2026 Olympics: Snowboarder Chloe Kim offers life lessons -- on and off the snow

Chloe Kim rushes to congratulate Gaon Choi, who won the halfpipe gold medal.

History will say that Chloe Kim took home silver at the 2026 Winter Olympics, her quest for a historic halfpipe "three-peat" falling just short of the top podium spot. But Kim won something much more enduring than another piece of hardware. She won by standing in her truth and lifting others as she climbed.

Chloe Kim of the United States didn’t get her Olympic three-peat on Thursday, February 12, but she might have achieved something even more enduring -- a legacy. 

Taking the silver medal with a score of 88.00, Kim proved she’s still "the baddest" in the game, competing just 34 days after a debilitating shoulder labrum tear. But the real story was who stood above her on the podium: 17-year-old Gaon Choi, the South Korean prodigy whom Kim has mentored for nearly a decade.

She’s my baby,” Kim said of Choi. “I’ve known her since she was so little.” They trained together in Mammoth Mountain with Kim often translating for Choi.

“But it’s really cool to see how much she’s progressed,” Kim said. “I met her when she literally started halfpipe snowboarding. Sometimes it feels like I’m seeing a mirror reflection of myself and my family."

When Choi surged ahead with a 90.25 to take the gold, Kim was the first to celebrate, calling it a "full-circle moment," recalling her own debut on the medals podium three Olympics ago.

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• Asian American skaters key to Team USA gold medal
• 14 Asian American athletes to follow at the 2026 Olympics
• 'Snow Princess' wins a silver medal for China
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Kim's preparation was severely limited by two shoulder dislocations in the four weeks leading up to the Games. She stated after the event that she was "so proud" to have competed and medaled despite the injury.

Beyond the 'model minority' trope

Like her decision to go for broke in her last run, Chloe Kim has refused to play it safe. During a week when political rhetoric in the US turned toward immigration crackdowns, she used her platform to defend teammate Hunter Hess after he was targeted for his views on immigration.

"Obviously, my parents being immigrants, this one definitely hits pretty close to home," Kim said, pointedly adding that "diversity is what makes us a very strong country." In a world that often demands Asian American excellence remain "invisible" and quiet, Kim’s refusal to stay silent is something she encourages her young followers to continue to speak out.

By honoring her roots and mentoring the next generation—including 18-year old Bea Kim, who placed 8th in the halfpipe and 16-year-old newcomer Thai American Lily Dhawornvej, placed 20th in the big air event and is scheduled to compete in her strongest event, slopestyle, Chloe Kim serves as a critical mentor for young Asian American athletes by directly addressing cultural barriers that often discourage  participation in sports or impact the mental well-being of those in professional sports.

An all-Asian podium for the halfpipe competition. From left, Chloe Kim (US), Gaon Choi
(South Korea) and Mitsuki Ono (Japan) took the bronze medal.

Kim has been remarkably transparent about her "darkest spaces" and her need for intensive therapy following the 2022 Olympics. Mental health is often a taboo subject in Asian American communities due to cultural shame or the "collectivist" desire to hide symptoms from family and larger society.

In late 2025, she joined the "Love, Your Mind" Campaign, a major public service initiative to encourage young people to prioritize mental well-being. By normalizing these struggles, she helps the younger Asian athletes understand that mental health is a foundational part of athletic longevity.

Breaking stereotypes

Because of her success snowboarding she has busts the stereotype that casts Asian Americans as unathletic, encouraging the younger athletes that its OK to be pursue interests beyond the classroom.

Her dominant aathletic career and grit — competing in 2026 through a dislocated shoulder — shatters racist tropes that depict Asian bodies as "fragile" or unathletic.

Kim has used her platform at the 2026 Olympics to call for unity among athletes facing political or racial scrutiny, showing younger peers that they have a right to voice their opinions and do not need to remain "invisible" or "silent." 

Kim's statement on Choi's gold medal: "It's all about inspiring the next generation. It's all about passing the torch. There's no one else I would have rather stood next to on the podium than her. I'm so proud of her, and I'm so excited to see what she does next ... it was so inspirational."

Chloe Kim teaches that a win or loss does not define a person’s value. She teaches that true success is being content with who you are, rather than just what you achieve. She warns against tying your entire identity and self-worth to results. That lesson is more valuable than any medal.

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news, views and chismis from an AANHPI perspective, follow me on Threads, on X, BlueSky or at the blog Views From the Edge. 

2026 Olympics: Snowboarding champ Chloe Kim honors her immigrant parents and US diversity

Chloe Kim seeks her third gold medal at the Olympics.

As Chloe Kim prepares readies herself in her quest for an unprecedented third gold medal at the 2026 Winter Olympics, she’s making sure the world knows who paved the path to Italy.

In a poignant reflection shared just as the torch was lit, Kim pivoted from the technicalities of her run to the emotional weight of her heritage. For Kim, this isn't just about American gold—it’s about Korean American grit.

