Read These Blogs

How Marvel's Shang-Chi had to "destroy" its own racist origins
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings rescripts the original Fu Manchu Marvel story.

* * *
Padma Lakshmi says disparaging Indian food isn't funny. It's ugly.
A columnist with The Washington Post recycled a tired, racist comment about "Indian curry" in a recent publication, and Padma Lakshmi is not having it.

* * *
A toxic stew of anti-Asian racism, anti-vaccine vitriol roils Orange County
In Orange County, Board of Supervisors meetings have become a place for racist, anti-vaccine rhetoric from groups of vocal community members.

* * *
Citing Solidarity in Asian American Documentary
As more places in the U.S.require ethnic studies in their curricula, Brian Hu suggests Asian American documentary films that showcase solidarity.

* * *
Three Asian Adoptee Poets Reflect on Craft, Adoption, and Anti-Asian Violence
Tiana Nobile, Ansley Moon, and Marci Calabretta Cancio-Bello chat about poetry, their experiences of being Asian American adoptees, and more.

* * *
The Imperfect Legacy of Romeo Must Die
"To Hollywood, the "hip-hop kung fu movie" was a short-lived fancy. To me, it was a phenomenon."

* * *
How a scrappy YouTube channel grew into a hub for Asian and Asian American talent
Wong Fu Productions has developed a reputation as a springboard for Asian and Asian American talent.

* * *
Meet SNL's Celeste Yim, the writer (and Emmy nominee) behind the memorable 'It Gets Better' sketch
Celeste Yim was the only writer hired by SNL last season. Now, she's been nominated for an Emmy.

* * *
'Shang Chi's Awkwafina and 'Eternals' star Kumail Nanjiani trade notes on their MCU debuts
Kumail Nanjiani and Awkwafina trade notes on their career-shifting Marvel debuts, carving uncharted paths in Hollywood and how to learn to stop worrying and let themselves have fun with it all.

* * *
How Sandra Oh Snuck A Massive Cameo Into The Chair
"...somewhere in the The Chair universe, Ji-Yoon aka Sandra Oh and Dr. Peter Seung aka Daniel-Freaking-Dae-Kim were together as a hot college professor couple, and now he's in Michigan teaching classes and being handsome and crying behind his handsome professor glasses as he pines over his ex-love. The spinoff truly writes itself."

'Arthur' is Getting a Sikh Character

Samir will debut in the upcoming special "Arthur's First Day."



Arthur, the beloved long-running animated kids' show, is getting a Sikh character.

When Arthur and his friends start the new school year, they'll meet some new classmates -- including a Sikh boy named Samir. The character will make his debut in an upcoming hour-long special.

In "Arthur's First Day," best friends Arthur and Buster get assigned to different classes on their first day of fourth grade and find themselves having to make new friends. Arthur gets to know Alex, a boy he went to third grade with. Buster, meanwhile, becomes buds with Samir as the two work together to solve a mystery.

The special is scheduled to premiere on PBS on September 6.

More here: 'Arthur', the iconic kids' show, is getting a Sikh character

California Passes Resolution to Celebrate "Kimchi Day"

Calfornia Assembly passes resolution officially declaring November 22 as "Kimchi Day"



The California legislature has passed a new resolution officially declaring November 22 as "Kimchi Day."

Under the bill, which was led by Californian Assemblyman Steven Choi, the day will celebrate the traditional Korean fermented side dish to promote the consumption of healthier food. Kimchi, according to the bill, is "an excellent source of probiotics, folate, beta-carotene, choline, potassium, calcium, and vitamins A, C, and K."

The bill also notes that "The increase in awareness of kimchi corresponds to higher awareness of Korean culture, including K-pop, K-beauty, K-food, and K-drama."

Okay, California. Why not? By the way, in my household, every day is Kimchi Day.

More here: California's assembly passes resolution to celebrate 'Kimchi Day'

Read These Blogs

I'm an Asian American woman in academia. Here's what 'The Chair' gets right
The Chair, starring Sandra Oh, is a new Netflix comedy set within a university English department.

* * *
Sandra Oh Is Agitating for Real, Culture-Changing Inclusion
In Netflix's The Chair, Oh plays an academic struggling to modernize an unwieldy institution. She's been bringing the same fight to Hollywood for decades.

