Robert Aaron Long faces four other murder charges in a neighboring county.
The man accused of killing eight people at a string of Atlanta-area spas pleaded guilty on Tuesday to four counts of murder in suburban Cherokee County and will serve four consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole plus 35 years in prison. Robert Aaron Long, who already admitted to investigators that he was responsible for the March 16 shooting spree, still faces four other murder charges in nearby Fulton County, where the prosecutor is seeking the death penalty.
Mindy Kaling Responds to Backlash Over South Asian 'Velma'
Mindy Kaling, who will produce and star in an animated Scooby-Doo spinoff, Velma, questions why people couldn't imagine "a smart, nerdy girl with terrible eyesight" as Indian.
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 Ted Kim, Yong Kim and Han Hwang, aka Seoul Sausage Co., fresh from the finale of Food Network's The Great Food Truck Race All Stars. They talk about returning to reality TV, how gamesmanship took the competition to the next level, and the bowl of egg rice that made a grown man cry.
Thuy Is in Her Bag
Vietnamese American songstress Thuy has carved out a space for herself both within and beyond the community of self-made Asian American musical artists that have emerged in the streaming era.
Justin Chon Confronts a Broken American Dream in Blue Bayou
In his first interview about his buzzy Cannes premiere Blue Bayou, acclaimed writer/director/star Justin Chon says his film "represents what America feels like and looks like."
It's Time to Pronounce Asian Names Correctly
Andrea Y Wang wrote her middle grade novel The Many Meanings of Meilan to explore the feeling of otherness when someone renames you without your consent.
St. Lenox's American Songs
Singer/songwriter Andrew Choi, who makes music as St. Lenox, writes richly evocative songs about religion, death, and society when he's not working his day job as a Manhattan attorney.
Follows four Asian American women on a journey of "no-holds-barred wild debauchery."
Adele Lim, co-writer of Crazy Rich Asians and Raya and the Last Dragon, will make her directorial debut helming an untitled R-rated comedy for Lionsgate and Point Grey Pictures.
Starring Tony and Grammy-nominated actress Ashley Park, the project follows four Asian American women as they travel through Asia in search of one of their birth mothers. Along the way, their experience becomes one of bonding, friendship, belonging, and no-holds-barred wild debauchery that reveals the universal truth of what it means to know and love who you are. The film will be written by Cherry Chevapravatdumrong and Teresa Hsiao, from a story by Chevapravatdumrong, Hsiao and Lim.
"This journey began with me, Cherry and Teresa -- my friends and comedy writing heroes -- wanting to tell a story with characters who look like us, about women who are messy and thirsty, but have so much heart," Lim said. "Point Grey and Lionsgate have been incredible allies and partners from day one, and I am thrilled to be making my directing debut with them on a story that’s so special to me."
"I want to take a gun and go down there and kill these individuals."
Last week in Philadelphia, someone sent an anonymous letter to community leaders threatening to "shoot Cambodians." The typed, one-page letter, reportedly sent last week to the office of the Cambodian Association of Greater Philadelphia, accuses Cambodian residents of setting off fireworks at all hours in Mifflin Square Park.
The letter's author claims to be a Marine suffering from traumatic stress disorder after serving tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan. He also claims to own several guns. "I want to take a gun and go down there and kill these individuals," the letter reads. "I am writing you to let you know when I do freak out and try to kill these people that it is your fault for not going to them and encouraging them (it is in their best interest) to stop doing this and remain alive!"
The association, which believes the letter is blatant, targeted racial intimidation, plans to address the incident during a news conference on Friday at the park. The letter has been reported to Philadelphia police and other investigative agencies.
18-year-old gymnast will be the first Hmong American athlete to compete at the Olympics.
On Sunday, 18-year-old gymnast Suni Lee placed second at the U.S. Olympic Gymnastics Trials, automatically earning a spot on the U.S. Olympic team and qualifying for the Tokyo games. Lee, the three-time 2019 World Championships medalist who finished second to Simone Biles, is believed to be the first Hmong American athlete to complete at the Olympics.
The Return of Han
After his killer was welcomed to the team with open arms in The Fate of the Furious, the ninth installment of the Fast franchise is once again bending the laws of nature to bring back fan favorite Han, played by Sung Kang.