Kim spoke candidly about the "leap of faith" her parents, Jong Jin and Boran Yun Kim, took when they emigrated from South Korea.

"They left behind everything they knew — their language, their comfort, their entire support system — just so my sisters and I could have a shot at something bigger," Kim shared. "Every time I strap into my board, I’m carrying the weight of that sacrifice. I’m living the American Dream they dreamed for me before I was even born."

Kim's event is the Women's Half-Pipe which begins competition Wednesday.

For those of us watching from the Edge, Kim’s words hit home. She’s acknowledging the specific, often quiet struggle of immigrant parents who "empty their tanks" to fuel their children’s ambitions

RELATED: Chloe Kim wins gold medal in 2022

Kim's statement

Just before she begins her quest for a third gold medal at the 2026 Winter Olympics, considering her timing, Kim posted on social media what can only be interpreted as a response to the anti-immigrant hate emanating from the Donald Trump regime: 

I can’t believe I’ve arrived in Milan to represent my country at the Olympic Games for the third time. If you told little me that, she wouldn’t believe you
This one feels especially meaningful for so many reasons.

My parents left South Korea in search of a better future for their family. They left behind everything they knew so that my sisters and I could have the chance to one day live the American dream. Their sacrifice is one I will never take for granted.

So when I stand at the top of the halfpipe, competing on the biggest stage in sport, I do so with immense pride. I am representing my country but I am also representing those who took a leap of faith, who came to this beautiful nation carrying hopes, dreams, and courage.

I am proud of my heritage.
I am proud of my journey.
And I am proud to represent a country that is strongest when it embraces diversity, dignity, and hope.

GO TEAM USA!!

Kim indicated that the hatred has persisted throughout her career, particularly escalating since 2020, and has forced her to take measures for her personal safety.
Kim noted that representing Team USA is an honor, but representing the immigrant experience is her "true north."

Her response came amid a broader political climate where several Team USA athletes at a press conference expressed "mixed emotions" about representing the country during the Trump regime's aggressive immigration enforcement and questionable ICE operations.

A half-pipe teammate Bea Kim (no relation) said, "I think there are a lot of different opinions in the US right now. Obviously, we're very divided." The18-year old from California added, "I personally am very proud to represent the United States. That being said, I think diversity is what makes us a very strong country and what makes us so special."

"Nowhere else in the world can an individual express themself with the level of freedom Americans can," added Bea Kim, who is participating in her first Olympics.

"The Olympics are more than just sport. They represent global unity and peace," wrote Bea Kim in a social media post on Sunday. "Diversity is what makes the United States so special. It is woven into the very fabric of our country."

Freestyle skiers Chris Lillis and Hunter Hess expressed heartbreak over ICE raids, while figure skater Amber Glenn noted the difficulties faced by the LGBTQ+ community.

American athletes Bea Kim, left, and Chloe Kim share a hug during a press conference.

"There's obviously a lot going on that I'm not the biggest fan of," Hess said at he news conference in Milan ahead of the 2026 Winter Olympics. "Wearing the flag doesn't mean I represent everything that's going on in the US.

"I'm representing my friends and family back home, the people that represented it before me, all the things that I believe are good about the US. I just think if it aligns with my moral values, I feel like I'm representing it."

Chloe Kim shared that the prevalence of hate crimes and online abuse has led her to carry protective items like pepper spray and a knife for everyday safety.

The statements by the athletes have drawn rebukes from the Trump regime and radical conservatives who equate criticism as being unpatriotic, an ironic sentiment  from people who support the Jan. 6 Insurrection.

As Chloe Kim chases her third consecutive gold this week, Kim has made one thing clear: The medals might go in her trophy case, but the victory belongs to the man who quit his job to drive her to the mountains and the woman who taught her how to stand tall in a world that doesn't always see her.

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news, views and chismis from an AANHPI perspective, follow me on Threads, on X, BlueSky or at the blog Views From the Edge. 

22 to be inducted into the Asian Hall of Fame

Olympic gold medalist Chloe Kim, the Panda Express founders, Grammy Award winners and US Sen. Tammy Duckworth are among the people to be inducted in the Asian Hall of Fame this year.

Twenty-two honorees in the fields of politics, sports, business, entertainment and community advocacy will be inducted in dual ceremonies that will be held in Glendale, Calif. and Seattle on Nov. 12 and 18.

On November 12, the Induction Ceremony at Alex Theatre in Glendale, California honors 17 Inductees and Artist Ambassador Ed Roth. Inductee Hiroshima headlines one of their last concerts. Ed Roth performs with Robby Krieger and special guests. Celebration of Life honors Inductee Norm Mineta and Inductee Phil Chen. Frank Buckley of KTLA 5 is Master of Ceremonies. 

