approach our work with love, and we strive to create a compassionate and supportive space. We welcome volunteers from all backgrounds and varying cooking levels, and we firmly believe in learning together both inside and outside of the kitchen.
✨ Community Care
We approach our work with love, and we strive to create a compassionate and supportive space. We welcome volunteers from all backgrounds and varying cooking levels, and we firmly believe in learning together both inside and outside of the kitchen.
Inclusion We are dedicated to building a diverse Pan-Asian/ Asian-American* community. You do not need to Asian to join us; however, Asian Food Collective is an Asian-centered space meant to uplift Asian voices and cuisine. *In the term “Asian/Asian American” we include many ethnic identities, such as East Asian, Middle Eastern, Pacific Islander, South Asian, Southeast Asian, West Asian as well as folks who are multiracial.
✨ Inclusion
We are dedicated to building a diverse Pan-Asian/ Asian-American* community. You do not need to Asian to join us; however, Asian Food Collective is an Asian-centered space meant to uplift Asian voices and cuisine.
Our values Four corners with AFC logo in the middle. Each corner has one value: inclusion, community care, solidarity, food is political.
Announcing our values ✨
While Asian Food Collective holds many values as individuals and as a group, these are our four core values we use to guide how we want to build community with each other.
If you’re in Philly and want to get more involved with protecting our immigrant neighbors (regardless of immigration status), the New Sanctuary Movement has been fighting on this front since 2007.
They have upcoming trainings and other opportunities so please subscribe to their newsletter
OUR PROGRAMS Community Cooking We cook on Saturdays from 8:30am to 12:30pm. We also occasionally host Test Kitchens, where we experiment with recipes and cooking / techniques. Food Socials Our Food Socials include quarterly dinners at Asian-owned restaurants, potlucks, and game nights. Interested in collaborating? Send us a DM or email hanna@asianfoodcollective.org.
Our Values Inclusion Community Care Solidarity Food is Political
We believe food is a beautiful medium for connection.
Our values include: inclusion, community care, solidarity, and food is political. Stay tuned to learn more about our values!
Our Mission Asian Food Collective is led by volunteers focused on building Pan-Asian/ Asian American community. We do this by cooking and eating together. Our Vision Everyone deserves food that feels like home. *In the term "Asian/Asian American" we include many ethnic identities, such as East Asian, Middle Eastern, Pacific Islander, South Asian, Southeast Asian, West Asian as well as folks who are multiracial.
Why Asian Food? Some of our favorite memories involve cooking and sharing meals with friends, parents, or even those we may not know as well. As a medium for connection, food allows us to share stories, exchange cultural knowledge, and learn about our intertwined histories. Throughout the years, Asian foods have been demonized and misrepresented in mainstream cooking for being "unhealthy" or "exotic." Asian Food Collective is here to uplift Asian voices and cuisine.
Our Steering Committee spent last year reflecting on our mission and values as a group. We’re here to dream big and create a welcoming space for our volunteers.
Our mission is to build Pan-Asian/Asian-American community by eating and cooking together.
Graphic with illustrated produce and text that says: “The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) helps 2,010,298 people in Pennsylvania put food on the table. Source: Food Research & Action Center”
Graphic with two children looking at nature and an adult wearing an apron. Text says: “SNAP helped over 591,190 children in Pennsylvania alone. SNAP supports local businesses, including 10,404 retailers in Pennsylvania, which redeemed a total of $5,197,794,052 in 2023. Source: Food Research & Action Center.”
Graphic with an illustrated family of two parents and a child at the grocery store with a text bubble that says: “’These benefits took so much weight and stress off my shoulders.’ #SNAPMatters”
Graphic with a family sitting around a dinner table and text that says: “Not only does SNAP help families eat, it helps families share moments and create memories. It can nourish the body and the soul. #SNAPMatters”
SNAP is essential for keeping food on the table for millions of Pennsylvanians and many more families throughout the country. Cuts to SNAP would do incredible damage to the households that rely on this program for access to food, as well as to local businesses where families shop. #SNAPMatters
The schedule for National School Breakfast Week, March 3-7
It's National School Breakfast Week, and the Food Research & Action Center reminds us that our activism is needed on a number of issues.
