I first heard of Thanksgiving in the movie: “Addams Family Values.” I vividly remember despising the camp directors, loving the relationship dynamic in the Addams family, but being confused about Thanksgiving. Other than the Addams Family, I also saw Thanksgiving on YouTube and in American movies.

One wouldn’t have to look far to realize that Thanksgiving is embedded in American culture. Take almost any TV show, for example. There is certainly a Thanksgiving episode of your favorite show (think of “Friends,” “Brooklyn 99,” and “Gilmore Girls,” the list goes on and on!). However, different forms of media presented me with a contrasting image of Thanksgiving: one of Monica from Friends dancing with a turkey in her head, the second Wednesday Addams playing Pocahontas in her summer camp’s play. One about happiness, joking around and being thankful with your family, another about the Pilgrims exploiting Native Americans. This made me think, what does Thanksgiving actually mean to people? The following are the questions I asked members of the Academy community:

Thanks to Academy, now, when I think of Thanksgiving, I think of friends and family sitting around a table, eating turkey, pie, casserole, pouring rich gravy on mashed potatoes, joking around, and playing table games. And I know what to expect from my own, very first Thanksgiving. Happy Thanksgiving, Academy!