On November 18, the Founders Gala at Sky View Observatory in Seattle, Washington immortalizes six Inductees and Artist Ambassador Krist Novoselic of Nirvana. Artist Ambassador Danny Seraphine & CTA headlines with The Temptations vocalist Tony Grant. Ed Roth performs with Inductee Daniel Pak, Inductee Hiro Yamamoto of Soundgarden and Krist Novoselic. Mimi Jung of KING 5 is Master of Ceremonies. VIP seats are invite-only. 

Inductees (in first-name alphabetical order) are Panda Express founders Andrew and Peggy Cherng, Olympian Chloe Kim, GRAMMY Award-winner Daniel Ho, first Indian Louis Vuitton brand ambassador Deepika Padukone, Crustacean founders Helene An and daughter Elizabeth An, Jiaoying Summers, Joseph Bae and Janice Lee, Margaret Cho, Momo Wang, Omar and Christine Lee, Senator Tammy Duckworth, Tia Carrere, and NYX founder Toni Ko.

Seattle Inductees are Daniel Pak, Hiro Yamamoto, Karen Wong, Pat Chun, Robert and Ruth Chinn in memoriam and first indigenous Inductee Virginia Cross.

For more information, visit asianhalloffame.org.

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow @DioknoEd on Twitter.

Olympics 2022: Chloe Kim and Nathan Chen win gold medals

TWITTER / NBC

Asian Americans grabbed the Olympic spotlight Thursday: figure skater Nathan Chen and snowboarder Chloe Kim won gold medals in their respective events at the 2022 Beijing Olympics. 

Kim, 21, became the first woman to win back-to-back gold medals in the snowboard  halfpipe.

The Princton student did her best run in the half-pipe in her first attempt. She jumped high into the air in her five tricks, two of which were 1080s. That earned her a score of 94. None of her rivals came close to the score or her athletic performance.

At the end of her run, the Californian fell to her knees and instead of a look of triumph, she expressed surprise at her almost perfect performance.

Later she admitted she was nervous after having "the worst practice of my life." 

"I was dealing with all sorts of emotions (before the contest), but I reminded myself I just have to land one run, and I was so happy to do that," Kim told NBC.

Competitors are given three runs and the highest score is the one that counts. It is a good thing because in her subsequent runs, she attempted to do a 1260, four complete revolutions. She fell trying to do what no woman has done in competition.

SCREEN CAPTURE

Chloe Kim twists and turns during her first run in the snowboard halfpipe competition.

Later in the day, the 22-year old Chen was nearly perfect in his freestyle long program.

Skating last after three Japanese skaters captured the three top spots, Chen was confident and smooth on the ice, skating to "Rocketman" by Elton John. Chen, the quad king, landed five quads with ease, jumping high and spinning four times before hitting the ice again. No other skater was able to match him Thursday.

"I mean it's a whirlwind right now - everything is happening so fast," a breathless Chen told NBC. "That program is really fun to skate. At the end, I really just had a blast out there. When I finished the last jump, I thought I was pretty close (to the win)."

SCREEN CAPTURE

Figure skater Nathan Chen finishes his gold medal performance.

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Five AAPI skaters named to USA Figure Skating team.

NBC puts Nathan Chen and Chloe Kim in the spotlight to promote their coverage

Snowboarding star Chloe Kim: "I'm going to go off"

20 Asian Americans and Asian Canadians to watch at the Winter Olympics

Emotions flood over Chinese American athletes in Beiging Games

After disappointing himself in 2018 when he won a bronze medal in PyongChang, Chen trained for four years with an eye to the 2022 Olympics for the chance to redeem himself. Except for one contest, the Yale student won every competition, enroute to three world championships. 

The Beijing Olympics has been special for Chen. His flawless freestyle program Thursday was added to his record-setting short program Tuesday.

"You can't imagine how it feels," he said of his Olympic-winning moment. "This means the world to me. I have the family connection (to Beijing, where his mother was born). It's amazing to have this opportunity to do it here," said Chen.

“That’s ... beyond affirming oneself as American. That’s affirming your whole history.”

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AAPI perspective, follow me on Twitter @DioknoEd.

Olympics 2022: 20 Asian Americans/Canadians to watch in Beijing

Opening ceremonies of the 2022 Beijing Olympics were held Feb. 3.

Updated: Feb. 6, adding Josh Ho-Sang of the Canadian hockey team.

With competition underway, at least 19 Asian Americans, Pacific Islander Americans and Canadian Americans will be competing in the Winter Olympics in Beijing beginning on February 4 but not all of them will be representing the United States.

Although the spotlight will shine bright on American snowboarder Chloe Kim and the Asian American figure skaters, which includes reigning U.S. champion Nathan Chen, a lot of media attention will focus on Eileen Gu, who was born and raised in California, but will ski for China. 

The Peoples Republic of China, in fact, will have seven Asian Americans or Asian Canadians, competing for China.

Following are the Asian Americans,  Pacific Islander and Asian Canadians at the Olympic Games. Unless otherwise stated, the athletes are from the USA. 