This includes telling Congress to oppose any cuts to school meals. You can do that with one click here:
buff.ly/7VBCXhO
We had a lot of fun with our new wok and finally taste testing Fly By Jing!
Thank you for the much needed seasonings, cleaning supplies, and kitchen equipment! 🫰
Collage of four photos of sauces and cleaning supplies, Fly By Jing Chili Crisp, and Hanna holding a wok.
Thank you Downtime Bakery and Angela Unni for generously donating items from our Target Registry. It was a wonderful way to ring in the lunar new year! 🐍
One in five people in Philly lack reliable access to meals. Here are 15 ways you can do your part to change this.
ow.ly/pKe250V6cW7
Screenshot of our food drive toolkit. “HOST A FOOD DRIVE! You can download a blank food drive sign as a PDF. You can add the dates of your food drive and your organization's information to the flyer by opening the file in Adobe or printing the flyer and writing it in by hand. Click the Image to Download!”
Calling all neighbors! We’ve created a quick and easy resource page on our website to help you host a food drive for South Philadelphia Community Fridge. Check it out by southphillyfridge.com and click “Host A Food Drive” on the site menu.
For #BlackHistoryMonth we're offering 40% OFF Haymarket Books on the Struggle for Black Liberation
Some of our favorite Black-owned restaurants.
West Philly Abyssinia 229 S 45th S Buna Cafe 5121 Baltimore Ave, North Philly Honeysuckle 631 N Broad St Center City Eatwell Philly 106 Chestnut St South Philly The Sweet Life Bakeshop 740 South St
Some of our favorite Black-owned restaurants throughout #Philly 😋 If you haven't been yet, grab a bite and support them all year long!
We know this is only a fraction of Philly's finest! Feel free to share some of your favorite Black-owned restaurants in the replies!
Meet "Robert Ho Man Kwok" or Robert Steel Robert Steel was an orthopedic surgeon at Shriners Hospital and professor at Temple University. Steel wrote under the pseudonym "Robert Ho Man Kwok" and submitted a letter to The New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM), which was published in April 1968. The letter was titled "Chinese-Restaurant Syndrome." In the letter, Steel described a "strange syndrome" whenever he ate at a Chinese restaurant and called for other doctors to further inquire into this "syndrome."
This was all because of a bet...l'm serious. Robert Steel and Bill Hansen, another doctor, made a $10 bet on whether Steel could get published in a prestigious medical journal. After the letter's publication, Steel recanted his letter, which was ignored by the NEJM. But the damage was done. Doctors began writing to the journal to report similar experiences they had with "Chinese-Restaurant Syndrome."
"You know what causes Chinese restaurant syndrome? Racism. 'Ooh, I have a headache; it must have been the Chinese guy.'" Anthony Bourdain
References Barry-Jester, Anna Maria, "How MSG Got a Bad Rap: Flawed Science and Xenophobia," Five ThirtyEight, January 8, 2016. https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/how-msg-got-a-bad-rap-flawed-science-and-xenophobia/ Blanding, Michael. "The Strange Case of Dr. Ho Man Kwok" Colgate Magazine, February 8, 2019. https://news.colgate.edu/magazine/2019/02/06/the-strange- case-of-dr-ho-man-kwok/ Kean, Sam. "The Rotten Science Behind the MSG Scare" Science History Institute, March 2, 2023. https://www.sciencehistory.org/stories/magazine/the-rotten-science-behind-the-msg-scare/
It all started because of a bet...I'm serious.
Let’s talk about…MSG
What is MSG? MSG is short for "monosodium glutamate." It can be found naturally in foods like tomatoes, mushrooms, and cheese. MSG is commonly used in soups, stews, steaks, and more!
Who first identified MSG? A Japanese chemist by the name of Ikeda Kikunae is credited for identifying MSG in 1908. Ikeda noticed that dashi, a Japanese soup stock, had a unique taste that could not be accurately described by any of the four basic tastes at the time-sweet, sour, salty, and bitter. Ikeda described MSG as "umami," which is derived from the Japanese word "umai" or "deliciousness." Umami can be described as a savory flavor.
Is MSG bad? The short answer is: NO! We've all seen the "MSG Free" labels before. But how did we get here?
Let's talk about MSG!
#MSG is a flavor enhancer like salt or pepper. But why does it have such a bad reputation? #FoodHistory