A letter to my parents about depression and mental illness
"I'm sorry you’re reading this in the newspaper. I know you might fear the consequences of sharing my struggles so publicly. But now, at 33, I no longer believe my depression is something to be ashamed of."
* * *
How hate incidents led to a reckoning of casual racism against Asian Americans
While Asian Americans have dealt with overt discrimination for centuries, experts say the recent attention on anti-Asian racism amid the pandemic has led many to reflect on the everyday, quiet, yet insidious forms of racism that Asian Americans often endure.
More Than 'Just Takeout'
A new generation of Chinese American chefs is celebrating the inventiveness, resourcefulness and deliciousness of American Chinese food with menus dedicated to the classics.
* * *
The Best Way to Clean Your Ears: With a Spoon
Doctors strongly discourage people from scraping inside their ears. But knowing better and doing it anyway is part of what makes us human.
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 director Justin Lin, chief architect of the Fast & Furious film franchise. He talks about getting back behind the wheel for F9, #JusticeForHan, and The Good, The Bad and The WTF of bringing back a beloved character from the dead.
This week, Disney Animation Studios will celebrate the release of its movie Raya and the Last Dragon by working with St. Jude Children's Research Hospital to spread joy through a series of virtual events for St. Jude patient families and its generous supporters.
Raya and the Last Dragon is an epic journey to the fantasy world of Kumandra where Raya learns that it takes more than a dragon to save the world. It takes trust and teamwork -- timeless themes reflected in the pioneering research and lifesaving treatment delivered at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital for kids with childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases.
I have always
had an explosive temper. As a kid, it felt too big for my body—a monster that
lived inside of me, pounding against the walls of my chest, screaming to be
released into the wild. My anger burned fast and fierce and bright, and I quickly
learned that the only way for a girl to handle that monster was to put it in a
cage. Shove it down into the depths of your body until you can't hear it scream
anymore.
Little girls
aren't supposed to let that anger spill out of them, to draw others into their
messy maelstrom of chaos. And, as societal stereotypes constantly remind us,
little Asian girls aren't supposed to even feel that anger in the first place.
We're supposed to be sweet and small and dutiful. We're supposed to offer
ourselves up for the consumption of others.
Maurene Goo's young adult novel is described as 'Roman Holiday' meets 'Before Sunrise.'
Netflix has picked up the film rights to Maurene Goo's young adult novel Somewhere Only We Know, a romantic comedy set in the world of K-pop. Adapted by writer Lana Cho, the story is described as Roman Holiday meets Before Sunrise, following a massive K-pop star and a tabloid photographer as they wander through the neon streets of Hong Kong, finding both adventure and love.
Stella can't stop her racist rant, much to the embarrassment of her friends.
In Charlotte, North Carolina, an unruly Uber passenger was caught on video verbally abusing an Asian American driver, cursing him out and telling him to "go back to Asia," much to the embarrassment of her friends. The altercation apparently started when the women gave the driver the wrong address. The driver kicked the passengers out of his car at a gas station after the woman, named Stella, cursed him out and called him a "chink." Even outside the car, Stella cannot stop, despite her friends pleading with her to shut the fuck up and get out of there. She threatens, for some reason, to call 9-1-1. The driver, understandably, has had it.
"I am appalled and embarrassed and want to barf that I ever mouthed along to that word."
Billie Eilish has apologized after a video surfaced of her apparently mouthing along to a song as an anti-Asian racial slur is used. The singer posted a statement on her Instagram account addressing the edited compilation of videos, which was widely circulated on TikTok earlier this month. Eilish says the videos in question were recorded when she was 13 or 14 years old. In one clip, Eilish mouthed the word "chink" -- which she claims she didn't know was a slur at the time -- and in another video she apparently imitated an accent.
Seems like sooner or later, somebody always digs up some racist bullshit you did in your young past -- whether you knew it was racist or not. It's like a twisted celebrity rite of passage.
Chronicling the photos and stories of immigrant small business owners of Los Angeles' Koreatown.
