What is Hyphen?
Why is your magazine called Hyphen?
Does the "hyphen" stand for "Asian (hyphen) American?"
Who does Hyphen cover?
Why is Hyphen a nonprofit?
Does your fiscal sponsor fund Hyphen?
How does Hyphen raise money?
Do all Hyphen staffers have day jobs?
Where can I find Hyphen?
Who are Hyphen’s readers?
Will I be interested in Hyphen if I'm not Asian American?
How can I help?
Why are all of the Hyphen staffers so good looking?
Hyphen is a nonprofit news and culture magazine covering Asian America. We run investigative features, personality profiles and provocative commentary on the trends and newsmakers shaping one of the fastest growing populations in America.
Hyphen was founded by a group of San Francisco Bay Area journalists and community leaders who saw the need for a national Asian American magazine that would go beyond Lucy Liu, sushi and yet another examination of the “model minority” story. We are dedicated to covering independent artists, musicians and writers — people you won’t find in mainstream publications.
Hyphen is run completely by volunteers with major decisions made collectively. The hundreds of hours spent by writers, artists, editors, circulation managers, designers, web gurus, bloggers, grant writers and everyone else are all unpaid. It's a labor of love.
Why is your magazine called Hyphen?
Hyphen refers to the debate surrounding so-called "hyphenated identity." Some Asian Americans resist the idea that they are somehow not fully "American" when they are labeled "Asian American." Others wear the identity proudly, while some shrug it off as irrelevant. We believe these differences of opinion reflect the dynamism and complexity that define today’s Asian America. Our magazine uncovers these tensions while exploring what it is that ties us together.
Does the "hyphen" stand for "Asian (hyphen) American?"
No. We do not hyphenate Asian American, or any other ethnic minority. The hyphen has been controversial in Asian America and many people have fought hard to get it removed.
We chose the title Hyphen for a lot of reasons. For one, it symbolizes the controversy of ethnic identity and representation in America—the issues that have galvanized the community in the past — and asks an silent question: What will we be fighting for in the future?
Secondly, we liked the idea of the hyphen as a connector. As a punctuation mark, the hyphen acts as a bridge between meanings. As a magazine, we aspire to build bridges within and beyond the Asian American community by provoking thought, upending assumptions, and inspiring action We'd like our magazine to serve as a bridge between the diverse populations included in the term "Asian American" and also Asian America and the rest of the world. We'd also like to be a link between people and organizations and ideas.
We cover people of Asian heritage who live in the US, Asian Americans who live abroad, and the issues and events that affect them. This means you won’t find articles on geisha girls or the latest Hong Kong kung fu movie import. You’re more likely to read about a fifth-generation Japanese American performance artist who dresses in geisha drag or the new indie flick by a film school dropout about Korean Americans in dystopian Orange County.
None of us are out to get rich — or even get a salary — at this point. Hyphen's goals are to contribute to the community, educate and increase awareness, and provide coverage and analysis of issues that is unencumbered by corporate interests or heavy-handed investors. Being a nonprofit makes that clear. It also allows us to accept tax-deductible donations, apply for grants and beg for money from friends and relatives.
Does your fiscal sponsor fund Hyphen?
No. Our fiscal sponsor, Independent Arts and Media, gives us the nonprofit 501(c)3 status that allows us to accept donations. We are responsible for raising our own budget.
Mostly through events such as our release parties. Subscriptions are also an important source of revenue, however magazine sales do not cover the costs of printing, and we are still working on increasing our advertising sales.
Do all Hyphen staffers have day jobs?
Yes, except the people in school, “between jobs,” or working nights.
We are carried in approximately 100 independent bookstores throughout the country. For a full listing, please check here.
Hyphen readers are mostly Asian American, in their 20s and 30s, and college educated. Most of them live in California and New York, but we have Hyphen subscribers all over the country.
Will I be interested in Hyphen if I'm not Asian American?
We certainly hope so. Through our news, profiles, arts coverage, analysis, fun and frivolity, we strive to reveal the many faces of Asian America — things that break down the stereotypes and challenge mainstream images. Well-told stories have a universal human appeal, and that is the standard that we set for ourselves.
Lots of ways! You can subscribe! You can donate money, office supplies, office space, computer equipment, a car, printing press time, or anything else a magazine might need.
Or you can get involved — we need people to help out with every part of the magazine, from people who stuff envelopes to writers, illustrators and marketing directors. We like people who can roll up their sleeves right away and take responsibility, even for a small task.
Why are all of the Hyphen staffers so good looking?
That's a mystery to us, too. I guess we're just lucky.
