AACE INTERVIEW: Mayly Tao of DK Donuts
Historically Asians immigrating to the US took on menial labor jobs and were excluded from citizenship from 1880 until 1952 where more than the quota of 105 Chinese immigrants per year since 1942. Since then there have been distinct waves of immigration from Asia due to war and the economy. Chinese Americans now account for over 3M of the US population.
In 1980, 366K Chinese immigrated to the States, and between 1975 and 1994 158K Cambodians (Khmer) immigrated, and it was the year 1981 that DK Donuts was founded.
With the spectacular success of DK Donuts and under Mayly’s guidance, awareness of the family’s story has spread and via the VICE documentary. Not surprisingly a huge number of California's independent donut shops, maybe 80-90%, are owned by Cambodian Americans, it was the entry point to creating a middle-class life to support future generations.
- Ophelia Chong
Interview with Mayly Tao of DK Donuts
DK Donuts is located in Santa Monica, California was established in 1981 and serving the most bedazzled donuts you could ever imagine. Today we got a chance to speak to Mayly to get her input about donuts, cannabis, and the joy she and her family brings every day with DK Donut creations.
What was your experience in combining donuts and the idea for the BirthJays?
Obviously, before I believe and promote a product I had to test it myself! I thought the idea was such a cool concept, something of utter indulgence and creativity. I brought it to my best friend's birthday and set them on top of our custom letter donuts, spelling my friend's name. It was a very lit birthday to say the least. Celebrations and munchies just go hand in hand, and so do DK's Donuts & BirthJays.
Have you ever created a donut just for the munchies? And if you could, what would it taste like?
Every donut ever created is made for munchies- whether that be the hot gooey cinnamon rolls that come out of the oven at 11PM at night or the buttermilk bars that melt in your mouth- but one donut that I specifically created out of munchies was our glazed donut ice cream sandwich with cap'n crunch berries and condensed milk drizzle.
If you could name a donut after a favorite strain what would it be?
"GLAZED & CONFUSED DK OG"
Anti-Asian hate has permeated our society since the 1800s and with the past political party it has come out from the past president. How has DK Donuts done outreach in the past to the community?
DK's Donuts & Bakery is a big part of the community. We've donated to various Asian American organizations and used our platform to#STOPASIANHATE. I've shared resources to educate people. I've used my platform to openly share about my parents' journey here to America as Khmer refugees and created awareness around kindness across all borders. "The Donut King Film," a documentary produced by Ridley Scott and on the Oscars list, featured DK's Donuts & Bakery, including my mom and my great uncle Ted Ngoy who opened up hundreds of donut shops for Cambodian refugees. This film was recently purchased by Vice internationally- we are telling our story to the world to show others what our struggles and successes have been but to amplify the Asian American voice across the world.
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