Artwork by Ella Sun In America, Asians are “Asian-American,” Black people are “African-American,” and Indigenous people are “Native American.” White people, though, are just “Americans.” These labels pervade every social aspect of American life, from basic everyday interactions to the news and social media. I am constantly reminded of my Asianness, even though I never …
Whiteness as the Norm and Asians as Eternal Foreigners Read More »
“Naatu Naatu” from the Indian action epic “RRR” is performed at the 95th Academy Awards on Sunday. None of the dancers onstage were confirmed to be of Indian descent.(Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times) RRR, an Indian movie made in the Telugu language about the harms of colonization, made history at the 2023 Oscars. …
Artwork by Siri Raghunayakula Welcomed by the zebra-patterned wallpaper background of novelist Zaina Arafat’s Zoom screen, I began my conversation with the renowned writer with one very pressing question: “If you could be the face of any brand, what brand would you choose?” My witty question (at least, I thought so), earned a quick chuckle …
Zaina Arafat: A conversation about Stereotypes, Asianess, and Everything in Between Read More »
Artwork by Ella Sun Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo is a heartwarming novel that takes place in the 1950s. The story follows the experiences of Lily Hu, a 17-year-old girl who undergoes self-discovery and acceptance, despite living in a period of time that was significantly less accepting in terms of identity. …
Last Night At The Telegraph Club: A Doorway To the 20th Century Read More »
Artwork by Sresta Aitharaju Due to the way that society, specifically White men, perceives my ethnic identity, I feel like a foreign creature who does not belong in my predominantly White community. People are more likely to be stereotyped, oppressed, and defined, based on not just one, but the combination of multiple aspects of their …
Artwork by Sresta Aitharaju When I was in 6th grade, I had two seat partners in my table group. We were all acquaintances, but I found myself teased by them more often than not — though, as a naive 11 year old, I couldn’t really recognize that. One day during class they tapped my shoulder …
The Asian in America: a Paradigm Social Construct Read More »
Artwork by Siri Raghunayakula Context The Southern Pacific Railroad began construction in 1869, entering the Arizona border in 1877. The railroad years saw the highest population of Arizona Chinese in the late 19th century. From an initial interpretation of American race relations, it appears that the Chinese escaped overt racist treatment in this region by …
A History of Early Chinese Immigration in 19th Century Arizona Read More »
Artwork by Nina Gruteser Education has never been a simple social process; it has never been just about sending one’s kids to school for the day, or picking up the skills to make one good at work. Education has always been about self-affirmation and enlightenment through the proliferation of new ideas and cultures. This …
Op-Ed: It’s Time for Advanced Placement Asian American Studies Read More »
Artwork by Ella Sun Rebecca F. Kuang is a Chinese American writer who has recently wowed audiences with her novels. Kuang graduated with a Mcphil in Chinese studies from Cambridge and an MSc in Contemporary Chinese Studies from Oxford. While continuing her writing, she is currently pursuing a PHD at Yale in East Asian Studies …