* * *
I Can't Forget the Lessons of Vietnam. Neither Should You.
"Americans also like to think that wars end when they are declared to end. But the aftereffects of war continue for years." Viet Thanh Nguyen on the parallels of Vietnam and Afghanistan.

* * *
Stop Viewing Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders as a Monolith
Better data on Asian Americans can spotlight social problems and identify those in need.

* * *
A Rising Star's Career Was Cut Short. His Impact Is Just Beginning.
Anthony Veasna So died before the release of his first book, Afterparties, but his loved ones, mentors and newfound fans are making it a particularly significant debut.

* * *
Stevie Shao is Seattle's breakout muralist
At 23 years old, Stevie Shao has become one of Seattle's most recognized and in-demand muralists and illustrators.

* * *
Simu Liu is on the cusp of superstardom. But that isn't his end game.
As Marvel's first Asian superhero, Canadian actor Simu Liu is about to become a household name. But it's not enough to succeed on his own; he wants to bring his community with him.

* * *
COVID, Catharsis, and the Radical Power of an Ali Wong Blow Job Joke
What the (relative) normalcy of Ali Wong's summer tour meant after an especially isolating year and a half.

They Call Us Bruce 130: They Call Us Maggie Q

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 Maggie Q, who stars in the new action film The Protege. She talks about slipping back into the catsuit, breaking through in Asia before Hollywood, and proving doubters wrong -- especially when it comes to doing her own stunts.

Read These Blogs

What does Asian and Black racial solidarity look like
Black and Asian communities in America are often portrayed as in conflict with each other -- but that ignores the moments of solidarity, resistance and collective power.

* * *
The Asian Pop Stars Taking Center Stage
In the West, Asian musicians have long been marginalized. Now, though, a new generation of women are transforming their respective genres.

* * *
A Vietnamese refugee served as one of California's inmate firefighters. Then the state gave him to ICE
Phi Pham was due to be released early from Folsom State Prison, in part because of his explempary service as an inmate firefighter, but the state handed him over to ICE. He now faces deportation to Vietname -- a country he has never even been to.

* * *
A love letter to Sunisa Lee, and her Hmong parents.
Sunisa Lee, the Olympic champion, followed 'her light, her energy.' Her parents raised her differently than many Hmong girls. They all share in Sunisa Lee's success.

* * *
A Private-School Sex Educator Defends Her Methods
Justine Ang Fonte, a sex-positive educator, recently became the subject of angry reports after parents at two elite New York City schools complained about her curriculum.

* * *
Inside the Secretive, Semi-Illicit, High Stakes World of WhatsApp Mango Importing
Customs restrictions, high transport costs, and a short shelf life have made the world's greatest mangoes -- grown in Pakistan -- difficult to come by in the United States.

* * *
Ali Wong's Raunchy New Stand-Up Set Brings the Laughs We Need
Ali Wong's "Milk and Money Tour" hits the Beacon Theater at an uncertain time for live comedy. Luckily, the sex jokes are her funniest yet.

* * *
Meet "Spin" Star Avantika, Disney Channel's First Indian American Movie Star
The Disney Channel finally has its first Indian American movie star: Avantika, the self-aware and confident teen starring in the dramedy, Spin.

* * *
Manny Jacinto Is Moving on From 'The Good Place'
Manny Jacinto played "the ultimate himbo" Jason Mendoza for four years on The Good Place. Now he's ready to take on different roles.

* * *
‘Nine Days’ Helmer Edson Oda Talks Working With His Filmmaking 'Hero' Spike Jonze
Ever since Nine Days filmmaker Edson Oda won the Sundance Film Festival's Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award in January 2020, the prize has been a great boost of confidence whenever a little imposter syndrome kicks in.

For Us All: Fred Korematsu's Quest for Justice

New audio play tells the true story of the legal fight to overturn Korematsu v. United States.



L.A. Theatre Works presents For Us All, a new audio play based on the true story of a team of lawyers who used a little-known legal writ to fight and overturn the conviction of Fred Korematsu, unjustly sentenced for resisting the mass incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II.

