January 21, 2010
Keep Your Promise to Immigrants, President Obama
For far too long, there has been a stalemate in Washington, DC, on the issue of comprehensive immigration reform. Despite a promise from President Obama to make immigration reform a top priority and to pass legislation by fall of 2009, here we are in the new year with no legislation signed into law. Rather, immigrant communities, particularly Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities, have had to wait on the sidelines while healthcare reform has been debated. Now, we are being asked to wait again with an impending stimulus bill, climate change legislation, and an escalating war in Afghanistan.
Yet the political climate, despite its current contentious nature, is still conducive to achieving comprehensive and meaningful reform. We have a Democratic president in office who supports immigration reform as well as a Democratic House. Though the Senate no longer has a filibuster-proof majority, most of the members are still Democrats and can help to push through a pro-immigrant agenda. Our position may not appear as strong as it was less than a week ago, but your support can make the difference.
Continue reading "Keep Your Promise to Immigrants, President Obama"
Posted by Guest at 1:28 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)
January 16, 2010
Thoughts on Haiti and 'Temporary Protected Status'
It's something that strikes me, just how briefly we've been here. My father remembers, however bare that memory may be, the year when Emanuel Celler, Philip Hart, and Ted Kennedy pushed through legislation abolishing the use of preferential quotas in determining immigration rights. That year, the trickle of immigrants from Asia turned into a flood. Continue reading "Thoughts on Haiti and 'Temporary Protected Status'"
Posted by Winston at 1:56 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack (0)
January 8, 2010
Support the Campaign for Ethnic Studies
To our Bay Area readers: hope you'll be able to support the Campaign For Ethnic Studies' efforts to bring culturally- and community-relevant education to the diverse students of the San Francisco Unified School District. Show up to the SFUSD school board meeting Tuesday, January 12 at 5:00 pm.
Keep reading for pertinent info from the Campaign for Ethnic Studies:
Continue reading "Support the Campaign for Ethnic Studies"
Posted by Sylvie at 11:39 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
December 14, 2009
Hyphen Gift Guide: Charity Edition
Feeling that consumer fatigue? Afraid of amassing a closet-full of unwanted presents doomed to a downward spiral of serial re-gifting? Consider diverting your dollars from stuff to substance by donating to a worthy charity. This Hyphen gift guide presents a diversity of nonprofits serving APIs and people of color: from youth organizing to music education to anti-trafficking, we're sure you'll find something worthy of your generosity.East Bay Asian Youth Center (EBAYC)
EBAYC works
with low-wealth youth of all ethnicities (although primarily Asian) in Oakland's San Antonio
neighborhood, as well as their parents and schools, to
inspire young folks to be leaders and builders of a just and
compassionate multicultural society. EBAYC provides long-term case
management to foster school re-entry, service access, employment, and
skill development. Donate here.Continue reading "Hyphen Gift Guide: Charity Edition"
Posted by Cynthia at 12:20 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
November 24, 2009
Idealize This! | Feminism
For most of my life, I've acted the part of the fiery feminist activist. At age 10 (before I even knew "feminist" as a word) my surprisingly cogent defense of biblical Eve moved my evangelical father into surrendering his argument that women are the root of all evil. At age 16 (when I only knew "feminist" as a term of derision) I scandalized my Filipino teachers by conducting an (albeit amateurish) study charting gender discrimination within Republic Central high schools. And by age 19 (when I proudly donned my first signature "this is what a feminist looks like" T-shirt) my transformation seemed complete. In those enlightened times, I was fond of telling people, "You're probably a feminist -- you just don't know it yet."So thrilled was I to have found a word -- an ideology, a movement! -- which embodied my long-standing belief system that I didn't realize until much later the foolishness of such a proclamation; feminism isn't, after all, defined by one's inherent, unarticulated views on gender (however progressive those may be), but is rather a conscious, political choice one makes after considering and asserting those views.
These days, a much more educated, experienced, and cynical me teeters on the fence. Some days, I hear feminism derided by an ignoramus with a beer and the beast inside rears its rosy head in indignation. Other days, my oft-broken heart smarts at the memory of old friends and activists whose feminist ideals didn't stand in the way of their marginalizing a person of color, or objectifying another woman, or even downplaying the sexual assault of a friend. Most of the time, my commitment to social justice advocacy doesn't feel as though it requires a label so I have the room to vacillate.
