Read These Blogs

13 moments in Asian America that moved us in 2018
"It was the year of cheering for Crazy Rich Asians and crying over Pixar's Bao; of Chloe Kim winning the world over and of Sandra Oh declaring, "It's an honor just to be Asian." From Hasan Minhaj making history on the late-night stage to a viral prank that opened a conversation about diversity in advertising, 2018 was full of laughter, happy tears, and moments that filled us with pride."

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2018: When Asian-American Art Came Into Its Own
"Let's dispense with any niceties or equivocation: 2018 has been a year of Asian-American excellence."

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Opinion: It's Time to Retire the Phrase "Diversity Is Good for Business"
"The lesson of 2018's "diverse" hits should be that movies and TV shows that depart from the norm, are inclusive and tell underrepresented tales do well not simply because they are fresh and new. They succeeded because they were damn good stories, made by a team of artists with an authentic understanding of the characters depicted, given all the tools and investment they needed to succeed."

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Among Vietnamese, a generational divide arises in fight against deportation threat
The Trump administration's push to deport more Vietnamese American refugees is the latest controversy to underscore the growing generational divide within the Vietnamese American community.

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An Rong Photographs Asian Couples in Love
"In America, it's rare to see Asian Americans in love. Are we not supposed to be in love with each other?"

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Finding Chinese food, and home, in Nashville, Tennessee
"When we moved to Nashville in 1995, we quickly became intimately familiar with the seven or eight Chinese restaurants within driving distance, half of which seemed to be owned by my parents’ family friends."

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In the Twin Cities, Asian chefs feel the sting of Andrew Zimmern’s insults.
"I'll back P.F. Chang's and their family any day of the week. Asians forever!" says Eve Wu. "If we have to be the generation that is going to be calling out problematic behavior, because in the past it hasn't been, then I'm going to do it... I will do a 100-year war with him."

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The Meme-ification of Asianness
In one Facebook group, more than a million young people are trying to articulate what it means to be Asian.

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Meet Rep. Chris Chyung, Indiana's first Asian-American state lawmaker
Newly-elected Democratic Rep. Chris Chyung already has made history by becoming Indiana's first Asian-American state lawmaker. At age 25, he's also the state's youngest current state lawmaker. And he's probably the only lawmaker who still lives with his parents as he works to pay off student debt.

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Michelle Yeoh On A 'Crazy Rich' Career And Why Ballet Was The Key To Her Martial Arts Success
In this episode of the Deadline video series The Actor’s Side, Michelle Yeoh discusses her Crazy Rich Asians role and why she feels it is her homage to mothers she knows personally.

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How Karyn Kusama Deconstructed The Noir Genre & Rebuilt It From A Woman’s Point Of View
Director Karyn Kusama talks about her latest film, the crime noir Destroyer.

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The Grief of Others: A Conversation with Filmmaker Patrick Wang
Indie filmmaker Patrick Wang, director of The Grief of Others, talks about surprising trajectory of his career.

Read These Blogs

Sikh bros light up NYC with 'ugly' sweaters, American flag turbans
Nothing says Christmas like a bunch of Sikhs in American-flag turbans and matching light-up sweaters.

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2018 Was a Landmark Year for Asian American Representation
Crazy Rich Asians, Killing Eve, To All the Boys I've Loved Before, and the list goes on. 2018 has been a historic year for Asian American representation in pop culture.

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Why the 'Model Minority' Ends With Second-Generation Asian Americans
A closer look into stats about Asian Americans and upward mobility.

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Punjabi Sikh-Mexican American community fading into history
In the early 1900s, thousands of Punjabi-Mexican couples sprouted across the Southwestern U.S., in the face of mounting anti-immigration laws.

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American Dreams in a Chinese Takeout
The grueling nature of Chinese restaurant work in the U.S. has been well-documented, but the immigrants living that life understand the trade-offs they've made. They see America as a place they might build a life for themselves. The question is how to go about building that life.