Koreatown Dreaming, by photographer/filmmaker Emanuel Hahn, chronicles the photos and stories of Korean immigrant small business owners who helped build Los Angeles' Koreatown into the iconic neighborhood that it is today. According to the book's Kickstarter, the project was borne out of a sense of urgency around documenting the stories of Koreatown, in a time of rapid change and uncertainty. The book features 40 establishments across retail, services, community spaces and restaurants, with photography, poetry, and essays by Katherine Yungmee Kim, Lisa Kwon, Cathy Park and Dumbfoundead.
The Water in May
In a letter to his young son, the actor Ken Leung tells the story of his brother, who tragically drowned in Thailand, and the incredible journey it took to bring him home.
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 Jon M. Chu, who directed the new film adaptation of the hit musical In The Heights. He talks about bringing Lin-Manuel Miranda's vision to the screen, making sure you get the sauce right, and why this is the movie the world needs right now.
The Beautiful, Flawed Fiction of 'Asian American'
"As long as the United States remains committed to aggressive capitalism domestically and aggressive militarism internationally, Asians and Asian Americans will continue to be scapegoats who embody threat and aspiration, an inhuman 'yellow peril' and a superhuman model minority."
* * *
The Cost of Being an 'Interchangeable Asian'
At some top companies, Asian Americans are overrepresented in midlevel roles and underrepresented in leadership. The root of this workplace inequality could stem from the all-too-common experience of being confused for someone else.
* * *
I am Asian American. No hyphen required
"Every time we call ourselves Asian American, we are making a powerful political statement that we are American, and we belong here."
I'm Tired of Trying to Educate White People About Anti-Asian Racism
"I am ready to stop chasing after those who need to see your deepest wounds on display before they will even contemplate believing your words. I've lost the energy or desire to educate or provide reasoned, patient answers to anyone who still needs to be convinced that Asian people face discrimination and violence in this country."
'This could have been me'
The six victims of Asian descentin the Atlanta-area mass shooting represented a diverse community. Their deaths have united many Asian American women.
* * *
Why Don't We Know Mitsuye Endo?
Mitsuye Endo participated in a landmark Supreme Court case challenging the right of the government to hold citizens in concentration camps like Topaz.
* * *
Those 5 Words
It's time to stop saying 'Me love you long time.'
The Silence of My White Friends After Atlanta
"I strangely found more comfort on Twitter with fellow Asian Americans—most of them creatives and artists—than I did from my own best friend."
In many Asian American families, racism is rarely discussed
According to a 2019 Pew Research Center survey, only 13 percent of Asian adults said race came up "often" in conversations with friends and family, compared with 27 percent of Black adults.
* * *
Some Korean pastors say they need to be more vocal about racial justice
Pastor Byeong Cheol Han, who presides over the Korean Central Presbyterian Church of Atlanta, felt it was vital to condemn white supremacy and systemic racism after the March 16 massacre in Atlanta. Many other ministers discouraged him from doing so.
The Term 'Asian American' Has an Impossible Duty
In a moment of pain, the descriptor "Asian American" has become a galvanizing force. But what happens when you lump together a group of people whose lives differ so vastly?
'But I'm Just Like You'
The moment when illustrator Ruth Chan learned what it meant to be the 'other' in America.
* * *
Uncovering the History of America's First Koreatown
A Korean-American professor discusses the most gratifying research of his career, into Riverside's Pachappa Camp -- the first Korean community in the United States, predating the founding of Los Angeles' Koreatown .
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 DC Comics Editor Jessica Chen, the mastermind behind DC Festival of Heroes: The Asian Superhero Celebration, a new comics anthology spotlighting Asian superheroes and creators. We discuss why superhero representation matters and do some deep-cut nerding out over Batgirl, Samurai, Jim Lee and more.
"...but we're still here; And we're going strong; And we're getting tired of proving we belong."
I'm proud to share "We Belong '21," the new track from Magnetic North & Taiyo Na, featuring Ann One.
Back in 2010, Magnetic North & Taiyo Na's "We Belong" was a rallying cry for humanity and belonging amidst the AAPI community's experiences with erasure, exclusion and absurdity. Sampling Asian American folk pioneer Chris Iijima's "Asian Song" on the chorus, the song was part of a larger thematic album Home:Word, where homeland and refuge were explored from an Asian American migrant perspective.
