How I Became an Asian American
"I hope Mr. Chin becomes an even more potent symbol of overdue justice not only for Asian Americans but for all Americans who know their worth is more than what racism and capitalism demand."
Don’t be fooled — Asian American voters are more progressive than you might think
"The Asian American community can be a progressive political force at the polls. However, political leaders, parties and organizations must make some serious long-term and sustained investments in our communities — not just when they need our votes."
Gene Luen Yang on the corniness and coolness of Captain America -- the hero who is a flag on the move.
"The hero who dresses like the American flag. You can't get much cornier than that." As a young comic book reader, Gene Luen Yang didn't think much of Captain America. To be honest, he summarily dismissed Marvel Comics' star-spangled superhero as a dork -- and certainly nowhere near as cool as the X-Men.
But over time, Gene's relationship to Cap has evolved -- much like the flag, and America itself. In his foreword to the new Penguin Classics Marvel Collection edition of CAPTAIN AMERICA, the award-winning comic book creator shares about coming around to the appeal of Captain America's undeniable dorkiness, and his connection to Cap as a fellow child of immigrants. We're delighted to share Gene's foreword here:
It's Been 50 Years. I Am Not 'Napalm Girl' Anymore.
For decades, Kim Phuc Phan Thi has struggled with the infamous photo of her at fleeing a bombed village when she was 9 years old. Today, she thinks of the children of Uvalde, cautioning that school shootings are the "domestic equivalent of war."
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By Accident of Birth
NPR's Throughline tells the story of Wong Kim Ark, who forever changed the path of American immigration law in the 1897 Supreme Court cast United States v. Wong Kim Ark.
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This photographer's surreal images explore the complexity of Asian American identity
Photographer Michelle Watt's portrait series "Lunar Geisha" is an exploration of Asian American female identity, examining who how East Asian women are perceived by society, how they are thrust into playing certain roles, the ways in which they become complicit in those stereotypes and the ways in which they rebel against them.
Worst Episode Ever Returns to Remind Us Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers Once Went Bizarrely Racist
"It’s absolutely crazy this cartoon was made barely more than 30 years ago. In fact, the episode is so problematic that it was redubbed and re-edited after it originally aired in 1990, and that’s the only version currently available for viewing, and it still has the warning in front of it. And it should!"
May We Please Just Date Without Hate?
An Asian American college couple tries to let their young love bloom, but racist incidents keep disrupting their honeymoon phase.
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You're called a 'model minority' as an Asian American — until they decide you aren't
"Privilege-adjacent. Invisible at times. As an Asian American, that's how I typically used to think of my minority status. Society labels us the "model minority" when it is convenient. Sometimes we're models to be emulated — when we're not on the receiving end of people's fear, anger and suspicion."
One 'underdog' candidate sees opportunity in N.Y. maps mess
New York congressional candidate Yuh-Line Niou is vying with better-known Bill de Blasio and Rep. Mondaire Jones, but she sees an opening with an electorate that is 20 percent Asian American voters.
The Doughnut Kids Are All Right
The next generation of Los Angeles doughnut shop owners are preserving, innovating on, and continuing a uniquely Khmerican experience.
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Elvis reimagined as an Asian American icon
Tommy Kha has photographed a number of people who emulate Elvis Presley over the years, but in this portrait he offers himself as the American icon.
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Chan Is Missing: Lost (and Not Found) in Chinatown
The 1982 film distills a set of broad social themes through intimate snapshots of San Francisco's Chinatown neighborhood and its delightful panoply of personalities.
How Wayne Wang Faces Failure
Filmmaker Wayne Wang discusses his political and artistic education, the contradictions of being Asian in America, and the importance of "unlearning everything."
A photographer's journey to reconnect with his Chinese American identity
"These images tell the story of not only those who were brave enough to build new lives in America but the story of the generations that came after; how they persisted with their dreams and fought for their culture to exist in a society that wasn't welcoming."
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What Corky Lee Taught Me
Photographer An Rong Xu pays tribute to Corky, who passed away in January last year. For decades, Lee worked to not only document the day-to-day lives of Asian Americans, but also to correct American history that left out Asian Americans.
