A LiveScience article reports on an interesting, new study finding that interracial couples invest more resources on their children. The study posits that the trend can be explained as compensation to balance social prejudices.
So-called biracial (aka interracial or multiracial) parents are more likely than their "monoracial" counterparts to provide their children with a home computer, private schooling and educational books and CDs and to make sure they participate in reading activities, dance, music or art lessons outside of school and get trips to the zoo, library and other cultural venues.
This year marks the fortieth anniversary of the Virginia v. Loving Supreme Court decision, striking down a state law prohibiting interracial marriage between whites and individuals of other races. Since 1967, the number of multiracial couples in the United States has more than tripled, as Asia Nation highlights, particularly among Asian Americans.
The study notes that the findings on an advantage for children of multiracial parents only holds when comparing the biracial couple with respective monoracial couples.
Posted by melanie at 12:58 PM | Comments (0)
Guest blogger Carmina Ocampo
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Immigration reform has forever been one of those make or break issues for Asian Americans. To put things way too simply, the Chinese Exclusion Acts of 1882 told Chinese people to stay the heck away while the 1965 Immigration and Nationality Act let everyone and their Asian mothers in. Given how fundamental immigration reform has been in constructing the varied racial/ethnic/sexual identities of Asian Americans, it's no understatement to say that the outcome of the immigration reform bill currently being debated by the Senate really matters.
It matters who stands to benefit from immigration reform. You'd think immigrants would benefit the most from immigration reform but that might not be the case. Unfortunately, the interests of big business and concern for furthering American global domination have wielded too much influence over the current immigration bill so far. Corporations are divided over what immigrants they prefer. Some corporations have advocated for reform that will yield highly skilled professionals while other corporations want greater access to lower skilled workers.
Continue reading "Where's the API Immigrant in Immigration Reform?"
Posted by rebecca at 8:53 AM | Comments (7)
Guest blogger Carmina Ocampo
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Amidst tense negotiations and angry protests, the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority board of directors voted to increase bus fares Thursday in a decision that will hurt the poor communities of color. The plan came as a result of a compromise proposed by Supervisors Gloria Molina and Zev Yaroslavsky, after the Board rejected the Mayor's plan that called for lower fare hikes.
The LA Times reported that under the new MTA plan, bus fares will increase from $1.25 to $1.50; the daily pass will go from $3 to $5 on July 1 and $6 in 2009; and the monthly pass will go from $52 to $62 on July 1 and $75 in 2009. (The original proposal was much more devastating, proposing to raise the fare from $1.25 to $2 and the monthly pass from $52 to $120 over the next two years).
According to the Bus Riders Union, most of MTA's 500,000 bus riders are members of the black and Latino working class who rely on public transportation on a daily basis. According to the MTA, the median household income of a bus rider is $12,000. Given these facts, the new plan will no doubt have a devastating impact on the poor people of Los Angeles, who struggle to support their families, commute long hours to work, and face a lack of affordable housing.
The bus fare issue has also concerned API community groups, considering that there are many API immigrants, especially undocumented immigrants, that rely on the bus for daily transportation. One Filipino careworker I recently met told me that she relies on the bus to commute to work everyday and attend meetings at the Pilipino Workers' Center.
Continue reading "Bus Rider Blues"
Posted by rebecca at 1:54 PM | Comments (0)
Contestant Luke Patterson will represent Great Leap at Mr. Hyphen 2007. Founded by Nobuko Miyamoto, Great Leap is a multicultural performing arts organization rooted in the Asian American community that promotes cross-cultural exchange through the creative and collaborative process of performances, workshops and community residences.
About Luke:
Rapper. Graffiti artist. Non-profit office hooligan. Mentor. Luke Patterson is many things to many people. He's an MC for the L.A.-based hip-hop group Aesthetics Crew. He's an organizer against police brutality. He's a role model to youths who need it the most, through his work at the APA Youth Resolution Center. Most importantly though, Luke wants to bring together the multi-cultural communities and he'll even tame a lion while riding a unicycle blindfolded to do so. With a multi-talent like this it shouldn't take much to make that great leap to Mr. Hyphen infamy!
I would hope to do a lot of work in building bridges between the Asian & Asian American communities with other communities of color. Through my work I have seen that there is still a lot of ignorance, stereotypes and mis- or non-communication between our community and other Black and Brown people. I would like to do a lot of work breaking down stereotypes and pre-conceived notions of who “Asians” are, what we can be beyond the model minority ideas, and how strong we can be politically and community organizing-wise. I think that if our communities are all united on a deeper level of understanding and respect, not just on the surface of acceptance of each other, then we can make real progressive change for all of us together.
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Mr. Hyphen 2007 will take place on Saturday, June 9
at the Oakland Asian Cultural Center.
Buy tickets here.
