24/03/2021
This Thai dessert is called Kanom Chan and it’s super nostalgic for me. The only time we’d get to eat this was on Saturdays at temple. People from all over SOCal came and would bring a dish as an offering to the monks and this was one of many favorites. My grandma was the highest nun so my family and I were there every weekend to help the other nuns clean and set up food for the monks and guests to eat. Lots of non-Asians came as well to admire our culture, traditions and enjoyed our food with us. What I love about our people is that we welcome everyone, no matter their religious beliefs, race, or sexual orientation. I remember one weekend, a transient man came looking for food. I could tell by the look on his face and way he was acting that he wasn’t too fond of our culture or people. My grandma told me to serve him a plate and show him what dishes were what, etc. I didn’t want to because of how this man was acting and how I distinctly remember him saying “What the hell is this s**t, disgusting people”. I was so angry, I just made his plate, gave it to him and walked away. And then my grandma said to me, “In life, you will always encounter bad people. But don’t forget that there are good people too. Always choose to be good and do good. Because that’s who we are.” And that’s who I’ll always be. Stop Asian hate. Stop Black hate. Stop Brown hate. Just.. stop. Aren’t you tired yet?