Unless you've been actively putting your head in the sand -- and let's face it, this is entirely possible -- you know that there's been a near-daily deluge of reports of attacks on Asian Americans. Upon hearing the details of yet another violent assault, in which the attacker told the victim, "You don't belong here," I was reminded of Iijima's lyrics: "...but we're still here; And we're going strong; And we're getting tired of proving we belong."
I begged Theresa, Derek and Taiyo to get back on the mic to record an updated version of "We Belong." It just felt like we needed it. Turns out, they were already thinking about revisiting the song in light of recent events, particularly the mass shootings in Atlanta and Indianapolis. And they have delivered.
"We Belong '21" adds layers of urgency and relevance to the original track, delving deeper into experiences of a community being appropriated and othered while pointing towards the possibilities of solidarity and action to bring us forward. The soulful Ann One lends her voice to sing Iijima's timeless words.
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 our good friend Paula Yoo, author of the young adult book From a Whisper to a Rallying Cry: The Killing of Vincent Chin and the Trial that Galvanized the Asian American Movement. We discuss the legacy of the case, the incredible amount of research that went into this book, and the importance of chronicling this story for younger generations.
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 Kelly Marie Tran, who stars as the titular voice in the Disney animated feature Raya and the Last Dragon. She talks about getting her life-changing role in Star Wars, the surreal significance of playing a Disney princess, and the appropriate response to seeing yourself on a billboard.
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 screenwriters Adele Lim and Qui Nguyen, and head of story Fawn Veerasunthorn, key creators from the Disney animated feature Raya and the Last Dragon. We discuss swords, swearing, and the challenges of making a movie during a global pandemic.
Keeping Love Close
What does love look like in a time of hate? Asian and Asian American photographers respond.
* * *
He Was Charged in an Anti-Asian Attack. It Was His 33rd Arrest.
Many people arrested in assaults on Asian residents in New York have had a history of mental health episodes, arrests and homelessness, complicating the city's search for an effective response.
Why So Many Asian Americans Are Learning Remotely
Asian American students are far more likely to be learning remotely than members of any other racial or ethnic group in the United States. Because of the racism.
‘Kung Fu’ Rights the Wrongs of Its Ancestor
CW's gender-flipped martial arts reboot of Kung Fu departs from its 1970s predecessor by having a predominantly Asian American cast.
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 Rep. Grace Meng, who represents New York's 6th congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives. The congresswoman talks about taking leadership amidst tragedy in the Asian American community, seizing this moment of hypervisibility, and accepting our stories as American stories.
Swelling Anti-Asian Violence: Who Is Being Attacked Where
Over the last year, people of Asian descent have been pushed, beaten, kicked, spit on and called slurs. Homes and businesses have been vandalized. The violence has known no boundaries, spanning generations, income brackets and regions. Using media reports from across the country, The New York Times attempted to capture a sense of the rising tide of anti-Asian bias nationwide.
America Ruined My Name for Me
"I cannot detach the name Bich from people laughing at me, calling me a bitch, letting me know that I'm the punch line of my own joke."
* * *
Sen. Mazie Hirono Wonders How Some Republicans Live With Themselves
"Even after being elected to the Senate in 2012, the Hawaii Democrat Mazie Hirono was, by her own choosing, a politician little known outside her home state. Then, around 2016 and the election of a particularly divisive president, Hirono, who was born in Japan and is the Senate's only immigrant, decided that staying under the radar was unsustainable."
The History of Anti-Asian-American Violence
The filmmaker Renee Tajima-Peña discusses the Atlanta shootings, the murder of Vincent Chin, and the complexities of Asian identity in the United States.
10 Essential Podcasts From AAPI Creators
"These podcasts explore the richness and complexity of Asian American identity, and emphasize how AAPI history is integral to American history."
On Building a Brighter Future, Together
Nicole Kang, Leah Lewis, Momona Tamada, and Adeline Rudolph—talented actors and close friends—came together for a roundtable discussion full of love and support about the state of Asian inclusivity in Hollywood and their hopes for what's next.
