How KSDK anchor Michelle Li turned the #VeryAsian hashtag into a movement

After 5 On Your Side anchor Michelle Li mentioned eating dumplings on a New Year’s broadcast, a viewer chastised Li for being “very Asian.”

“I have worked so hard on myself and discovering who I am,” Li told St. Louis on the Air. “I just thought, ‘Man, this woman has no idea who I am.’”

Li shared the viewer’s voicemail with her followers on social media with a short note: “If you’re #veryasian please stand up.”

Her post and hashtag garnered overwhelming support. Her tweet sharing the voicemail got more than 8,000 retweets — and coverage from CNN to the Washington Post. Ellen DeGeneres invited Li to come on her show and gave her $15,000. She used that funding to launch the Very Asian Foundation, which aims to highlight Asian American experiences and provide support to organizations working within the community.