Figure Skating

Nathan Chen

For most athletes, winning an Olympic bronze medal would be a crowning achievement, but for Nathan Chen was disappointed with his performance four years ago in Seoul, South Korea. He was expected to win a gold but he couldn't overcome a couple of stumbles in his short routine.He is the only figure skater to complete four quad jumps in a single routine. After winning all but one international competition in the ensuing four years, the 22-year old Yale student is determined to redeem himself in Beijing. He's off to a great start with a "perfect" short program today. Watch below:

Vincent Zhou

Vincent Zhou made his Olympic debut in 2018 at PyeongChang, where he finished sixth. He made history at those Games, becoming the first skater to land a quadruple Lutz jump in the short program. The 21-year old won his first Grand Prix title in 2021 at Skate America, beating perennial favorite Nathan Chen for the first time.

Alysia Liu

At 16-years old, Allysia Liu is the youngest of Team USA's three women's singles skaters. Liu is also the youngest woman to win the U.S. national senior title at age 13 in 2019 and successfully defended her title in 2020 with a national scoring record of 235.52, becoming the youngest ever two-time champion. She had to withdraw from the national championships in January because of COVID-19 but made the team because of her past performances. The Richmond, California teen was the first woman in history to successfully complete a triple axel and a quadruple jump in the same program.

Karen Chen

In 2018, Karen Chen was the favorite to win a medal but ended a disappointing 11th. She left South Korea vowing to try again in 2022. Injuries and her studies at Cornell made her reconsider her options  by the end of 2019. Chen discussed options with her family at their Fremont, California home and they decided to take a year off at Cornell so she could train in Colorado. “That fire just relit inside me, and I knew that it’s only going to get harder as you get older, so now is the time to chase those dreams,” she said.

Madison Chock

Beijing is the third Olympics for ice dancer Madison Chock and her partner Evan Bates. Her full name is "Madison La'akea Te-Lan Hall Chock;" La-akea means "sacred light from heaven," and Te-Lan translates to "special or unique orchid." Chock is of Chinese-Hawaiian descent. At age 29, this is probably the last Olympics for Chock. The couple is the U.S's best chance for a medal in ice dancing, which unlike "pairs' has no jumps and graded on the couple's fast, coordinated movements and lefts.

Keegan Messing (Canada)

Canada's best hope for a medal in men's figure skating is Japanese Canadian Keegan Messing. Born and raised in Alaska, Canada's current No. 1 men's figure skater competed for the U.S. until 2014 when he switched to Canada. The 30-year old is the great, great grandson of Canada's first immigrant from Japan. He was awaiting to be released from COVID-19 restrictions and missed the opening team competition of figure skating.

Zhu Yi (China)

It's been a long journey for Zhu Yi to the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022. The 19-year-old will be the sole representative for the People's Republic of China, in the women single figure skating competition. China have not won a medal in the event since Nagano 1998 when Chen Lu won a bronze medal. While Zhu, who was born in Los Angeles, is unlikely to be in medal contention, she admits "the pressure is huge" but insists she will "use the nervousness to perform better" during the Games.

Snowboard

Chloe Kim

Chloe Kim, a gold medal winner in the women’s snowboard halfpipe in PyeongChang in 2018. With her outgoing personality, she became a media favorite in the U.S.  The 21-year old Californian made a name for herself in 2018 when she became the youngest to win a gold medal. Right after the Olympics, she made Times’ 100 most influential people’s list and 25 most influential teens list. She took time off to be a first-year student at Princeton and then took a year off from her studies to concentrate on her training. She says this could be her last Olympics, according to Business Insider and she intends to go out on top. She promises more "tricks." and is a favorite to repeat with a gold medal in the halfpipe.

Hailey Langland

The other snowboarder to watch beside Chloe Kim is Hailey Langland  who willl compete in the slopstyle and big air events. The 21-year old is ready for her second Olympic Games and hopes it will go a bit differently than the first one. During her first Olympics in 2018 at the PyeongChang Games, when she was just 17 years old, she placed 6th in slopestyle and 14th in the big-air categories—not quite the result the San Clemente, California, native was hoping for. She's struggled with consistency. The Filipina American finished fourth at the VISA Big Air in Steamboat Springs, Colorado on Dec. 4, 2021 but she was the top American finisher. She finished 12th in the next competition but already had enough points to qualify for the team.

Speed Skating

Eunice Lee

If everything went as planned in Salt Lake City — a big if in the sport of short track — then four women looked like pretty good bets for the Olympic team. The fifth spot, the last spot on the speedskating team, however, was anyone’s guess. Lee, a 17-year-old from Bellevue, Washington, grabbed it. In fact, the teenager is so little known that she doesn't even have a bio on the US Speedskating website yet. After all, she’s not even on the national team. Lee was eyeing the 2026 Olympics but beat all expectations by becoming the youngest member of the U.S. team since 1998 and could compete in a relay.

