After skipping a week, it's time for another Angry Reader, spotlighting you, the very special readers of this website. Over the years, I've been able to connect with a lot of cool folks, and this is a way of showing some appreciation and attention to the people who help make this blog what it is. This week's reader was actually supposed to be last week's reader, but Jack Song is a busy man. So it better be double good...
Who are you?
My name is Jack Song. I am 26 years old. However, my mom thinks I am always lying about my age; according to her calculation, I am probably in my late-30s. I'm like Tuck Everlasting or A Wrinkle in Time! I am also the proud owner of an emo chihuahua-terrier named Goldie. Goldie sighs a lot and rolls his eyes at me when I dress him up in costumes.
What are you?
I am a hot mess. period. First of all, I am one of the few thousand people in the United States that bought the Hilary Duff's Greatest Hits album. Oddly enough, I also went through my brief Matrix-goth phase in high school. Yes, I was like Emo Cho in Harold and Kumar: I wore all black, all the time, and listened to Marilyn Manson. Thank goodness that phase came and went. On a positive note, I am a super proud UC Berkeley graduate who studied Political Science, Asian American Studies, and Public Policy! Go Bears!
Where are you?
I recently relocated from the 99 Ranch Market-friendly San Gabriel Valley to the San Francisco Bay area. I feel very blessed and happy to be part of Bay area's vibrant, progressive, and politically-minded APA community.
Where are you from?
I grew up in Taiwan and moved to the U-S-A when I was a chubby eight-year old. I grew up mostly in Temple City and Arcadia, the suburbs of California and land of rice rockets. However, I was the only cool kid on the block driving a shiny red Dodge caravan. Were people secretly jealous of me? I think so...
What do you do?
I work in both political and entertainment communications.
I enjoy working on publicity for well-done indie films and socially-conscious documentaries. I was very lucky to have met David Magdael & his PR family while I was promoting Better Luck Tomorrow on my college campus. David introduced me to a profession in communications that I would otherwise never had thought about. I am honored to have worked on projects such as Finishing the Game, Up the Yangtze, Harold and Kumar, Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift, and many others.
Currently I work for San Francisco City Attorney Dennis Herrera as the deputy press secretary. I am very proud to be working in a such progressive legal environment. Our office has led the fight of marriage equality for almost five years now. It is also very inspirational to be walking through the halls where civil rights activist, Supervisor Harvey Milk, once stood...
I find it ironic and absolutely sad that on the day after the presidential election, we had "Barack Wins!" and right next to that headline was an article about how California will most likely pass a proposition that will write discrimination into its state Constitution. I kept that LA Times cover page on my fridge to remind myself that there is still a lot work that needs to be done.
What are you all about?
I am all about empowering the youth and the Asian American community; continuing to fight for social justice; and introducing people to new ideas and perspectives through media. My goal in life is to be a resource to others and help those in need.
What makes you angry?
Oh, I will tell you what makes me angry -- culture vultures. I once dated someone who was of European decent. However, this person completely adopted the South Asian culture! This person was in all the bhangra groups on campus, took all the South Asian courses, and had mostly South Asian friends. One night, during an intimate dinner, this fool said to me- "Come here my little immigrant." And it dawned on me… I felt that I betrayed my Asian American Studies and Ethnic Studies ancestors! I had oh-hellz-no moment. Like when you are trying to dance in the club and be all sexy, and they go up to you and say "Ni How Maaaahh?!" and start singing Utada Hikaru songs in Japanese. As I grow older, I have learnt to turn a lemon into a whiskey sour. Everything happens for a reason and you just gotta work it out!