On March 12, 2025, the 1882 Foundation Office hosted a Talk Story event for its Winter 2025 Intern Cohort. Eric Zhu, Isabelle Du, and Emily Ninh presented their research and creative project that they had been working on during their time in DC (January – Mid March 2025). 1882 frequently partners with the UCDC program by taking in interns from the University of California system while they study abroad in Washington, D.C.; the Foundation uses this internship to not only give UCDC interns a glimpse into a non-profit organization, but also to show interns various parts of D.C. culture. As a result, these interns decided to focus on the Asian food culture in D.C. which was relatively different from their respective homes in California.
The project consisted of traveling to three different Asian/Asian-inspired restaurants in D.C.: Rose Avenue Bakery, Chang Chang, and China Boy. The three tried various items on the menu and created a short-form video reviewing the restaurant and the menu; during the Talk Story presentation, the interns also researched the history behind the chefs and restaurants.
Food is often a cornerstone of various cultures around the world, despite the term “foodie” often being associated as a character trait among Asians and in Asian communities. This presentation demonstrated the idea that it is not simply the love of food that brings Asian communities together, but more so the desire for community itself and search for certain types of food that remind us of home and family that unites us. This was reflected in the personal stories of food the interns brought to this Talk Story, as well as in the discussion questions with the audience. These interns found that while D.C. may not be “famous” for its Asian food, it still has several pockets to remind its Asian American residents of home.
This Talk Story was an in-person only event and had around 10-12 attendees.