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How Seeing Asian American Dads Onscreen Helps Me Face My Own Having seen Asian American dads onscreen, Mimi Wong reflects on her relationship with her own dad: “Our fathers may never know us the way we wish they would. And if we learned that ignorance is bliss, it's because we learned it from them."

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Celeste Ng Is More Than a Novelist
Novelist Celeste Ng said that her drive to share her good fortune with her peers comes from her own early career uncertainties.

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The Queen of Christmas
Elizabeth Chan, a full-time Christmas-song singer and composer, visits Santaland at Macy's.

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Rohini Kosoglu Is Kamala Harris' New Chief Of Staff
Rohini Kosoglu is the only Asian American woman serving as the U.S. senator's chief of staff, and she looks forward to working with a more diverse Congress in 2019.

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AAWW Staff Picks: Best of 2018
The staff, interns, and fellows of the Asian American Writers' Workshop select their favorite books, music, film, and art from 2018.

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The Director James Wan: If 'Aquaman' Doesn't Work, Blame Me
Aquaman is an improbable movie, which in many ways makes James Wan the ideal person to direct it.

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The Filmmaker Karyn Kusama Explores the Many Dimensions of Women's Rage
From Girlfight to Destroyer, filmmaker Karyn Kusama's movies are distinguished by her willingness not to revel in brutality but to look it in the face.

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For Kim's Convenience star Paul Sun-Hyung Lee, business is good at last
Paul Sun-Hyung Lee plays the convenience-store-owning patriarch of the Kim family in CBC's Kim's Convenience, and has become Canada's favorite dad.

Angry Reader of the Week: Dawn Lee Tu

"I am a shape shifter. I am what you least expect."



Hello, internet friends. It is time, once again, 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 Dawn Lee Tu.

Salon employee refers to Asian customer as "chinky eyes"

And then that salon employee got fired.



So you sit down in the salon chair to get your hair done... and get smacked in the head with some every day racism. That's what happened to an Asian woman who recently saw herself described as "chinky eyes" on a receipt at a Manhattan hair salon. Yup, the racial receipt. We know it well.

Briana Tae was getting her hair blown out at the Drybar in Murray Hill in anticipation of her upcoming nursing school pinning ceremony. But when she saw the receipt slip describing her service, she saw that under the category "Description" one of the employees had scrawled the derogatory slur to describe her.

"I'm sorry, what?" Tae wrote in a Facebook post, sharing a photo of the receipt. "I was the ONLY customer waiting with my friend and rather than describe me by my hair that was in a bun or by my black jacket or as a girl with a friend, I was described as a girl with chinky eyes."

Man sentenced to 15 months in attack on Sikh taxi driver

"He attacked my faith, my dignity, and my entire community."



On Friday in Seattle, a man was sentenced to 15 months in prison after pleading guilty to the 2017 assault with a deadly weapon of a 53-year-old Sikh American taxi driver.

Swarn Singh, who maintains and unshorn beard and wears a turban in observance with this Sikh faith, was driving his taxi last December when Rory Benson, a passenger, brutally attacked him with a hammer.

On December 16, 2017, Singh had parked outside an apartment building to drop off Rory Benson and his mother. It was then that Benson, who was sitting in the front passenger seat, attacked Singh, grabbing the piece of cloth Singh kept in his taxi to wipe the windshield and attempted to suffocate him with it.

Singh immediately ran out of the taxi, but Benson, grabbing a hammer from his bag, chased him on foot. He caught up to Singh and hit him in the head repeatedly, specifically targeting his turban and knocking it to the ground. Singh suffered a scalp laceration and a skull fracture. Benson was arrested.

Sign this petition to protect our families and communities

Sign on against amendments to the current U.S.-Vietnam repatriation agreement.


Vietnamese American community members protest in Little Saigon. (Los Angeles Times)
You may have heard that the Trump administration, in its ongoing aggression against immigrants, is resuming its efforts to deport thousands of protected Vietnamese refugees who have lived in the United States for decades -- many of them having fled the country during the Vietnam War.