Asians in Hollywood Are Finally Showing Their True Selves, Flaws and All
"The power of Everything Everywhere All At Once lies in its comfort of not performatively overcorrecting for the non-Asian audience. An Asian film need not get upon stilts to drive the point home that 'these are not your typical Asians.' We've already passed the audition. The characters should simply be because there is room for everyone."
Ellen Pao on What Asian American Women Need from Workplaces TIME talked to four Asian American women who have built successful careers within their own industries while advocating alongside other AAPI professionals to build better workplaces for their communities.
Finally! After seven decades in show business with over 600 film and television roles to his name -- perhaps the most credited Hollywood actor in history -- legendary actor James Hong is being honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. At 93 years old, he is the oldest actor yet to receive this distinction.
Most recently, you may have seen him playing Michelle Yeoh's father in Daniels' genre-bending multiverse epic Everything Everywhere All at Once. Here's a featurette from A24 with his cast mates including Yeoh, Ke Huy Quan and Stephanie Hsu, talking about Hong and his pioneering career:
The term 'Asian American' has a radical history
"Asian American" is a term that is both ambitious and contentious, depending on who you ask... There are significant limitations to a single category that encompasses such a vast and diverse population. But despite its imperfect nature, scholars of Asian American history say that the term's origins suggest that it has immense potential, too.
A Story of Succession on a New Jersey Farm, in 'Seasons'
Nevia No's mother, who emigrated from what is now North Korea, was embarrassed of her chosen profession as a farmer; in turn, Gabriella Canal and Michael Fearon's documentary about Bodhitree Farm focusses on Nevia’s desire to pass on her work to her own daughter.
Wayne Wang Still Isn't Satisfied
On the 40th anniversary of his breakthrough drama, Chan Is Missing, director Wayne Wang says a new generation of Asian American filmmakers must make more challenging work.
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Memories of a Vibrant Moment in Asian American Cinema
"To understand our contemporary moment, we must look back at the 1980s and ’90s, when cultural media organizations and film festivals that supported Asian American filmmakers robustly programmed a diversity of aesthetic approaches."
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Young Hollywood Was Asian
The playboys, half-castes, outsiders, and sirens who made motion pictures.
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'Fresh Off the Boat' Was Just the Start
Though Fresh Off the Boat has ended, executive producers Jake Kasdan and Melvin Mar are continuing to lead TV’s expansion in Asian American and Pacific Islander representation.
NBC picks up reboot of popular 1990s sci-fi time travel drama.
NBC has given a series order to Quantum Leap, a reboot of the popular 1990s sci-fi time travel drama. A Quantum Leap reboot was inevitable. What was not inevitable, but is awesome: it stars Raymond Lee.
The original series starred Scott Bakula as Dr. Sam Backett, a scientist who finds himself trapped in the past, "leaping" into the bodies of different people on a regular basis and sorting out their problems whilst trying to get back to his own time. The show ran for five seasons and actually ended with Sam never returning home.
The reboot is set in present time. It's been 30 years since Sam stepped into the Quantum Leap accelerator and vanished. Now a new team has been assembled to restart the project in the hopes of understanding the mysteries behind the machine and the man who created it.
It was previously reported that Lee will play Ben Seong, who is described as both a scientist and man of faith. He's a world-renowned physicist working on the Quantum Leap time travel project. Other cast members include Caitlin Bassett, Ernie Hudson, Mason Alexander Park and Nanrisa Lee.
I was such a huge fan of the original show, so I welcome this reboot. But the fact that Quantum Leap will star an Asian American lead is kind of mind-blowing. Hell yeah, Raymond Lee. Count me in.
Upcoming anthology of AAPI spoken word, slam, and poetry of oral traditions to be published in 2024.
Attention, poets! Haymarket Books invites Asian American and Pacific Islander poets, spoken word poets, slam poets, and poets who consider themselves part of various oral traditions to submit their work for an anthology of AAPI spoken word, slam, and poetry of oral traditions to be published in 2024.
