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What is Awkwafina’s ethnicity? Actress addresses ‘blaccent’ controversy, quits Twitter

Awkwafina was brutally slammed for using the blaccent when she starred as Goh Peik Lin in 2018's ‘Crazy Rich Asians’

Awkwafina ensued chaos on the Internet over the weekend after she took to Twitter to announce that she was quitting the social media platform for good. But before exiting, ‘The Farewell’ actress decided to address her “blaccent” controversy for which she has been accused of over the years. The popular actress also spoke about AAVE (African American Vernacular English) along with addressing the cultural appropriation criticisms.
 
The 33-year-old actress, who has gained fame from her work in movies like ‘Crazy Rich Asians’ and ‘Jumanji: The Next Level’, shared a lengthy post on Twitter before bidding adieu to Twitter.  In a letter shared on Twitter, the Golden Globe-winner acknowledged the “historical context of the African American community in this country,” writing, “And in life, linguistic acculturation, immigrant acculturation, and the inevitable passage of globalized internet slang all play a factor in the fine line between offense and pop culture.”
 
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What is Awkwafina’s ethnicity?

Awkwafina’s real name is Nora Lum and she was born in New York to a Chinese American father and a Korean mother. Her parents had immigrated to the United States from South Korea in 1972. Awkwafina grew up in Forest Hills, Queens. Her mother died when she was four. Awkwafina’s ethnicity is, therefore, mixed.  Awkwafina is a stage name that she uses in both her acting and rap career.

Awkwafina addresses ‘blaccent’ controversy

Awkwafina, in an official statement, addressed the criticism she has faced over the years for using a blaccent. She was slammed for the same when she starred as Goh Peik Lin in 2018's ‘Crazy Rich Asians’.  Apart from the aforementioned, she stated, “But as a non-Black POC, I stand by the fact that I will always listen and work tirelessly to understand the history and context of AAVE, what is deemed appropriate or backwards toward the progress of ANY and EVERY marginalized group.” She continued, “But I must emphasize: To mock, belittle, or to be unkind in any way possible at the expense of others is: Simply. Not. My. Nature. It never has, and it never was."
 
She added, “My immigrant background allowed me to carve an American identity off the movies and TV shows I watched, the children I went to public school with, and my undying love and respect for hip hop. I think as a group, Asian Americans are still trying to figure out what that journey means for them - what is correct and where they don't belong. And though I'm still learning and doing that personal work, I know for sure that I want to spend the rest of my career doing nothing but uplifting our communities.” The actress concluded, “We do this first by failing, learning, acknowledging, hearing and empathizing... And I will continue, tirelessly, to do just that.”

What did Awkwafina say before quitting Twitter?

After sharing the official statement, the actress revealed she was saying goodbye to Twitter. “To Clarify: I am retiring from the ingrown toenail that is Twitter. Not retiring from anything else, even if I wanted to, and I didn’t drunkenly hit someone with a shoehorn and now escaping as a fugitive. Also am avail on all other socials that don’t tell you to kill yourself!”, said Awkwafina. She added another post saying, “Well, I’ll see you in a few years, Twitter - per my therapist. To my fans, thank you for continuing to love and support someone who wishes they could be a better person for you. I apologize if I ever fell short, in anything I did. You’re in my heart always.”