“A Love Letter to Our Younger Selves”

Posted on Jan. 12, 2024

Bowls filled to the brim with Asian delicacies and intimate storefront scenes are just a few of the morsels in Lunchbox, a photography book created by Cynthia Liu ’23 and Yukiko Nakano ’22, which tells the story of Asian-owned food businesses across North Carolina.

The book’s title has a deeper meaning than its obvious connection to food. Liu and Nakano — who are both Asian American — have vivid memories of opening their lunchboxes in grade school and being met with pinched noses and comments from classmates about the smell of their food. While this might seem like typical childish humor, it made the girls feel as though there was something wrong with them and their heritage.

In college they found each other and created a bond through the shared experiences and love for their culture. “We really like to think of the project as a love letter to our younger selves,” Liu said.

When the two met, they were both students in the Hussman School of Journalism and Media and members of the Asian American Students Association. One day Nakano sent Liu a message Liu describes as “mysterious.”

Without any context, Nakano asked Liu if she had 10 minutes to call her. Liu had no idea what the call would entail, but picked up the phone anyway. Over the course of many months, that text and call led to a friendship, a book launch and thousands of dollars raised for local and national Asian American Pacific Islander organizations.

Nakano and Liu received an Asian Solidarity and Action Project grant, awarded by N.C. Asian Americans Together, a nonprofit group that supports equality by fostering community among Asian Americans and others. The grant and other donations allowed the duo to tell stories from the Asian American community. “I really wanted [the book] to be not only about the AAPI community, but also I wanted the people behind the book to also be part of the AAPI community,” Nakano said.

“Food is … an act of love and a form of caretaking. Sometimes the things that we can’t say with words, we can say by putting our time and love into nourishing each other through food.” — Cynthia Liu ’23

The book tells the story, in narrative form and through visuals, of 13 Asian food businesses. Liu typically captured images of the kitchen creations while Nakano conducted interviews. They said each story is an intimate view into the lives of owners, immigrants, parents, family and friends.

Liu said food is considered a love language for people worldwide including in Asian cultures. Both women knew food would be the perfect visual and a way to connect the diverse stories of Asian Americans in North Carolina. “Food is … an act of love and a form of caretaking,” Liu said. “Sometimes the things that we can’t say with words, we can say by putting our time and love into nourishing each other through food.”

While spending time with individuals who had their own unique stories, the authors said they learned more about themselves and their families. Nakano has been working for an ad agency in Chicago and Liu moved to France to become an English teacher before starting her permanent career.

The two hope to continue to raise awareness while emphasizing identities in the Asian-American community. They hosted a North Carolina Asian artist showcase in early September titled “Lotus.” It featured works of 10 different artists. “To meet the community members that we could impact with our project, whether it be Lunchbox or Lotus, was just really special,” Nakano said.

— Liv Reilly