The community is watching. A coalition of Vietnamese community members, and local, state and national immigrant, civil rights and human rights organizations are urging folks to speak out, sign this petition and let the Department of Homeland Security and Vietnam know the community is watching.

SIGN-ON AGAINST AMENDMENTS TO US-VIETNAM REPATRIATION AGREEMENT 2008

The petition demands that the protections afforded to Vietnamese immigrants under the current U.S.-Vietnam repatriation agreement be maintained, established in 2008, and oppose any amendments that further threaten to tear apart families and upend communities.

The petition has further information (also translated in Vietnamese):

Read These Blogs

My Dad's Friendship With Charles Barkley
Shirley Wang tells the sweet story about the unexpected and unlikely friendship between former NBA superstar Charles Barkley and her late father, a Chinese immigrant and cat litter scientist.

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Vietnamese Americans rally against Trump administration's push to deport thousands of war refugees
"Their faces were grim, but with their voices united in a common cause, Vietnamese Americans rallied in Little Saigon on Saturday to protest the Trump administration's push to deport thousands of war refugees."

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I became a Democrat a year ago and found my own voice. It changed everything.
"I wrote my truth, held my breath and waited. I now care about lots more things than I used to, and I've finally embraced my Asian-American identity." A year ago, Kurt Bardella jumped ship from the Republican party.

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I'm an Asian American Student at Columbia University -- and Nimesh Patel's Mic Needed to be Cut
Comedian and Saturday Night Live writer Nimesh Patel was performing at an Asian American event at Columbia University when he was asked to leave the stage by the event's organizers. The former president of Columbia's Asian American Alliance talks about what really happened.

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The Return of the 'Bad Boys' of Chinatown
Back then, they were New York City Chinatown's "bad boys," sporting pompadours, smoking cigarettes, and making people around them nervous. Now, they carry photos of their grandchildren to show off at their reunions.

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'Yellowface' in 'The Nutcracker' isn't a benign ballet tradition, it's racist stereotyping
It's time to end the racist stereotypes in ballet -- starting with The Nutcracker.

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This High School Senior Invented a Device That Detects Contaminated Water, and It Could Save Lives
High school senior Anjali Chadha invented a 3D-printed arsenic sensor that has the potential to improve access to clean water around the world.

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Meet Deqing Lian — A Deliveryman Trying to Make a Living in de Blasio's New York
New York City has been cracking down on food delivery workers, who are being treated as threats to public safety. The reality is that many of these workers are underpaid, overworked, and barely acknowledged by those who use delivery services.

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How 'Subtle Asian Traits' Became a Global Hit
A group of Asian Australian students started a Facebook group to share jokes and memes about their experiences. Now, it has nearly a million followers all over the world.

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How the Daughter of Vietnamese Refugees Founded 'Brown Folks Fishing'
Tracy Nguyen-Chung started the Instagram account Brown Folks Fishing to encourage communities of color to reconnect with the outdoors and conservation efforts through fishing.

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Why 'Grieve' Is the Word of the Year
By Alexander Chee: "Grief never ends because love never ends."

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Rituals of Style: An Interview with Yumi Sakugawa
The illustrator and comic artist talks the spiritual side of fashion, pho dresses, Claudia Kishi as an Asian American style icon, and her new book, Fashion Forecasts.

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Bumblebee Screenwriter Christina Hodson on Girls, Geekdom, and Writing Superheroes
British screenwriter Christina Hodson on the inspiration behind Bumblebee, growing up geeky, and why Linda Hamilton in Terminator 2 remains one of the best onscreen heroines ever.

Angry Reader of the Week: Chris Pang

"I really should have read these questions first before answering them."



All right, folks. Here's what's up. It is time, once again, 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 Chris Pang.

Racist woman ruins everybody's morning commute

"It's too early for this shit."



