Cover Photo: A screengrab from the Karate Kid featuring Mr. Miyagi (played by Pat Morita) and Daniel LaRusso (played by Ralph Macchio)
Still from 'The Karate Kid'/Columbia Pictures

What Mr. Miyagi Taught Me About Anti-Asian Racism in America

We Asians were in this thing—racist America—together.

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Beth (Bich Minh) Nguyen is the author of the memoir Stealing Buddha’s Dinner, the novel Short Girls, and the novel Pioneer Girl. Her work has received an American Book Award and a PEN/Jerard Award and has been published in The New Yorker, The Paris Review, The New York Times,  Literary Hub, and numerous anthologies.