However, my indecision peaks about every six months.
Continue reading "Idealize This! | Feminism"
Posted by Catherine at 1:28 PM | Comments (6) | TrackBack (0)
October 31, 2009
9500 Liberty Offers Compelling Look at Immigration Debate
For those in urban centers who are insulated from the immigration debate, 9500 Liberty offers revealing view of the contentious battle going on elsewhere in the country. The documentary film, produced by Eric Byler and Annabel Park, chronicles what happened in Prince William County, VA, after a law was passed in 2007 requiring police officers to question anyone they believed had "probable cause" to be an undocumented immigrant.
Continue reading "9500 Liberty Offers Compelling Look at Immigration Debate"
Posted by Harry at 1:13 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)
October 29, 2009
Calvin Sun's Keynote Speech at SERCAAL
I thought this was an excellent keynote speech given by Calvin Sun at last week's Southeast Regional Conference of Asian American Leaders (SERCAAL)*. I first came across Calvin's work several years ago on Asian American female body image while he was still in college, during which time he also helped create an annual college film festival and was also Columbia's former senior class VP. He's usually involved in a million different passions, activist and not, and it says a lot that he was chosen to speak, given the other speakers they've had. I believe the experiences, perspectives, and ideals he shares here sound representative of a lot of other passionate mid/late-twenties Asian American activists right now helping to shape the country in their own ways. Sun mentions being inspired by Better Luck Tomorrow, which leads me to wonder how influential BLT has been in awakening other Generation-Y Asian Americans...*conference name corrected, with thanks to Julia Yip
Posted by Alvin at 1:12 PM | Comments (3) | TrackBack (0)
October 28, 2009
Eavesdropping on 24,000 Women at the 2009 Women's Conference
Twenty-four thousand women gathered in Long Beach, CA over the past two days at the second annual Women's Conference. Under the leadership of California First Lady Maria Shriver, the conference gathered together luminaries from Madeleine Albright and Arianna Huffington to Annie Leibovitz and Richard Branson with the goal of empowering women as the future's "Architects of Change."
Here's what we heard...
Continue reading "Eavesdropping on 24,000 Women at the 2009 Women's Conference"
Posted by Han at 3:04 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)
October 21, 2009
Could You Do a Year of No Flying?
When my friends Anirvan and Barnali, two South Asian Americans living in Berkeley, CA, plugged their numbers into one of those carbon footprint calculators a few years ago, they found out theirs was bigger than 90 percent of Americans'. And they don't even have a car! The culprit was international air travel. So, they decided to make a point and travel around the world for a year without using planes, and talk to people "exploring solutions to transportation and the climate crisis."
Continue reading "Could You Do a Year of No Flying?"
Posted by Neela at 6:04 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)
October 18, 2009
Code for America Hopes to Make Government as Addicting as Facebook
This month, I met Leonard Lin as he was on the move, something that seems to go hand in hand with his personality.Amidst the boxes and the chaos, this multi-hyphenated entrepreneur mentioned there were a lot of barriers to making government really efficient and accessible, despite the hallowed web 2.0 ticker parade that met Obama's election (Lin was a part of the team behind the social media software for Obama's campaign). He almost said the idea of "Government 2.0" was a pipe dream -- almost.
His newest venture, the newly minted Code for America, hopes to make it a reality. Versed in launching other social magnets like the ubiquitous event-sharing site, Upcoming.org, Lin hopes to make government as appealing as Facebook. "What if you could have an iPhone app to track potholes?" he asked.
Continue reading "Code for America Hopes to Make Government as Addicting as Facebook"
Posted by Han at 5:34 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)
September 26, 2009
Wanted: Asian American Men for Mr. Hyphen
There's still time to apply to be a contestant in the Mr. Hyphen competition. We're looking for a few good Asian American men who have what it takes to take the reins from 2008 winner Aristotle Garcia. Continue reading "Wanted: Asian American Men for Mr. Hyphen"
Posted by Harry at 2:12 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)
September 11, 2009
Idealize This | Solidarity Tipsheet
My last column, about the ethical differences between charity and solidarity, was a heavy-handed critique of NYT Magazine's "Saving the World's Women" issue. Good criticism, however, ought always be tempered by practical suggestions for improvement. So, for this week, I've distilled the opinions of other critics, suggestions of notable theorists, and my own rich reserve of activist foibles into 3 simple (albeit wordy) tips for doing solidarity work the right way. Tip #1: Realize that, no matter how much you know, you actually don't know shit.