So this was your morning subway shit show. In New York, a woman was arrested after attacking another passenger in a violent, racist assault on a subway train. It was, of course, all caught on camera.

The attack occurred Tuesday morning on the Brooklyn D train. In the video, the woman can be seen kicking, slapping, spitting, screaming and swearing at a fellow passenger, identified as Michelle Tung.

40-year-old Anna Lushchinskaya, who is apparently an attorney and has a previous train-related arrest, has been charged with menacing, weapons possession, attempted assault and harassment.

Fellow train passenger and Twitter user Juan Ayala recorded the altercation and posted it to social media, complete with this own bewildered commentary.

"It's too early for this shit." he says, basically summing it up.

Steven Yeun to star in 'The Twilight Zone' revival

'The Walking Dead' actor returns to TV for Jordan Peele's reboot of the classic anthology series.


Steven Yeun in 'Sorry to Bother You'
Steven Yeun's post-Glenn career keeps chugging along. The Walking Dead and Burning star will lead an episode of director/producer Jordan Peele's upcoming Twilight Zone reboot for CBS All Access.

Steven Yeun cast in the new Twilight Zone series

Details are pretty slim, but according to Collider, Yeun will play the title character in the series' fourth episode "The Traveler," which follows two cops and a mysterious traveler. Say no more. I'm in.

Like Rod Serling's classic anthology series, which originally ran on CBS from 1959 to 1964, Peele's revival will tell self-contained stories in every episode, leaning on science fiction, fantasy and horror to spin tales that hold a mirror up to ourselves and our society.

Trump wants to deport Vietnamese refugees

The administration is resuming efforts to deport certain protected Vietnamese immigrants.


Trump speaks in Hanoi in 2017. (Photo Credit: Associated Press)
Sooner or later, they will come for you, too. In its ongoing assault on immigrants, the Trump administration is reportedly resuming its efforts to deport certain protected Vietnamese immigrants who have lived in the United States for decades -- many of them having fled the country during the Vietnam War.

Basically, the administration has now decided that Vietnamese immigrants who arrived in the country before the 1995 establishment of diplomatic ties between the United States and Vietnam are subject to standard immigration law -- meaning they are all eligible for deportation.

From The Atlantic:

Ali Wong joins the cast of 'Birds of Prey'

'Baby Cobra' comedian will play a supporting role in DC's female-centered superhero movie.



Ali Wong has nabbed a supporting role in the upcoming DC superhero movie Birds of Prey.

According to The Wrap, the Baby Cobra comedian will reportedly play an associate of Rosie Perez's Renee Montoya in the Gotham police force. I don't suppose there's any chance that she'll play a nunchuck-wielding superhero (or villain) actually named "Baby Cobra"? That would be fun.

Wong, who voiced Felony in Disney's animated hit Ralph Breaks the Internet, is currently a series regular on ABC's American Housewife, and released her second Netflix special Hard Knock Wife earlier this year. She also co-wrote and stars opposite Randall Park in the upcoming Netflix romantic comedy Always Be My Maybe.

Hey screenwriters! Apply to the CAPE New Writers Fellowship.

Submissions open through January 7, 2019.



Hey, screenwriters! This is an awesome opportunity. The Coalition of Asian Pacifics in Entertainment (CAPE) is now accepting submissions for one of its signature initiatives, the 2019 CAPE New Writers Fellowship, a talent and professional development program that trains emerging writers to succeed in Hollywood.

The New Writers Fellowship, led by top industry leaders, is comprised of a multi-week intensive with workshops and panels and a writing lab component. CAPE writers have been staffed on every major network, streaming platform and premium cable channel, as well as cable channels such as FX, Freeform, USA and more.

Here's some more information:

Bao is the most-watched Asian American movie of 2018

Watch the acclaimed Pixar animated short online in its entirety.



I just recently came to our attention that Disney/Pixar has released Bao in its entirety online. In case you haven't seen it yet, or feel like re-watching it and weeping big wet salty soy sauce tears.