Posted by rebecca at 8:16 PM | Comments (5)
Anonymous, free, racy... and a bit racist as well. Blossoming behind the silkscreen of anonymity, Craigslist personals reveal deep-seated racism, discovers Wendi Muse, writing at Racialicious. Muse trained her gaze on America's most cosmopolitan city, New York, monitoring and analyzing a full week of the Craigslist Personals section.
The posts offer an array of stereotypes---the Asian, the Black, the Latino and the White---including the expected fetishism and outright racism, but also more subtle clues of association. The things people will admit to when they think no one knows who they are.
Why so much racial discrimination when seeking a mate on the urbanite's favorite site for free furniture and new apartments? Posters seem to use the ethnic and racial sterotypes as prepackaged descriptions of what they seek, instead of answering the probing questions a personals ad requires: Who am I?, What am I looking for in a date?. It's far easier to default to tag-lines and pre-packaged images of 'the kind of person' one wants, riddled with racist cues though they may be: a traditional Asian girl, a spicy Latino man, a bossy Black woman, just a normal white guy.
Continue reading "The Personals of Racism"
Posted by melanie at 12:05 AM | Comments (0)
Mr. Hyphen 2007 contestant Tingwei Lin will represent the East Bay Asian Local Development Corporation, which develops affordable housing and community facilities with integrated services, focusing on Asian and Pacific Islander communities and diverse low income populations in the East Bay area of California.
About Tingwei:
I hope to be a positive representation for Asian American males and the Asian American community as a whole. I guess I'd like to help that one awkward kid struggling with his identity by perhaps giving him an alternative archetype of Asian-ness than is typically presented. Damn, I know i struggled with it a lot growing up.
For Tingwei Lin, pride and humility comfortably coexist. A champion swimmer, he credits his humbleness to his years spent a la Speedo in the public eye. Although he still maintains that coveted swimmer physique, Tingwei now channels his efforts into helping those in the APA and low income community buy their first homes, save for college and start their own businesses. With that athletic build and heart of gold, you'll agree there's not a "Ting" wrong with him!
As a friend observed, I have been growing more and more into my Asian-ness, my Asian identity, since I moved to California almost 2.5 years ago. Envisioning myself as Mr. Hyphen is a culmination of all of that self-acceptance.
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Mr. Hyphen 2007 will take place on Saturday, June 9
at the Oakland Asian Cultural Center.
Buy tickets here.
Posted by rebecca at 2:52 PM | Comments (3)
Mr. Hyphen 2007 contestant Jason Woo will represent the California Dragon Boat Association, which provides education and instruction to the general public on dragon boating; enhances bonding and interaction among different ethnic and cultural groups locally, nationally and internationally; and provides youth programs centered on paddling activities and leadership.
About Jason:
At the age of 20, I was blessed with the opportunity to join the San Francisco Fire Department. Being exposed to the real world so early in life, I felt that I had to mature quickly. Life is short, enjoy it. I never waste a second in my life.
Jason Woo can probably kick your ass. An avid snowboarder, cyclist, swimmer and any-form-of-physical-activity enthusiast, Jason was the recipient of the Firefighter of the Year award in 2004 for rescuing people whose boat had capsized off of Ocean Beach. And if that isn't enough, he's mentored youth in Daly City, CA through Asian American Recovery Services and is a member of the Asian Fire Association. However, it is his work with the Dragon Boat Association that has led him to forge cultural understanding using paddling sports, turned him into a high school Dragon Boat coach and ultimately, a competitor at the World Championships of Dragon Boating. Not that he'll use his incredible powers against if you if you don't, but giving Jason a hearty "Woo!" when hits the stage couldn't hurt.
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Mr. Hyphen 2007 will take place on Saturday, June 9
at the Oakland Asian Cultural Center.
Buy tickets here.
Posted by rebecca at 4:37 PM | Comments (0)
Former AsianWeek columnist Kenneth Eng was arrested and jailed last week on harrassment and assault charges.
Continue reading "Kenneth Eng arrested"
Posted by harry at 2:46 PM | Comments (0)
Mr. Hyphen 2007 contestant Anthem Salgado will represent Babae SF. Though not a card-carrying member, he believes in Babae's mission of addressing the rights and welfare of multi-generational Filipino women through educational discussions and organizing campaigns.
About Anthem:
He's run 26 miles for an AIDS marathon, learned steer wrestling from Apache Native Americans and walked little old ladies across the street. All this in addition to being a production manager at Kularts and a board member of the Mind Power Collective! An artist in his own right, Anthem is the Jan Brady in the middle of nine siblings. He also has Jedi mind powers. We bet you'll be pledging your allegiance to this Anthem by the end of the night.
I've been mistaken for about every type of Asian, even by other Asians. And after learning about the Vincent Chin story as a young adult, I realized my responsibility to self-represent that pan-Asian connection rather than simply undergo it.