Andrew Heo

Andrew Heo qualified for Team USA’s men short track team was a surprise. Favorite Brandon Kim fell short of expectation at the trials in Salt Lake City and Heo took advantage and finished second at the 1500 and third in the other two distances. He is from Warrington, PA. The 20-year old is currently ranked just outside the top-50 skaters in the world and has already been a part of three U.S. world cup teams. He says short track – a sport historically dominated by South Korea – has brought him closer to his own Korean heritage as he studies to become fluent in the language.

Alpine Skiing

Kai Owens

Moguls skier Kai Owens has made her first Olympic team, giving the 17-year-old a chance to return to the country where she was born to compete for a gold medal. She was born in China where her parents abandoned her. She was adopted at 16-months old by a Colorado couple. She has already started her qualifying rounds. She failed to appear in the first qualifying round after she fell in practice.

Asa Miller, (Philippines)

Asa Miller, who was born in Portland, Oregon, is the Philippines' sole athlete at the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games. The alpine skier will be competing at his second Games after a debut appearance at PyeongChang 2018 when he was just 17. Representing the Philippines, a tropical country where most of its citizenry has never seen snow, is no joke. In qualifying to compete, Miller has incurred several injuries in international competitions in order to represent the Philippines. In Beijing, Miller wants to improve on his results in Korea, and inspire a new generation of skiers. "Ever since I began four years ago at my last Olympics, the (Philippines) ski team has grown like five or six times larger than it was. So I hope to keep on doing that and keep inspiring the next generation of Filipino skiers and snowboarders."

Freestyle Skiing

Eileen Gu (China) 

China -- never a powerhouse in winter sports -- has touted Eileen Gu as their golden girl. Her face is plastered on billboards and magazines and fashion and sport sponsors line up for her endorsement. The photogenic Gu, a first-year student at Stanford, has modeled in California, New York and France. Born and raised in San Francisco, she has won three gold medals in her skiing events -- halfpipe, slopestyle and big air -- at the just completed X Games.  She is the first athlete to win gold in all three events, noted for its acrobatic twists and turns. Her popularity, Gu, who is fluent in Mandarin, has helped generate interest in skiing in that country.

Hockey

Peter Zhong, Brandon Yip, Tyler Wong, Spencer Foo, Parker Foo (China)

Eileen Gu is not the only foreigner representing China. Eighteen of China's men's hockey team are North Americans. Asian Americans Peter Zhong and Brandon Yip have been playing on China's club teams for several years. They are joined by Asian Canadians Tyler Wong, Spencer Foo and Parker Foo. The players became dual citizens in order to qualify for China's team. Although China is ranked 32nd in the world, as the host country, China earned a spot in the Olympics.

Josh Ho-Sang

Josh Ho-Sang is the lone Chinese Canadian on his country's hockey team. He currently plays for Toronto Marlies of the American Hockey League.

Check local listings to watch the 2022 Beijing Olympics on Peacock and NBC affiliates and streaming platforms. 

RELATED:

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Five AAPI skaters named to USA Figure Skating team.

NBC puts Nathan Chen and Chloe Kim in the spotlight to promote their coverage

Snowboarding star Chloe Kim: "I'm going to go off"

EDITOR'S NOTE: For Olympic updates, additional commentary, news and views from an AAPI perspective, follow me on Twitter @DioknoEd.

Olympics 2022: Chloe Kim says, 'I'm going to go off.'

CHLOE KIM

 

With the Beijing Winter Games just days away, snowboarder gold medalist Chloe Kim is peaking at the right time.

Last week she won her  fifth snowboard halfpipe X Games title in Aspen, Colorado despite taking a year off to attend classes at Princeton.

“I really was not expecting to podium,” Kim while being interviewed by ESPN. “Really just wanted to go into this season with a new mindset, have fun and try new runs.”

Never lacking confidence, in separate interviews, the 22-year old said she's also very good playing golf and tennis and playfully warned tennis legend Serena Williams and golf icon Tiger Woods of her interest in their sports.

Chloe Kim made the cover of Time Magazine.

Kim exploded onto the sports world in 2018 when she won gold in her event, the half-pipe freestyle. She is the only woman athlete to complete back to back 1080s; that's three full rotations.

At 17-years old, Kim's enthusiasm and sense of humor caught the attention of media and she became a sought-after interview during and after the games leading to a stint on The Masked Singer. But all that attention came at a price, a loss of privacy and the pressure of great expectations.

She felt she needed to take a year off to just be a college student at Princeton. Kim said taking that break from training and competition "was really important," to step back and have fun again.

This fall, at the age of 22, she interrupted her studies to train for the Olympics and girded herself for expected media spotlight. She made the cover of Time Magazine prior to the Games in which she revealed her plans to unveil three new tricks during in Beijing.

“I’m so excited,” says the native Californian. “They’re an upgrade from everything I’ve done.” She won’t say more, which makes sense, but also demurs when asked more generally about the Winter Games. “Don’t have too many expectations,” she says softly. “Just let me vibe. I’m just trying to chill.” 

She pauses a beat, revealing a comedian's sense of timing. 

