Disney Celebrates AAPI Month with NEER and Suzaine Acuna

May 15

May 15 Disney Celebrates AAPI Month with NEER

Suzaine Acuna on the Filipino experience in the industry

When I first started working on set over 12 years ago, I would find myself as that one "token Asian". I mostly felt like a minority, and there were some glass ceilings. But over the last few years, there are suddenly not only more Asians, but many fellow Filipinos on set! I see more and more of my brothers and sisters on screen and on set. Gone are the days when Filipinos were destined to embrace traditional Filipino careers: nurses, accountants, and engineers. We’re more confident now in pursuing our passions! The film industry is now a welcoming, viable career option for the younger generation.

As a mother, this means that my kids can grow up dreaming freely. They have more reflections of themselves in every field. I’m happy that we’re finally being respected for our cultural individuality and significance. I am proud to call myself a working, female Filipino filmmaker.

Disney has always had a special place in my heart, so working with them for their AAPI Heritage Month piece was wonderful. But I must say - Disney is doing an incredible job in truly honoring the AAPI community. Today, there are many, many more films and TV series with Asian characters. Not only that, these Asian characters are now relatable to me, relatable to who I was in my youth.