Growing up in an Asian household, the “model minority” myth was an omnipresence that hummed in the background of my childhood. It applauded me when I won awards, but scolded me when my grades fell short. It celebrated when I got my university degree, but berated me when I chose a career in the arts. It was also there during my mental health struggles, surrounding me in a cloud of silence, shame and embarrassment.
I didn’t realise its impact until my early 20s; the myth is insidious like that. Subtle. Sneaky. And something every