Then, in a change of tone, Chloe Kim gets deadpan serious: “No, I’m just kidding. You just expect a lot out of me. I’m going to go off.” No lack of confidence, indeed.

If Kim wins, she'll become the first to earn both multiple and consecutive golds in women's halfpipe.

Women's half-pipe competition begins Feb. 8 at 8:30 p.m. ET on NBC. Finals are the next day. All events can be live-streamed on  Peacock., on the NBC Sports app or on NBCOlympics.com.

RELATED:

Born and raised in San Francisco, Eileen Gu will represent China

Five AAPI skaters named to USA Figure Skating team.

NBC puts Nathan Chen and Chloe Kim in the spotlight to promote their coverage

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AAPI perspective, follow me on Twitter @DioknoEd.

Olympics 2022: NBC spotlights Nathan Chen, Chloe Kim to promote Winter Games and Team USA

Nathan Chen and Chloe Kim will represent the USA at the Beijing Olympics.

In case you've been living under a rock, or you've been living on social media platforms, you've probably missed these promos for NBC's Olympics coverage featuring men's figure skater Nathan Chen and freestyle snowboarder Chloe Kim.

Coming at a time when Asian Americans are being targeted by ignorant haters, NBC's promotion of the athletes as representatives of America is refreshing and ironic at the same time. The message it sends counters the movement hate depicting AAPI as perpetual foreigners.

For the last several years, Chen has been the world's best male figure skater, consistently winning international competitions since his disappointing third-place finish in PyeongChang, South Korea in 2018.

If the 22-year old Yale student can maintain his athletic performance for the Olympics -- he's the only competitor to complete six quads in his long routine -- Chen is almost a lock for a medal.

Kim's skill on the half-pipe snowboard event and her bubbly personality and sense of humor did the 17-year old well after South Korea appearing on talk shows and performing surprisingly well on The Masked Singer.

All the attention and the loss of privacy took its toll, though. To get her head straight, Kim took time off to attend Princeton University trying hard to be just an ordinary college student.

Now 22-years old, Kim took a break from her studies last year to train for this year's  Olympics. She quickly gained her old form, winning three gold medals at the X Games.

Both of these athletes representing the U.S. and AANHPI everywhere, are expected to medal in their respective events in the 2022 Winter Olympic Games in Beijing, which begin Feb. 3.

Chen and Kim are two of the 13 Asian American athletes at the Games representing, not only the U.S. but the Philippines and China, too.

RELATED:

Born and raised in San Francisco, Eileen Gu will represent China

Five AAPI skaters named to USA Figure Skating team.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Watch for more Olympic coverage when the Games start. For additional commentary, news and views from an AAPI perspective, follow me on Twitter @DioknoEd.

Chloe Kim struggling with being a celebrity

SCREEN CAPTURE / ESPN

For Olympian Chloe Kim, being in the spotlight isn't all that glamorous.

ASAM NEWS

Chloe Kim made international headlines on the halfpipe at PyeongChang 2018 when she became the youngest woman to win an Olympic snowboarding medal at 17-years old but with the glory came the tremendous pressure to "represent" Asian Americans. 
“Every time I’m stepping outside, I have to make sure I’m putting my best foot forward,” Kim told espnW. “That’s hard sometimes. I ask people not to be so harsh. It has even affected my family. My mom’s doing this knitting class and said she has to be careful, she’s worried she might say something weird. We’re working on it as a collective.”

ESPEN interviewed Kim in honor of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month (APAHM) to discuss success and growing up in the spotlight.

Kim made sure to thank her family for her successes and continues to be grateful for them. Her parents instilled in her a drive to work hard for success since she was young.

“My dad never quit or let me give up or anything like that,” said Kim. “I just like what I do, it was never hard to motivate myself. I always wanted to do more. If I didn’t like what I did, I’d be miserable in the mountains. I do what I do solely because I love it, and that’s all the motivation you need.”

All that hard work has brought her an Olympic gold medal and national fame, but that fame means little rest in the public eye.

“Sometimes when we go and eat, we have a strategic way of sitting at the table so that no one can see me,” said Kim. “I don’t want to sound like a brat who says she hates her fans, I love my fans. Sometimes though I just want to be left alone. I’m so anxious about what I’m saying, what I’m wearing, or what I look like. It can be really hard.

“I’m working on accepting that that’s my life now. It’s always going to be like that, I’m always going to be judged. Sometimes I’m like, ‘damn, I wish I didn’t tweet about churros that one time.'”

Kim spoke about her experiences as one of the few Asian Americans on the slopes as part of a campaign with Panda Express for APAHM.

As for defining success outside of snowboarding, Kim claims she’s the worst person to ask.

“I haven’t found it yet. I’m going to college. I’m going to see what I can do with my life outside of snowboarding. I’ll have an answer for you in six years.”

Kim will be attending college at Princeton, where she hopes to major in a science, reports The New York Times.