Written by Jeanne Sakata, the cast includes Brookie Ishibashi, Derek Mio, Joy Osmanski, Josh Stamberg, Greg Watanabe and Paul Yen. It's available for purchase as an mp3 download (or CD), and includes a conversation with Sakata and four of the attorneys from the Korematsu v. United States case: Lori Bannai, Peter Irons, Dale Minami and Don Tamaki.

More here: For Us All

How, in 2021, do people not know that "chink" is a slur?

Devin Funches apologizes for saying "chinky."



Over the weekend during a press conference, Green Bay Packers receiver Devin Funchess used the word "chinky" to describe the smiling eyes of reporters. He clearly wasn't directing the slur at anyone; he wasn't even referring to any actual Asian person. It was, on the surface, a word uttered out of ignorance.

More here: Green Bay Packers WR Devin Funches apologizes for anti-Asian remark

But this incident, and the similarly casually racist Juventus slant-eye photo debacle, point to a bigger issue, as sports commentator Pablo Torre points out in this excerpt from the ESPN Daily podcast.

Suspect Arrested in Attack on Elderly Woman

80-year-old woman violently pushed in unprovoked assault.



In Honolulu, surveillance cameras caught a disturbing violent assault on an 80-year-old woman on the street. 37-year-old Jordan Wong was arrested Tuesday after violently pushing down the unnamed victim in an unprovoked attack. The woman fell to the ground, over the curb and landed in the shoulder of the road, hitting her head. She reportedly walked away from the assault, but suffered bruises and complained of back pain. Honolulu Police have classified the incident as a second degree assault.

More here: Suspect accused of knocking down elderly woman in Honolulu arrested

Read These Blogs

Op-Ed: For years, I got teased for wearing face masks. The pandemic changed that.
Cartoonist Mari Naomi was wearing masks before it was cool.

* * *
Suni Lee's win shines a bright light on the Hmong legacy
Atop the biggest stage in global sports, Suni Lee has lifted America's Hmong community on her strong shoulders, casting an important light on the triumphs and struggles of Hmong people -- a compelling American story that few Americans know."

* * *
Atlanta shooting victim's sons seek to unite Black, Asian communities in shared fight against hate
Robert Peterson's mother Yong Ae Yue was killed in the Atlanta spa shootings. Inspired by the support his family has received from the Black and Asian communities, he is determined to help both groups converge in their fights for greater equity.

* * *
Infinite Self
Rising writer Anthony Veasna So died unexpectedly last winter, before his debut book Afterparties was released. Everyone remembers him differently.

* * *
Sandra Oh Is Speaking
Sandra Oh on challenging the unbelievable pressure of being a modern woman.

Read These Blogs

Sunisa Lee didn't owe the U.S. gold. Her victory is a gift, especially to her Hmong community
"To be part of a diaspora means to create a home in lands that don't want you in them; to constantly carve out spaces just so you can exist. Lee is a product of that resilience."

* * *
Sunisa Lee Is Representing America in the Tokyo Olympics—and a Community America Left Behind
Suni Lee's place in the Tokyo Olympics carries the hopes of the U.S., and a Hmong community that has not always been embraced by the U.S.
* * *
Rivalry Without Racism
Can America compete with China and avoid fueling anti-Asian hate?

* * *
White residents burned this California Chinatown to the ground. An apology came 145 years later
More than a century ago, Chinese people in Antioch, California built tunnels under the city because they were forbidden by law from going outside after sundown. Then, white residents burned Chinatown to the ground.

* * *
Marking a Pandemic, One Crane at a Time
Grace Loh Prasad and her son took on what seemed like a simple project: fold one origami crane every day during the pandemic. Together, they discovered over the year how making art helps people bear the unbearable.

* * *
Can Joanne Lee Molinaro, the Korean Vegan, ever stop overachieving?
Joanne Lee Molinaro is a cookbook author, food blogger and partner at a major law firm who also happens to be a TikTok star in her free time.

* * *
Dev Patel, Starry Knight
The Green Knight offered Dev Patel a movie-star moment unlike anything he's done before. Could he conquer his insecurities and take the lead?

* * *
Michelle Zauner and Jiayang Fan on becoming their mothers' artworks
Japanese Breakfast frontwoman Michelle Zauner and New Yorker staff writer Jiayang Fan discuss the frantic need for creative expression and the emotional resonance of H Mart.