"We Belong '21" by Magnetic North & Taiyo Na (feat. Ann One)

"...but we're still here; And we're going strong; And we're getting tired of proving we belong."



I'm proud to share "We Belong '21," the new track from Magnetic North & Taiyo Na, featuring Ann One.

Back in 2010, Magnetic North & Taiyo Na's "We Belong" was a rallying cry for humanity and belonging amidst the AAPI community's experiences with erasure, exclusion and absurdity. Sampling Asian American folk pioneer Chris Iijima's "Asian Song" on the chorus, the song was part of a larger thematic album Home:Word, where homeland and refuge were explored from an Asian American migrant perspective.

Unless you've been actively putting your head in the sand -- and let's face it, this is entirely possible -- you know that there's been a near-daily deluge of reports of attacks on Asian Americans. Upon hearing the details of yet another violent assault, in which the attacker told the victim, "You don't belong here," I was reminded of Iijima's lyrics: "...but we're still here; And we're going strong; And we're getting tired of proving we belong."

I begged Theresa, Derek and Taiyo to get back on the mic to record an updated version of "We Belong." It just felt like we needed it. Turns out, they were already thinking about revisiting the song in light of recent events, particularly the mass shootings in Atlanta and Indianapolis. And they have delivered.

"We Belong '21" adds layers of urgency and relevance to the original track, delving deeper into experiences of a community being appropriated and othered while pointing towards the possibilities of solidarity and action to bring us forward. The soulful Ann One lends her voice to sing Iijima's timeless words.

Listen here:

They Call Us Bruce 125: They Call Us Vincent Chin

Jeff Yang and Phil Yu present an unfiltered conversation about what's happening in Asian America.



What's up, podcast listeners? We've got another episode of our podcast They Call Us Bruce. (Almost) each week, my good friend, writer/columnist Jeff Yang and I host an unfiltered conversation about what's happening in Asian America, with a strong focus on media, entertainment and popular culture.

In this episode, we welcome our good friend Paula Yoo, author of the young adult book From a Whisper to a Rallying Cry: The Killing of Vincent Chin and the Trial that Galvanized the Asian American Movement. We discuss the legacy of the case, the incredible amount of research that went into this book, and the importance of chronicling this story for younger generations.

They Call Us Bruce 124: They Call Us Kelly Marie Tran

Jeff Yang and Phil Yu present an unfiltered conversation about what's happening in Asian America.



What's up, podcast listeners? We've got another episode of our podcast They Call Us Bruce. (Almost) each week, my good friend, writer/columnist Jeff Yang and I host an unfiltered conversation about what's happening in Asian America, with a strong focus on media, entertainment and popular culture.

In this episode, we welcome actress Kelly Marie Tran, who stars as the titular voice in the Disney animated feature Raya and the Last Dragon. She talks about getting her life-changing role in Star Wars, the surreal significance of playing a Disney princess, and the appropriate response to seeing yourself on a billboard.

They Call Us Bruce 123: They Call Us Raya and the Last Dragon

Jeff Yang and Phil Yu present an unfiltered conversation about what's happening in Asian America.



What's up, podcast listeners? We've got another episode of our podcast They Call Us Bruce. (Almost) each week, my good friend, writer/columnist Jeff Yang and I host an unfiltered conversation about what's happening in Asian America, with a strong focus on media, entertainment and popular culture.

In this episode, we welcome screenwriters Adele Lim and Qui Nguyen, and head of story Fawn Veerasunthorn, key creators from the Disney animated feature Raya and the Last Dragon. We discuss swords, swearing, and the challenges of making a movie during a global pandemic.

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They Call Us Bruce 122: They Call Us Rep. Grace Meng

Jeff Yang and Phil Yu present an unfiltered conversation about what's happening in Asian America.



What's up, podcast listeners? We've got another episode of our podcast They Call Us Bruce. (Almost) each week, my good friend, writer/columnist Jeff Yang and I host an unfiltered conversation about what's happening in Asian America, with a strong focus on media, entertainment and popular culture.

In this episode, we welcome Rep. Grace Meng, who represents New York's 6th congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives. The congresswoman talks about taking leadership amidst tragedy in the Asian American community, seizing this moment of hypervisibility, and accepting our stories as American stories.

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