Boba refers to both the bubble tea drink and the chewy pearls in the drink. The pearls are made from tapioca starch, which comes from the cassava root. Tapioca is a root native to South America, where it has been used as a cooking ingredient for centuries. The drink is made of a combination of tea, liquid (juice or milk), and toppings. Boba tea originated in Taiwan in the early 1980s and was brought to the United States in the 1990s. It has become a cultural identity for Asian Americans, and the term "boba life" is a reflection of their desire for both cultural and political recognition. Boba shops have now bloomed all over America and are no longer limited to the Taiwanese enclaves they once resided in.