“Even after I snowboard, I hope that my next career involves helping others,” Kim said in the Panda Express interview. “As long as I’m helping others, I’ll be very happy with my life.”

_________________________________________________________________________

Snowboard champion Chloe Kim breaks an ankle

EON TV

Chloe Kim will be out sidelined while she recovers from a broken ankle.

Olympic champion Chloe Kim has been so dominant in her snowboard sport that when she fails to win that becomes news.

Californian Kim finished second at the Burton U.S. Open this weekend.. In first place was fellow American Maddie Mastro, who became the first woman to land a double crippler -- a double backflip above the halfpipe -- in competition.

Kim had a good reason for her uncharacteristic showing. "Unfortunately, I found out I broke my ankle today so I will need to get surgery to get it fixed," she said.

Until the Burton competition, Kim had won eight straight contests.

No timeline was given for her return to competition but she will definitely miss the U.S. Grand Prix halfpipe competition on March 9.

Eighteen-year old Kim, who became a breakout star after winning the gold medal at the Pyeongchang Olympics last year, will enroll at Princeton in the fall.

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A look back at 2018 - crazy, rich and complicated

REPRESENTATION  MATTERS

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Some of he cast members of 'Crazy Rich Asians,' celebrated their participation in the movie.

YEARS FROM NOW, students in Asian American history classes might very well study the impact that 2018 had on Asian Americans and label it as a turning point.

Last year is only a day ago but it's not too early for reflecting on the year we have just experienced.

It has been a year of increasing visibility for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. For a long time, AAPI communities have sat on the margins of American society -- basically ignored except when called upon to be a "model minority" or as the latest scapegoat in the country's up-and-down economy; indistinguishable between goings-on in their ancestors' countries of origins and their real struggle to fit in; unseen, invisible and incomprehensible to most Americans.

The past year, AAPI folk have made headlines (some good and some bad), been woo'd by politicians and sought as one of the most valuable markets for high-end goods and movie tickets by their impact on the three pillars of pop culture: sports, media and politics.

CRAZY RICH REPRESENTION

The seminal event of the year was the debut of the motion picture Crazy Rich Asians which brought forth Asian and Asian American figures that the rest of the country have not seen (in 25 years.) However, with the power of the Internet and social media, CRA's cultural impact dwarfs 1993's Joy Luck Club, the last time a movie featured an almost all-Asian and Asian American cast.

In the same month that Crazy Rich Asians took Hollywood by storm, Netflix's own romantic comedy, To All The Boys I Ever Love, featuring a racially mixed family starring Lana Condor, was capturing teenager hearts and John Cho starrer Searching was stirring praise for its unique brand of storytelling. It is no wonder the month was dubbed Asian August by the AAPI community. Together, the three projects thrust Asian Americans into the cultural forefront by depicting Asians and Asian Americans in ways most Americans have never seen them before -- as human beings, with shared wants and flaws, but relatable across racial lines.

The unquestionable artistic and box office success of CRA shattered any doubts or questions about cross-over appeal of a movie with Asian leads and opened the floodgates (for now) of a seeming plethora of artistic projects with Asian themes and opportunities for Asian artists. For years to come, we will see the offspring of CRA in the books we read, on our television sets and the silver screen.

Television was quick to recognize the potential in telling Asian-themed stories with Asian Americans casted in prominent roles.

While Fresh Off the Boat enters its fifth season and Into the Badlands enters its third season, AAPI actors are so numerous that Views From the Edge has discontinued its roundup of all the Asian Americans in TV series. 

Because it takes so long for a Hollywood product, from conception to the screen to develop, some of the projects may have been launched before CRA's success was a proven commodity, but even these projects got a shot in the arm by CRA giving American TV a different shade of brown. 

This time, Hollywood's penchant for copying success has launched a plethora of projects that will hit our big and small screens (and we include our computer screens as well) in the coming months.

It appears that the old excuse that American audiences won't watch a TV series or pay to see movie about Asian Americans is no longer a valid excuse not to do those stories. For now, at least, we have to wait and see if the ripples from CRA's big splash will continue beyond the next year or two.

Gold medal snowboarder Chloe Kim just being Chloe Kim was a media favorite.

SPORTS

The year began with the Winter Olympics in February. Perhaps no sports star emerged larger and brighter from Olympics than California teenager Chloe Kim. Her snow board tricks on the half-pipe were breathtaking and performed well enough to earn her a gold medal in the event.

But that isn't what made the spotlight linger on the 5'3" "California girl" as she describes herself. Her off-the-cuff social media postings about her food cravings, and her bubbly personality, her charisma, her charm and her honesty made her a media favorite and breakout star of the Olympics and more. She was named the ESPY's Sportswoman of the Year and Sports Illustrated called her Olympic performance one of best feats of the year.

All together, there were 11 Asian Americans on the Olympic team. Most of them competed  in ice-skating as individuals or pairs. Americans love ice skating and NBC gave the competitors prime time attention. Even if their performances didn't match their expectations, the Asian American athletes were welcomed in America's living rooms and all Americans found themselves cheering for their American athletes of Asian descent.