When Americans set out to work transnationally, we have a tendency to assume that our education, or experience, or even underprivileged upbringing makes us both "insiders" into other people's struggles as well as qualified to tell them how to address it. Please don't make the mistake of thinking that a poli sci major, a backpacking trip through Southeast Asia, and/or a stint as the president (and incidentally only member) of your local Amnesty International Chapter makes you qualified to be anything more than an asshole just shy of completing an undergraduate degree.
Continue reading "Idealize This | Solidarity Tipsheet"
Posted by Catherine at 12:43 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)
September 10, 2009
Old News: Larry Itliong and the Delano Grape Strike
This week marks not only Labor Day but also the 44th anniversary of the Delano Grape Strike: on September 8, 1965, 1,500 Filipino American workers walked off their jobs on grape-growing farms in California in order to demand fair wages and benefits.
It made history. When the Agricultural Workers Organizing Committee, composed mainly of Filipino American workers, merged with the Mexican American-led National Farmworkers Association (NFWA) to form the United Farm Workers of America (UFW), the grape strike grew to include tens of thousands of farm workers and eventually achieved a national boycott. The strike would continue until 1970, and is now known as a linchpin in the the modern farm labor movement. Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta, the leaders of the National Farmworkers Association, are well-known and regarded as organizing heroes for immigrant farm workers' rights. But lesser known are the Filipino workers who led and originated the strike efforts and were often marginalized within the union itself -- like Larry Itliong.
Continue reading "Old News: Larry Itliong and the Delano Grape Strike"
Posted by LisaKo at 3:17 PM | Comments (3) | TrackBack (0)
'The Goods,' Ethnic Media, and Putting Your Money Down
Recent protests over the Pearl Harbor scene in The Goods (in which Ken Jeong's character gets attacked by fellow car salesmen for looking Japanese) succeeded in getting the offensive bit removed from trailers. But did it really change the attitudes that screenwriters or directors have about race or stereotyping? Did it show that Asian Americans have influence over how Hollywood portrays us?Continue reading "'The Goods,' Ethnic Media, and Putting Your Money Down"
Posted by Harry at 3:00 PM | Comments (14) | TrackBack (0)
September 8, 2009
Action Alert: Call Your Congressperson About the Public Option!
Just an action alert here: please call your Congresspeople today and tell them that you support the public option for health insurance reform. (Dial 202-224-3121 and tell the operator your zip code to get a list of your representatives in both houses -- or just tell the operator which representative you wish to be connected with. Be sure to leave a message, if you don't get an actual person. Your message should include the fact -- if true -- that you will vote at the mid-term elections based on your representatives' performance on this issue.)
Obama is making a speech tomorrow that could be in support of the unacceptable "trigger" option, which postpones public health insurance. You can contact the White House as well, but it's far more important to keep the pressure on the legislature to hold firm on the public option.
Continue reading "Action Alert: Call Your Congressperson About the Public Option!"
Posted by Claire at 12:32 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack (0)
August 27, 2009
Idealize This | The Ethics of Solidarity
One of the first things a (good) transnational activist learns is the practical meaning of solidarity -- which, as the latest issue of New York Times Magazine illustrates, is a concept not easily grasped by even the worldliest and most committed of advocates. This week's installment of the NYT Magazine manages (for the most part) to thoughtfully and contextually explore the plights of Third World women, while examining some of the the hard realities of transnational activism. Nevertheless, the clear subtext of the articles belies the contributors' apparent commitment to building real and lasting solidarity movements. As journalist Edwin Okong'o points out, the lead feature paints a rather two-dimensional (albeit compassionate) portrait of life in the brutal third world, but shies away from covering the efforts of impactful Third World activists and movements in favor of spotlighting the high-dollar (emphasis on the $) development projects of western nonprofit organizations.
