Awkwafina posts statement about past use of AAVE, ‘Blackccent’ before quitting Twitter

Actress and comic Awkwafina posted a press release on Twitter Saturday addressing the usage of African American Vernacular English, or AAVE, cultural appropriation, and a “Blackccent” in popular culture earlier than posting that she was quitting the social media platform altogether.

Awkwafina, actual identify Nora Lum, who starred in movies resembling “Loopy Wealthy Asians” and “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings,” has been criticized for her use of AAVE and a method of talking typically related to Black stereotypes.

Within the assertion, Awkwafina acknowledges that African People have “traditionally and routinely seen their tradition stolen, exploited and appropriated by the *dominant* tradition for financial achieve with out acknowledgment nor respect for the place these roots come from” and that Black People have been disproportionately been affected by “institutionalized insurance policies and regulation enforcement polices.”

She went on to say that the issue continues to at the present time, and that issues just like the “‘web TikTok slang technology’ that liberally makes use of AAVE,” “hip-hop,” and “linguistic acculturation” all accumulate to “play an element within the effective line between offensive and popular culture.”

“However as a non-black POC I stand by the truth that I’ll all the time pay attention and work tirelessly to know the historical past and the context of AAVE, what’s deemed acceptable or backwards towards the progress of ANY and EVERY marginalized group,” Awkwafina wrote. “However I need to emphasize: To mock, belittle or to be unkind in any method doable on the expense of others is: Merely. Not. My. Nature. It by no means has and it by no means was.”

She mentioned that Asian People are “nonetheless making an attempt to determine what that journey means for them — what’s appropriate and the place they don’t belong” in the case of completely different components of popular culture.

She closed the assertion by saying her “immigrant background” and love of popular culture had formed her persona, and that she needs to spend her profession lifting up different communities.

After posting her assertion, which some on social media criticized for not apologizing and being considerably imprecise and rambling, Awkwafina posted once more to Twitter.

“Effectively, I’ll see you in a couple of years, Twitter — per my therapist. To my followers, thanks for persevering with to like and help somebody who needs they could possibly be a greater particular person for you. I apologize if I ever fell brief, in something I did. You’re in my coronary heart all the time,” she wrote.

She added yet one more tweet clarifying she would solely be retiring from Twitter, however nothing else.