Whether it was golf where 11 of the top 20 women golfers are Asian or Asian American; Kevin Na and Tiger Woods in the winning tournaments on the men's golf circuit;  tennis  introduced us to exciting Naomi Osaka and Kei Nishikori, both of whom represented Japan but train and live in the U.S.; or baseball where Asian American and players from Korea and Japan are too many to cite here; Asian Americans were out there on magazine covers, on television and bringing in paying fans into he arenas, courses and ballfields.

POLITICS

Asian Americans showed up at the ballot box. It's hard to avoid the cliche but Asian American votes votes in Nevada and California really made a difference, flipping congressional seats from Republican to Democrats. 

The definite shift towards the Democrats was in reaction to Donald Trump. His racist and anti-immigrant rants elicited a strong negative response from a community that is largely made up of first-generation immigrants. Their children are now young adults and have taken on the values of other young Americans.

Another sign of the political shift in the AAPI communities is the number who ran for office in the 2018 midterm elections.

Three new AAPI members joined the Congressional Asian Pafcific American Caucus (CAPAC). Andy Kim will join the House of Representatives for New Jersey and Michael San Nicolas will be a non-voting House member for Guam.

A month after voting day, TJ Cox eked out a victory over another GOP incumbent in his California district. In his upset win, Cox became the second member of Congress of Filipino descent.

The three freshmen representatives will give CAPAC a total of 20 AAPI members, the largest number in history.

“Since its founding in 1994, CAPAC has always strived to ensure that diverse voices are represented in the halls of Congress, and we are thrilled that the American people voted overwhelmingly to elect candidates who better reflect the diversity of our nation,” Democrat Rep. Judy Chu, D-CA, the caucus chair, said in a statement. “With these victories, CAPAC will have its highest AAPI membership in history and an important seat at the table within House Leadership.”

From Hawaii, California and Washington where political activism is expected because of the large number of AAPI, to the victories in areas where AAPI are not as numerous: Hmong candidates in Minnesota and the historic wins achieved in New York's state legislature, the AAPI communities surprised the traditional political movers and shakers. 

Even in their losses in  traditional GOP strongholds of Arizona andTexas, the races were competitive and raised the eyebrows of older political hands who up to now, tended to limit their financial and political support to white men.

The strong showing of AAPI candidates in 2018 at the state and local elections gives the AAPI communities, especially the Democrats, a strong base for things to come as these first-time citizen/politicians hone their skills for campaigns for higher office.

One thing to remember is that the AAPI communities have a large pool of nonvoters because many of the new immigrants have not yet become citizens. As they become citizens and register to vote, they will become a stronger voice on the political scene.

STANDING UP, SPEAKING OUT

Not satisfied with being bystanders, last year saw Asian Americans make the news, much of it driven by Trump policies or tweets. 

The debate over affirmative action and the possible discrimination practiced by Harvard had Asian Americans in the center of the controversy. AAPI students testified  in favor of diversity in a 10-day trial late last year based oncharges by Students for Fair Admissions,  representing its Asian American clients, who chose not to testify in public. 

While there appears to be some special treatment for legacy students or children of large donors (mostly white), the evidence presented during the trial that some admission decisions were based on alleged traits of Asian Americans. 

A  ruling will be delivered early 2019, but that most likely will be appealed, no matter what. Both sides vow they will appeal all the way to the conservative U.S. Supreme Court.

A large portion of the Asian American community are first generation immigrants so Trump's policies limiting immigrants, from asylum seekers to H-1B visa holders, to students, visitors and family members was a hot-button issue for AAPI families.

Whether it was the Muslim bans, family reunification or the stepped up deportation of Southeast Asians, AAPI shed their stereotypical inhigitions and did not hesitate to bring attention to their plight by demonstrating in the streets, meeting with their congressional reps, writing letters or filing court actions slowing implementation of Trump's harsh measures.

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What American media is starting to discover is that Asian Americans are interwoven into the fabric of America. -- from lawyers who fought Trump's immigration policies in court to the judges who ruled against those unjust policies; from the military men and women who fought for the U.S. in hopes that it would facilitate their applications for U.S. citizenship, to the Sikhs who opened up their temples to assist those ade homeless by natural disasters, to the founders of some of Silicon Valley's most promising startups, to the Filipinos brought to this country to teach in some of America's neediest school districts, to the police officers who put their lives at risk to keep their communities safe, to the nurses seeking safer conditions for their patients, the writers and other artists who give an Asian perspective to our human foibles

If there is one big ah-ha to be taken from 2018, it is this: America has millions of stories to be told by the newcomers landing on our shores every day to the light-skin, blond Filipino American descendants of those villages in Louisiana's bayous. Movies, television and the arts are political because they help define who we are as a people and as a nation and what we will become. Media moguls and our government, business and social institutions are hopefully coming around to realize that America's story can no longer be seen simply in black and white. 

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