The collective implication of the pieces (particularly as underscored by articles like "The Power of the Purse," "Do It Yourself Foreign Aid," and the issue's own title: "Saving the World's Women") outlines a rather paternalistic view of solidarity, in which the savagery of the Third World must be resolved through the philanthropic efforts of the West. Tragically, for the Third World, solidarity is not about westerners recognizing how terrifyingly crappy things are "over there," and subsequently dedicating a relatively minuscule portion of their grossly exorbitant resources to save the undeveloped from themselves. If only progress and partnership were so simple.
And: if only Asian Americans, by virtue of our heritage(s), were innocent of the above-mentioned paternalism. Unfortunately, you don't have to be white to bear the White Man's Burden -- Sheryl WuDunn, one of the issue's key contributors, is herself Chinese American. And, as Americans, egoistic benevolence is part of our national identity. On the bright side, we do have one up on our Western counterparts: while we can certainly appreciate the value of a dollar with regard to international development, some of us may also have distilled from our multicultural rearing a more practical understanding of the profound importance and subtle complexities of this mysterious thing called solidarity.
Continue reading "Idealize This | The Ethics of Solidarity"
Posted by Catherine at 9:40 PM | Comments (4) | TrackBack (0)
That's Not My Name: Lord, It's The Samurai! Intervention
Just got tipped to an excellent new intervention critiquing the San Francisco Asian Art Museum's latest orientalist extravaganza, Lords of the Samurai. My anonymous source sent me the link to Lord, it's the Samurai!, a brilliant goof on this year's summer blockbuster which replicates the show's official website with a twist -- it offers a detailed, pointed, and well-researched deconstruction of the problematic exhibition. The faux-site points out the less-than-savory aspects of samurai culture that the Asian Art Museum conveniently glosses over, including the militarism, slavery, pederasty and misogyny inherent in the "code of the warrior."Continue reading "That's Not My Name: Lord, It's The Samurai! Intervention"
Posted by Melissa at 9:15 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack (0)
August 17, 2009
Margaret Cho Takes Action
I'd like to thank Margaret Cho for graciously agreeing to be the cover model for Hyphen's Action Issue. The theme is right up her alley. She's known as much for her community activism as she is for her comedy.
Continue reading "Margaret Cho Takes Action"
Posted by Harry at 3:48 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
August 10, 2009
Idealize This | An Introduction to Hyphen's Handbook for Idealists
As do-gooding overachievers straddling transnational, cross-cultural and inter-generational divides simultaneously, Asian American activists are a breed unto ourselves. Carefully crafted by overbearing parents into perfectionist pinnacles of productivity, we boast: cognitive abilities honed at a young age by bilingualism, an inviolable sense of duty and discipline instilled by the stringent mores of a conservative household, and bleeding liberal hearts touched by the experiences of prejudice and injustice that come from growing up mixed-raced, multicultural, and/or just plain different. Not to brag, but we are also awfully good-looking. This favorable combination of intelligence, skill and soul that forms the Asian American Activist is unique among do-gooders. We could be social change powerhouses, if we wanted to.
We have been before, after all. Prior to touching these shores, our
activist forebears staged revolutions throughout Asia: the Indian
Independence Movement founded on passive resistance, the People Power
Revolution of the Philippines which peacefully ousted a corrupt
dictator, the Indonesian National Revolution which freed the country
from colonial Dutch rule... and so forth. Just a few decades ago, our
own American progenitors founded the Yellow Power Movement and coined
the term "Asian American" as a statement of unity and rejection of
racial stratification.Today's Asian American activists are, by comparison, doin' alright... We're not radicals, but we're still out there, putting our skills to good use. We may have mainstreamed a little, either shedding ourselves of our seemingly incidental Asian American cloak or hyphening ourselves out the American way with a string of extremely specific identity markers, but the point is we're still activists. Activating. Against stuff. Or for stuff, whichever the case may be.
Continue reading "Idealize This | An Introduction to Hyphen's Handbook for Idealists"
Posted by Catherine at 10:00 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)
Categories
Recent Entries
Archives
Resources
Hyphen is a nonprofit mag with an all-volunteer staff that does it all for the love. Support us by subscribing!