Domee Shi's acclaimed animated short, which preceded The Incredibles 2 in theaters, centers on an empty-nesting Chinese mom who gets another chance at motherhood when one of her dumplings springs to life. But she must come to terms with the bittersweet revelation that nothing stays cute and small forever.

Check it out:

Speak out to protect immigrants from public charge

Today is the last day to submit comments against the Trump administration's unethical "public charge" rule.



Today, December 10, is the last day to submit a public comment opposing the Trump administration's unethical "public charge" rule, a set of broad regulations that threatens the lives of immigrant families.

According to the proposed regulation, immigrants who apply for lawful permanent resident status could be denied if they or their dependents, including U.S. citizen children, use certain government benefits such as nutrition programs and housing assistance. This is, simply, a nasty attack on immigrant rights, targeting some of the most vulnerable members of our community. No one should have to choose between basic needs like health care or feeding their family and not getting deported.

The government has to respond to every single public comment submitted about a proposed rule change. You can still get one in under today's deadline. Here's some more information, written and illustrated by artist Thi Bui (adapted from this slideshow originally posted by Asian Health Services) on the public charge rule and, more importantly, how you can take action right now.

Read These Blogs

'Crazy Rich Asians,' John Cho, Manny Jacinto honored for milestone year in Asian representation
'What a year, to say the least," said Jon M. Chu at Saturday night's Unforgettable Gala. This was in reference to his own life — getting married, having a baby, and directing the monstrously profitable movie Crazy Rich Asians -- as well as for Asian representation in Hollywood and beyond.

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The public charge rule is another tactic to strike fear among immigrant families
"It’s hard to imagine what it would be like to have to choose between putting food on the table to feed your family and protecting your own immigration status. But that is exactly what the Trump administration will be forcing immigrants to do with its latest policy proposal."

* * *
Lucky Cricket's Bad Taste
Andrew Zimmern’s Lucky Cricket is not the Chinese-American chain it hopes to be. A review by Soleil Ho.

* * *
Victims of War, and Now Victims of the Trump Administration
What is an appropriate punishment for a crime? The plight of thousands of Vietnamese refugees convicted of crimes in the U.S. and now threatened with detention or deportation demands an answer to this question.

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Amanda Nguyen Changed Sexual Assault Laws In America. Now She's Going Global.
27-year-old Amanda Nguyen has already substantially changed the way the justice system handles sexual assault cases in the U.S., and now she’s looking to make change internationally.

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How This Founder Is Using Storytelling To End Racism and Sexism
Villy Wang had a crazy dream: to create a new kind of social enterprise that helps kids who, like her, grew up in housing projects. Raised by an immigrant single mother in New York City, Villy’s desire to tell her story forged a passion for using the digital media arts to capture stories untold and to create social change.

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Planned Parenthood president: I have seen too many preventable deaths
"In my life as an immigrant living in low-income communities, as an emergency physician and as a public health advocate, I have seen more preventable deaths than I can count or recall."

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After Years of Fighting for Trans Kids, Laywer Mia Yamamoto Came Out Herself
Mia Yamamoto was born in a Japanese internment camp and served in the Vietnam War. Then, after she became a leading criminal defense attorney, she came out as transgender.

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How the Asian American Backlash to Affirmative Action Went Viral
WeChat has played a critical role in organizing anti-affirmative action activists.

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Test prep is a rite of passage for many Asian-Americans
Professor Julie J. Park looks into why Asian American test prep scores experienced a gain over last year.

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I'll Fight Anyone Who Says You Shouldn't Put Cheese on Your Ramyun
"Ramen is comfort food, a thing to soak up your regrets and get you through a rough day. But my favorite way to enjoy it has courted great controversy among my friends and family."

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Inside EastMeetEast, the Controversial Dating App That Raises Thorny Questions About Identity
What's the point of an "Asian4Asian" matchmaking service in 2018?

