During AAPI Heritage Month, author and filmmaker Curtis Chin reflected on immigration, race, identity, and the evolving definition of being American through stories rooted in Detroit, family legacy, and multicultural resilience.

The question of who gets to belong in America framed a wide-ranging and deeply personal conversation with author and filmmaker Curtis Chin during a special press briefing held in honor of AAPI Heritage Month. Centered around his acclaimed memoir, Everything I Learned, I Learned in a Chinese Restaurant, the discussion explored immigration, racial identity, Asian American history, and the evolving meaning of the American experience.

Raised inside his family’s restaurant, Chung’s Cantonese Cuisine, in Detroit during the 1980s, Chin recounted how food, family, and survival became inseparable from larger conversations about race and belonging in the United States. The restaurant, which sold more than 10 million handmade egg rolls over 65 years, became both a community hub and a lens through which Chin observed economic instability, anti-Asian sentiment, and social transformation in America.

“America succeeded because of immigrants,” Chin said during the briefing. “My family succeeded because of America, but America also succeeded because of my family.”

A memoir rooted in Detroit’s racial and cultural history

Throughout the conversation, Chin reflected on how Detroit shaped his understanding of identity. His family’s immigration story dates back to the late 1800s, when his great-great-grandfather emigrated from China to the American Midwest during the era of the Chinese Exclusion Act. After facing discrimination and barriers to employment, the family gradually built businesses ranging from laundromats to grocery stores before eventually opening Chung’s Cantonese Cuisine in 1940.

For Chin, documenting that history became essential to understanding both his family and the broader immigrant experience in America. He explained that Asian American narratives are often centered around coastal cities such as Los Angeles or New York, while Midwestern immigrant histories remain largely overlooked.

The memoir also revisits one of the most significant moments in Asian American civil rights history: the murder of Vincent Chin in Detroit in 1982. Chin described how anti-Asian resentment linked to the struggling auto industry fueled racial violence during that period, while the lack of media attention revealed the absence of Asian American representation in journalism at the time.

At the same time, Chin emphasized that Asian American communities have since developed stronger cultural, political, and institutional networks capable of responding to discrimination and advocating for visibility. He pointed to the growth of Asian American journalists, nonprofits, artists, and political leaders as evidence of that evolution.

Rather than framing his memoir solely around trauma, Chin described the book as a humorous and hopeful portrait of family life, community resilience, and multicultural coexistence. “Come for the egg rolls, but stay for the talk on racism,” he joked during the discussion.

Immigration, memory, and the legacy of family businesses

Beyond questions of identity and race, the conversation also highlighted the emotional weight carried by immigrant families and multigenerational businesses. Chin explained that restaurants often become more than economic ventures for immigrant communities: they function as spaces of survival, cultural preservation, and collective memory.

Drawing from his own experience growing up inside Chung’s Cantonese Cuisine, Chin reflected on the pressures many second-generation children face regarding succession and responsibility. While his parents did not force him to take over the family restaurant, he admitted feeling guilt about not continuing the business after its closure during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The discussion also explored how immigrant entrepreneurship evolves over generations. Chin described how his ancestors gradually built stability in America, beginning with labor-intensive jobs before moving into small businesses with greater opportunities. He noted that these journeys mirror the experiences of many immigrant communities across the country, regardless of ethnicity.

At the same time, Chin warned against viewing immigrant stories only through nostalgia. Speaking about the decline and transformation of Chinatowns in several American cities, he argued that preserving cultural spaces requires imagining their future relevance, not simply protecting their past. For him, immigrant communities remain vital when they continue creating spaces for dialogue, creativity, and connection across generations.

Redefining what it means to be American

A recurring theme throughout the briefing was the tension between identity and acceptance. Chin reflected on the persistent stereotypes faced by Asian Americans, including assumptions that they are perpetual foreigners regardless of how long their families have lived in the United States.

Despite these challenges, he expressed optimism about America’s future, arguing that the country’s identity has always been shaped through struggle, activism, and cultural negotiation. Chin noted that democracy and multiculturalism require constant participation rather than passive belief.

When asked what makes someone truly American, Chin rejected rigid definitions tied to race or ancestry. Instead, he argued that belonging begins when individuals refuse to let others determine their identity for them.

“One of the beauties of America,” he said, “is that we all get to define what this word means.”

Chin also discussed how Chinese restaurants uniquely function as shared cultural spaces where people from different racial, religious, and economic backgrounds interact. In an increasingly polarized society, he suggested these everyday encounters remain crucial for rebuilding social connection.

The conversation expanded beyond the United States as Chin reflected on reactions from his recent 10-country book tour. According to him, many international audiences are confused by America’s current political climate and debates surrounding race, immigration, and democracy. Still, he believes the country’s willingness to openly confront these tensions remains one of its defining characteristics.

In addition to discussing his memoir, Chin highlighted his ongoing work as a filmmaker and advocate for immigrant storytelling. He also spoke about the growing challenges faced by artists and writers of color amid political attacks on diversity initiatives and cultural funding programs.

Even so, Chin maintained that storytelling remains essential to preserving history, fostering empathy, and imagining a more inclusive vision of America. Through personal memories, humor, and cultural reflection, his memoir ultimately asks a simple but urgent question: Who gets to belong in America, and who gets to decide?