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Mr. Hyphen 2007 will take place on Saturday, June 9
at the Oakland Asian Cultural Center.
Buy tickets here.
Posted by rebecca at 3:04 PM | Comments (5)
Contestant Jeffrey Sichaleune will represent the Midwest Asian American Students Union at Mr. Hyphen 2007. As a coalition of Asian American student groups, MAASU fosters political unity in the Midwest. It promotes leadership, encourages APIA students to work toward social change, and assists schools with the establishment of APIA student organizations and programs.
About Jeffrey:
Personality-wise, I am like a durian--so weird, but so good.
The Washington-born librarian is no stranger to the pageant circuit. A runner-up in the Mr. Asian University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign pageant, Jeffrey has taken an incredibly active role in the Asian American community from his days at the Midwest Asian American Students Union and helping develop the UIUC Asian American Cultural Center in 2005, to his involvement with the Asian/Pacific American Librarians Association today. Discovering early in his academic life that engineering wasn't the path for him, Jeffrey eventually went on to earn a master's degree in Library and Information Science. His tenacity and intelligence sure puts the Dewey in our decimal!
I choose all of my activities with deliberate intention and hope to inspire and motivate others ... I would like to continue working with college students and mentor the next generation of conscious Asian American activists. Anecdotal evidence states that college is the best time of a person's life. Research points out that many people develop their Asian American identity in college, so the intersection of these statements can imply that college students are the foundation of the Asian American community. They are going to be our future leaders that serve interdisciplinary interests and are united by their common Asian American identity. ... As a self-identified Southeast Asian, I also think it is important to work with underrepresented Asian American groups to highlight the diversity of Asian Americans.
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Mr. Hyphen 2007 will take place on Saturday, June 9
at the Oakland Asian Cultural Center.
Buy tickets here.
Posted by rebecca at 2:57 PM | Comments (1)
Mr. Hyphen 2007 contestant Billy Yeh will represent My Sister's House, which provides services for battered Asian and Pacific Islander women and children. Services include a shelter, culturally and linguistically appropriate domestic violence intervention, support groups, community outreach and intervention and a 24-hour multilingual crisis line.
About Billy:
Given the stark difference in the exposure given to Asian men vs. Asian women in the media, and the underrepresentation of API issues, I believe Mr. Hyphen has a duty to generate positive exposure for not only Asian men everywhere, but also API issues. Moreover, the seemingly irreparable damage done to our species by one William Hung, with whom I'm embarrased to admit sharing the same alma mater, needs to be undone.
An enthusiast of "long walks on the beach, beautiful sunsets," Billy Yeh wasn't always the Adonis you see today. After years of physical intimidation by his older brother, Billy hit the gym and transformed himself into what he humbly refers to as "the body of a god." In doing so, and subsequently wrestling his sibling into submission, Billy demonstrated the strength and willpower that served him well as a chair of UC Berkeley's Asian Political Association. He's hoping you'll feel the same and give him a big "Yeh" as he struts it down the stage.
Where others zig, I zag. Where others tic, I tac and toe. Where others rock, I scissor... you get the point.
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Mr. Hyphen 2007 will take place on Saturday, June 9
at the Oakland Asian Cultural Center.
Buy tickets here.
Posted by rebecca at 2:39 PM | Comments (3)
Super-popular blog Feministing has been running a series of brief commentaries by Asian American women -- mostly from the grassroots membership-based org National Asian Pacific American Women's Forum (NAPAWF) -- entitled "Voices of API Women."
Continue reading "API Women Speak Up on Feminist Blog"
Posted by neela at 12:35 PM | Comments (19)
Just in case you didn't catch the May email newsletter, the following Asian American men will battle it down on stage for the chance to win the Mr. Hyphen crown and a prize donation to their chosen nonprofit:
Tingwei Lin, East Bay Asian Local Development Corporation
Luke Patterson, Great Leap
Anthem Salgado, Babae
Jeffrey Sichaleune, Midwest Asian American Students Union
Jason Woo, California Dragonboat Association
Billy Yeh, My Sister's House
Saturday, June 9
7 - 10pm
Oakland Asian Cultural Center
Stay tuned for more on the contestants' finer points [ahem]...
Posted by rebecca at 4:55 PM | Comments (2)
What have some of our past Mr. Hyphen contestants been doing? Well, if you're Alain Dang, you've been authoring ground-breaking studies.
Continue reading "LGBT API Survey"
Posted by melissa at 10:48 AM | Comments (1)
Just a quick note to say Yau-Man Chan, one of the favorites to win Survivor: Fiji, got voted out in the final episode. My colleague Chuck Barney describes the episode here. In other Survivor news, previous winner Yul Kwon has a gig on CNN.