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How to Deal With "The Panic and Horror That Is Being a Human Right Now"
According to comedian Aparna Nancherla.

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'Crazy Rich Asians' Writer on What the Movie Has Done for Asian-American Scribes (Guest Column)
Similarly themed projects are advancing in the wake of Crazy Rich Asians' breakout success, says co-screenwriter Adele Lim, as success no longer means having to "think and sound and write like a white dude from Yale."

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Everyone’s Ready to Watch Greta Lee
A profile of scene-stealing actress Greta Lee, who's currently writing and developing the dark comedy Ktown for HBO. If the series gets picked up, it will be the first cable show ever centered on Asian Americans.

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The original Power Rangers share memories of Yellow Ranger Thuy Trang, who died at age 27
As part of an extensive oral history in Entertainment Weekly celebrating the 25th anniversary of the hit Fox Kids series' first season, the original Yellow Ranger's castmates share memories of working with their friend.

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‘Blindspotting’ Producer Jess Wu Calder Discusses Long Journey to Big Screen
An interview with Jess Wu Calder, producer of this year's Sundance smash Blindspotting.

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How 'Shang-Chi' Could Be Marvel's Next 'Black Panther'
"Shang-Chi is an opportunity to depart from the Asian martial artist as the sleek, unphased fighting machine, and instead our chance to get to know a distinct and highly-skilled character faced with challenging the perception pop-culture has so often attached to the Asian hero. Shang-Chi can be so much more than Marvel’s Bruce Lee."

Angry Reader of the Week: Sue Ding

"I'm a documentary filmmaker and interactive media producer, a storyteller and story collector."



Hello, good readers! It is time, once again, 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 Sue Ding.

A Film About Your Favorite Baby-Sitters Club Character

'The Claudia Kishi Club' explores the legacy of Claudia Kishi.



Here's a fun film project that could use your support. The Claudia Kishi Club, by documentary filmmaker Sue Ding, is a love letter to Claudia Kishi, the iconic Japanese American character from the Baby-Sitters Club book series, who inspired a generation of Asian American women and creators of color.

For many Asian Americans who grew up in the 80s and 90s, Claudia was the first time they saw themselves represented in popular culture. A main character in Ann M. Martin's best-selling series, she was one of the only Asian Americans in popular media when the books debuted in 1986. The Claudi Kishi Club explores the character's legacy as a rare Asian American protagonist, a meaningful role model, and of course, a style icon.

The film will feature interview with fans including YA authors C.B. Lee and Sarah Kuhn; comic artist Yumi Sakugawa; and me, Phil Yu, the founder of this website. They also interview producer Naia Cucukov of Walden Media, who is currently adapting The Baby-Sitters Club for a new live-action TV series.

Here's some more information about the film:

Hey! Look at all these Asians nominated for Golden Globes

Crazy Rich Asians, Killing Eve and American Crime Story score multiple nominations.



At this year's Emmy Awards, Sandra Oh declared "It's an honor just to be Asian." True that, but hey, winning some actual awards ain't too shabby either. Nominations for the 76th annual Golden Globe Awards were announced on Thursday morning, and this time, it looks like some Asian folks are invited to the party.

This summer's runaway rom-com hit Crazy Rich Asians scored two nominations, including Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy, and Best Actress in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy for Constance Wu.

Wu's nomination marks the first time in nearly half a century that an Asian woman has earned a Best Actress nod in either of the Golden Globe film categories. Previous lead actress contenders include Machiko Kyō for The Teahouse of the August Moon (1956), Nancy Kwan for The World of Suzie Wong (1960), Miyoshi Umeki for Flower Drum Song (1961) and Yvonne Elliman for Jesus Christ Superstar (1973).

Shang-Chi will be Marvel's first Asian superhero movie

The studio has hired Dave Callaham to write the screenplay.



At long last, an Asian superhero is getting their own Marvel movie. Marvel Studios is fast-tracking Shang-Chi, aka The Master of Kung Fu, to be its first superhero movie tentpole franchise with an Asian protagonist.