This anthology (title pending) seeks to celebrate poetry from the space where Asia, the Pacific, and “America” meet. This project seeks to interrogate what we mean when we say “AAPI poetry,” lean into the complexities of solidarity-building, and highlight what connects our stories. Gathering prominent spoken word artists of the 80s and 90s with contemporary voices in literary publishing, this collection makes a case for the importance of the oral tradition in accountings of Asian/Pacific American literary histories and futures. We seek an aesthetically, demographically, and politically diverse range of poetic work, with an ultimate commitment to fighting—and imagining beyond—imperialism across our diasporas. The editorial team of this anthology are Franny Choi, Terisa Siagatonu, No'u Revilla, and Bao Phi.
You can submit up to three poems for consideration. The deadline is July 1, 2023. For further information, go here: OPEN CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS
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 writer/director Kate Tsang and actress Miya Cech to talk about their film Marvelous and the Black Hole. They discuss making a different kind of Asian American coming-of-age movie, working with the inimitable Rhea Perlman, and mastering the secrets of sleight of hand.
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 the legendary, incomparable Michelle Yeoh, star of Everything Everywhere All at Once. She talks about being the center of the multiverse, embracing absurdity, and playing a role unlike anything she's done before: the fantastically mediocre Evelyn Wang.
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 writer/director Daniel Kwan (one-half of Daniels) and actress Stephanie Hsu to talk about everybody's new favorite film Everything Everywhere All at Once. They discuss meaningful pelvic thrusting, why Stephanie is actually a witch, and the exclusive secret origin of "Jobu Tapaki."
One Garment's Journey Through History
The evolution of the traditional Korean hanbok is a lens into the history of the country, which is now being traced in the series Pachinko.
Experts: Asian population overcount masks community nuances
Advocates and academics believe the overcounting of the Asian population by 2.6% in the 2020 Census likely masks great variation in who was counted among different Asian communities in the U.S., and could signal that biracial and multiracial residents identified as Asian in larger numbers than in the past.
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The Mysterious Man Who Built (and Then Lost) Little Tokyo
The remarkable hidden history of Tony Yoshida, who transformed a single block in New York City, helped start the cocktail revolution -- and inspired John Belushi to become a samurai.
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Kim’s Video Survives at Alamo Drafthouse
Youngman Kim explains to IndieWire his strange journey from growing up on an Air Force base in Korea to becoming the proprietor of a legendary movie collection.
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 a generational icon: Ke Huy Quan, who stars in the film Everything Everywhere All at Once. He talks about his humble beginnings as a child actor in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom and The Goonies, how Crazy Rich Asians inspired his triumphant return to acting, and how to kick ass with a fanny pack (but not on the first take).
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 back our old friends Rebecca Sun of The Hollywood Reporter and Dino-Ray Ramos of Diaspora to discuss our new favorite movie, Daniels' multiverse masterpiece Everything Everywhere All at Once. From Ke Huy Quan to butt plugs to hot dog hands, this film has it all and then some.
Do Your AAPI Employees Feel Safe Coming Back to Work?
Because of an increase in racism, xenophobia, and hate crimes targeted specifically against the Asian American Pacific Islander community, many members are scared to come to work because they don't feel safe.
Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022) Everything Everywhere All at Once is a love story between parents in a strange land and a daughter they're doing their best to rescue from alienation and depression. A review by Walter Chaw.
The Quiet Ascent of Justin H. Min
He found fame playing a ghost in Netflix's The Umbrella Academy. Now he's an android in After Yang, holding his own opposite Colin Farrell. In the human realm, though, he's simply Justin: an actor of rare and sensitive gifts, with deep and wide-ranging ambition, working hard to ready himself for his moment.
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 Shirley Li (The Atlantic) and Anita Li (The Green Line) to talk about Meilin Lee and Disney/Pixar's animated feature Turning Red. They discuss the incredible specificity of this Chinese Canadian story, what makes a film "relatable" and why it's so meaningful to let your teen girl characters go "AWOOGA!"
It's September 2021, year two of the Coronavirus pandemic -- and the world premiere of Silent River at Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival (otherwise known as 'VC'). Among many of my friends, I haven't seen the director, Chris Chan Lee, in quite a while. After the film, I avoid the crowd and slip out but send Chris an email asking if he'd like to talk about his latest work via Zoom? I feel pretty sure the conversation will be something to document. Five months later, the film has been gaining critical momentum, earning its recent award at the Paris International Film Festival. Here's an excerpt:
Jae: Okay, so -- when I started getting involved with making my own films and eventually my own art projects, I started to see the processes and the results as self-diagnosis.
