"Where are you from?" This seemingly harmless question is a constant aggression in the experiences of many Asian-Americans. Perpetuating the perception of Asian-Americans as foreigners, this question lies at the root of xenophobic violence that has resulted in the #stopasianhate movement capturing our attention today. Why is it assumed that we’re not from here? As an Asian-American business, SYRO felt compelled to tackle these themes in our latest photo project.
Geoff Lee is a generational descendant of New York’s iconic Chinatown. Living in the same building on Mott Street that his father was born in, Geoff is about as New Yorker as it gets. It was nothing short of an honor to photograph and interview Geoff for SYRO.
Edit: Geoff has passed away on February 19, 2022. Geoff is remembered here in The Tribeca Trib.