The studio has reportedly set Dave Callaham, who is Chinese American, to write the screenplay, and is looking for an Asian or Asian American director to helm the potential blockbuster.

According to Deadline, they're looking to give Shang-Chi the Black Panther treatment: "introduce a new hero who blends Asian and Asian American themes, crafted by Asian and Asian American filmmakers."

More here: 'Shang-Chi' Marvel's First Asian Film Superhero Franchise; Dave Callaham Scripting, Search On For Director Of Asian Descent

Read These Blogs

'Crazy Rich Asians' Flops at the Chinese Box Office
Hollywood summer hit Crazy Rich Asians received a tepid reception in its opening weekend in China.

* * *
Hasan Minhaj Invites You to Take Off Your Shoes
The host of Netflix's Patriot Act, turns a tested sphere -- the topical talk show -- into an immigrant home.

* * *
Tracy Ma Takes Us on a Typographic Tour of Manhattan's Chinatown
"Simplified Chinese doesn't equal accessibility."

* * *
How I Learned To Talk To My Filipino Mom About My Mental Health
Malaka Gharib had to find a way to talk to her Filipino mom about her mental health, and began with her acceptance of their different life experiences.

* * *
Meet Kerry Taniguchi, Chinatown/International District's Reluctant Santa Claus
In Seattle, a longtime Chinatown-International District volunteer flourishes in a new, unexpected role.

* * *
Finally, Transracial Adoptees Can See Ourselves Reflected in Literature
Celeste Ng's Little Fires Everywhere helped Taylor Moore process conflicted feelings about her own adoption.

* * *
Pep Talk from Min Jin Lee
Min Jin Lee, author of the acclaimed novel Pachinko, has some encouraging words for aspiring writers: "writing a book to find the answers to the questions of your heart will help you find the person you deserve -- it will give you your true writer's heart."

* * *
How Chinese Food in Los Angeles Emerged As the Best in the Nation
David R. Chan, who has eaten at 7,000 Chinese restaurants and counting, declares that the Chinese food in Los Angeles is the absolute best you'll find in this country.

* * *
The Green Book's Yellow Lining
While there have been many critiques of the film Green Book, Aki Marceau gives credit to the inclusion of Asian Americans in a story set in a developing New York of the 1960s.

* * *
The Extraordinary Vision of Hiro Murai
From Atlanta to "This Is America," it's been a breakout year for Donald Glover's chief collaborator. And the most thrilling part of all? Hiro Murai is just getting started.

* * *
Netflix's Lisa Nishimura is One of the Most Powerful Asian Americans in Hollywood
An interview with Lisa Nishimura, vice president of original documentary and comedy programming at Netflix.

* * *
The First Woman To Direct A Pixar Short, 'Bao's Domee Shi Is On Her Way To First Feature Project
The 20th helmer to take on a Pixar short since the mid-1980s, and the the first woman to do so, Bao's Domee Shi is now on the path to making her feature debut.

* * *
Why the women of Crazy Rich Asians reign supreme in their groundbreaking rom-com
The women of 2018's groundbreaking and box office-busting rom-com crown jewel Crazy Rich Asians have landed a coveted cover as one of Entertainment Weekly's "Entertainers of the Year."

* * *
Michelle Yeoh on Portraying "Formidable" Matriarch in 'Crazy Rich Asians'
The onetime action star also discusses the film's watershed moment for Asian representation, what made that mahjong showdown so thrilling and why the new crop of Asian actors are "our future."

* * *
Stop What You're Doing and Follow Peter Kim
Los Angeles-based stand-up comedian, writer, and actor Peter Kim talks about his start in comedy.

* * *
Tan France From Queer Eye's Tips For Style Confidence Are Actually All About Self-Love
Style expert Tan France's fashion and confidence advice is the perfect example of why Netflix's Queer Eye is such a success.