Chris Chan Lee: Mm.
Jae: How does that sit with you with regards to Silent River?
CCL: Well, you know, when I sit down to write, I never first think about the thematic content. I just think about, like telling the story, right? But I definitely notice a pattern with everything that I do that's not necessarily intentional: it's always about dealing with past and like regret and stuff like that. So that's always inherent in my work.
What White Men Say in Our Absence
"I wonder if the men who attacked and killed us are the same men on the Internet who argue that we make better wives because we don't talk or fight back and that we make for easy sex because we are, after all, such easy prey."
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Asian American Women Fight Back
At a self-defense class in New York after the latest anti-Asian attack, one student said, "I feel like I have an army of sisters."
Asian Americans Have Always Lived With Fear
"For some, deep down, my ordinary Korean face — small, shallow-set eyes, round nose, high cheekbones, straight dark hair — reminds them of lost wars, prostitutes, spies, refugees, poverty, disease, cheap labor, academic competition, cheaters, sexual competition, oligarchs, toxic parenting, industrialization or a sex or pornography addiction."
"We're just trying to protect you."
A 20-year-old died of a GHB overdose in an older man's home. For two years, his family has called on police to reopen their investigation.
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Michelle Yeoh Finally Loses Her Cool: "What Have I Got to Lose?"
The ballerina who became a beauty queen who became a Hong Kong martial arts star lets loose onscreen and gets the Hollywood top billing she's long deserved in the madcap metaphysical romp 'Everything Everywhere All at Once.'
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What Turning Red means to me as an AAPI parent
For Clarissa Cruz, eeing a proudly nerdy Chinese Canadian 13-year-old with traditional parents and and supporting friends at the center of a Pixar movie was moving and important.
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 Iris K. Shim, writer/director of the feature film Umma. She talks about working with the one and only Sandra Oh, incorporating traditional Korean cultural elements into a horror story, and whether or not her own umma will watch her movie.
The Podcast In Which We Interview All The Asians On Star Trek.
All The Asians On Star Trek is the podcast in which we interview all the Asians on Star Trek. In Episode 22, we welcome actress Jacqueline Kim. She played the role of Ensign Demora Sulu -- daughter of Hikaru Sulu -- in the 1994 feature film Star Trek: Generations. Her other acting credits include Volcano, Disclosure, Xena: Warrior Princess, ER, The West Wing, Charlotte Sometimes and Advantageous, which she also co-wrote and produced. We discuss her brief stint at the helm of the Enterprise-B, her forays into domestic science fiction, and her evolution as a multi-disciplinary artist, including her recent work as a musician and composer.
I'm Done Being Your Model Minority
Author Patricia Park rejects the model minority myth, especially during a rise in anti-Asian hate crimes.
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She's Combating a Wave of Anti-Asian Hate
Cynthia Choi, an activist in San Francisco, anticipated the pandemic would lead to more attacks against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. She and others are documenting the surge.
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How Did This Many Deaths Become Normal?
The U.S. is nearing 1 million recorded COVID-19 deaths without the social reckoning that such a tragedy should provoke. Why?
Punk Rock's New Hope: The Ferocious, Joyful Linda Lindas
Fueled by punk conviction (and snacks), this all-girl, school-age band is ready to release its debut album, Growing Up, nearly a year after its song "Racist, Sexist Boy" went viral.
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 Oscar-winning filmmaker Domee Shi, writer/director of the Pixar animated feature Turning Red. They discuss making an unapologetically Asian Canadian story, intergenerational drama, releasing the beast within, and accepting your whole self -- even your whole self is a giant red panda.
Can a Restaurant Become a Second Home?
Years after filmmaker Bao Nguyen left his suburban home for college in New York City, he's begun to search local restaurants for a taste of home.
Patti Harrison Means It (Except When She Doesn't)
The rising star of comedy discusses I Think You Should Leave, corporatized wokeness, A.D.H.D., and humor that swerves between sarcasm and sincerity.