Continue reading "Yau-Man Chan doesn't survive, Yul Kwon on CNN"
Posted by harry at 2:50 PM | Comments (0)
A couple months out of the year I get no sleep because not only am I working on Hyphen stuff outside of my day job, but I’m also working on Slant, a little film festival in Houston. We’re in our 7th year, and it takes place next weekend.
Slant screens Asian American shorts (each film is 30 minutes or less). We’ve shown a lot of emerging filmmakers who have gone on to do great things. (Michael Kang, Alice Wu, Greg Pak, just to name a few)
Continue reading "Slant Film Fest in Houston Next Weekend"
Posted by melissa at 8:58 PM | Comments (0)
Two New York radio show hosts were fired for airing a prank call to a Chinese restaurant in which the caller ordered "shrimp flied lice," claimed he was a student of kung fu, and compared menu items to employees' body parts.
Continue reading "CBS fires Dog House With JV & Elvis shock jocks"
Posted by harry at 4:13 PM | Comments (13)
I [heart] spelling bees. I was totally one of those kids, even though I never got that far. After my local fifth grade victory, I sank into despair with an early disqualification the next year, crying silently onstage as the winner was slowly and painfully revealed. I'm not sure which was more embarrassing: losing out early or crying onstage.
Continue reading "Can't Wait for the Bee"
Posted by rebecca at 6:23 PM | Comments (2)
I was poking around make-up megastore Sephora the other day while waiting for a meeting and came across this display for Shalini Vadhera’s Global Goddess line. Come to think of it, I was actually looking for some concealer that would match my skin tone and there it was – a whole line of beauty products made by a South Asian woman, catering to different skin tones.
Continue reading "My Global Goddess Dilemma"
Posted by neela at 12:49 PM | Comments (5)
Begrudgingly, I awoke this morning to attend a “mandatory” 9 AM class because the instructor had written me an email specifically asking me to attend. My attendance record is substandard at best. While walking along the empty streets of Telegraph Avenue, I was well aware that today was International Workers’ Day and the anniversary of the Great American Boycott of 2006, but my main objective was to get my name on the class sign-in sheet and then promptly zone out. From the estimates I’d read in most major newspapers, I was doubtful that this year’s protests would bring out millions, shut down major freeways and make the voices of 12 million undocumented immigrants and their allies heard around the world like the protests of 2006.
However, despite my low expectations I was surprised by the paltry attendance of this major event by the students at the supposed activist capital of the world, UC Berkeley. Last year I remember the campus was nearly shut down as hundreds of students crowded Sproul Plaza, chanting “Si, se puede!” and holding signs that declared: “The Pilgrims Didn’t Have Green Cards!” and “No Human is Illegal!,” all in solidarity with the protests rocking the nation from March to May in 2006 – the largest protests in American history. Instead, this year’s contingent was a jumbled group of 30 or so impassioned students imploring walkers-by to join the boycott. People ignored them, figuring that it was just another ineffectual “Berkeley thing.” Embarrassed and slightly ashamed, I grabbed a flyer and sauntered off to class.
As I shuffled through the door, the graduate student instructor smiled and said with more than a hint of sarcasm, “I’m glad you made it.”
Racked with guilt coming from all sides, I looked at him and said, “Uhm, you know, there’s a boycott of classes today…”
He looked at me incredulously and said, “Dude, are you serious? Don’t walk out. I used to do that shit all of the time and there’s nothing more useless you could do to help immigrants than walking out of class. Trust me.”
Continue reading "May Day mayday???"
Posted by jason at 5:29 AM | Comments (10)
Alright all you bay people, here's one for you:
Celebrate APA Heritage Month by joining (H)API Hour for an event with the Coalition of Asian American Government Employees (CAAGE) at The Chinese Historical Society of America!
There, you can check out the new exhibit & museum theatre piece, Remembering 1882: Fighting for Civil Rights in the Shadow of the Chinese Exclusion Act.
*The special guest will be San Francisco Assessor-Recorder Phil Ting, the city’s highest ranking elected APA.*
Continue reading "(H)API Hour at the Chinese Historical Society of America"
Posted by lisalee at 2:09 AM | Comments (0)
In a YouTube posting, Kenneth Eng, the former AsianWeek columnist says the Virginia Tech shootings were the "funniest thing" he'd ever read about.
Continue reading "Kenneth Eng Takes Credit for Virginia Tech Shootings"
Posted by harry at 3:34 PM | Comments (4)
Hello Southern California!
(H)API Hour is hosting a "warm up" party for Visual Communications' VC FILMFEST 2007 this Wednesday, May 2nd, 2007. Attend and meet filmmakers and their cast members!
Continue reading ""Warm Up" Party in Little Tokyo, Los Angeles"
Posted by lisalee at 11:00 AM | Comments (0)
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