*

10.24.2014

Angry Reader of the Week: Jeff Chang

"I just want to leave the world a little freer and more beautiful than it was when I got here."



Hello, my friends. You know what time it is. It's time to meet the Angry Reader of the Week, 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 Angry Reader is Jeff Chang, author of Who We Be: The Colorization of America.


Who are you?

I'm Jeff Chang. I'm over 21. I'm so over 21 that if I got carded now I'd weep tears of joy.

What are you?

A proud member of the Chang, Chai, Pagaduan, and Andaya clans. A son. A dad. A writer. A teacher. A music head. A Chinese Hawaiian. A porkatarian. Once a loner, now a serial collaborator. Still supercharged with curiosity. Full of gratitude for my fams and my communities.

Where are you?

In the home office in Berkeley surrounded by books, records, and mouse traps. If the Big One happens now, you'll find me under the pile with a big grin on my face.

Where are you from?

I was born and raised in Honolulu, Hawai'i, and came of age in Berkeley and Oakland. I claim the 510 and the 808 and the A's.

What do you do?

Agitate, educate, organize. Like every other reader, I just want to leave the world a little freer and more beautiful than it was when I got here.

What are you all about?

Connecting. Opening the door. The moment when fortitude, long odds, and creative genius meet. Underdog love. Dreaming in color. A good bowl of ramen. Poi and poke. Good old funky music. Art! Revolution. CultureStr/ke. All my folks.

What makes you angry?

Assholes, racists, racist assholes, and people who, when writing, misuse "its" and "it's." I mean, one is possessive and the other is a contraction. Come on!