(via thefuckingmoonprincess)

thatneedstogo:

27 Reasons Cristina Yang is Everything You Aspire To in Life - Buzzfeed

(via thefuckingmoonprincess)

“I think people sometimes get the wrong impression when they’re like, ‘Oh, well, so-and-so was straight and then she was gay, and now she’s straight again’, you know? But it’s like, how many times do I have to kiss a woman before I’m gay? Everybody wants to label people. Sometimes you just fall in love with somebody, and you’re really not thinking about what gender or whatever they happen to be. I think that if I happen to fall in love with a woman, everyone’s going to make a big deal out of it. But if I happen to fall in love with a man, nobody cares.”

Inspirational Women I Love —> Lucy Liu

(via samglorious)

(via recoveryisbeautiful)

rcomatose:

So I’m sitting in my Afro-Asian literature classes and we’re analyzing a novel whose narrator faces an emotional disconnect due to his upbringing. And this chick goes

“I don’t think it’s like that at all, I have plenty of Asian American friends whose parents aren’t like that.”

“I’d have to disagree.”

 I don’t speak unless I need to. And even when I do, I find it hard to form the words so I simmer in high blood pressure for the rest of the hour. But once you get me talking, it’s hard to shut me up. I had a presentation that day, so my foot was in the door. And because it’s a seminar class, we’re all sitting in this little intimate table space where all the body heat flows into breathing space and makes shifting uncomfortably in your cramped seating space even more irritating. But I digress as I’m told to go on with my words and awkward feeling times begin.

“ I’ve personally experienced a level of emotional disconnect within my household, I wouldn’t say to this extent,” gesturing to the novel, “but I have had other Asian American friends in high school, who’ve gone through the same. There isn’t really any contact or intimacy” and I trail off into the moments where my words sound unreal and disgusting, stammering as if I was searching for the right ones. Face heated blood rushing I’ve run out of them and thankfully the professor takes over. He goes over things like tiger moms and how a friend of his has only experienced contact with his father, through the means of violence. “His love was with a fist.”

I thought about how hard it was for this woman to believe that families lived like this, yet consistently criticized another character for her inability to grasp said narrator’s difficulties of showing emotion. And how she didn’t get a say in what dictates the lives of Asian Americans just because she has “plenty” of Asian American friends. You are not their voice, if you’re not in that category, you don’t speak for them.

I thought of all my friends and how we used to compare the objects our parents would beat us with and laugh at how spoiled those Americans are. We were all born here, but raised in a culture which condemned the notion of openness in favor of respect and success. We spoke through actions, doing well in school, obeying our parents, excelling at anything and everything we dipped our hands in. That was the way we loved them. Their sweat and toil, those long nights at work, those tired faces, the dinner they made sure we ate, the way they stood- unbreakable, that  was the way they loved us.

(via immigrantstories)

littleredridingcat:

pag-asaharibon:

Don’t Know Much About Asian American History? Books for Children

In 1992, Congress proclaimed the month of May as Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month. And what better time to teach your kids about the history of Asians in the United States? Perhaps you’ve shared with your children how you or your family members came to America, but this is also a great opportunity to learn about the experiences of other Asians in the United States.

I’ve reviewed plenty of Asian children’s books before, but I’m especially excited about this list, because these are all titles that focus on the rich and varied history of Asians in America. Here are some picture books that feature experiences of immigration, forging an identity, and key points in history. Because these subjects are rarely taught in class. Think of it as Asian American Studies for the elementary school set.

Kai’s Journey to Gold Mountain: An Angel Island Story by Katrina Saltonstall Currier is a book I first saw while visiting Angel Island. In case you’re not familiar with it, Angel Island, in the San Francisco Bay, was the Ellis Island of the West. During the 19th and early 20th century, immigrants from China, Japan, Korea and the Phillippines were detained in barracks, often for long and unpredictable lengths of time. Twelve-year old Kai is one of those new arrivals, who must wait to be released so he can join his father on “Gold Mountain”.

Coolies by Yin and illustrated by Chris Sontpiet tells the story of Shek and Little Wong, who arrive in California to build the transcontinental railroad.  Inspired by actual events, this story reveals the harsh truth about life for the Chinese railroad workers in 1865, while celebrating their perseverance and bravery. The author and illustrator also teamed up to create Brothers, a story about a friendship between Ming, a boy in San Francisco’s Chinatown, and his Irish neighbor, Patrick.

Where the Sunflowers Grow by Amy Lee-Tai and illustrated by Felicia Hoshino is a recommendation from my friend Elisa Koff-Ginsborg. The book tells the story of Mari, who — along with thousands of other Japanese Americans– has been forced to move to the Topaz internment camp during World War II. An art class and a kindly teacher offer a ray of hope amidst these unjust circumstances.

Baseball Saved Us by Ken Mochizuki and illustrated by Dom Lee is another title about the Japanese American internment experience. The main character is a small Japanese American boy who dislikes baseball because he is often teased as he plays with his white peers. Life is even harsher at the camp, with tempers flaring in the tight quarters. However, a makeshift baseball game at  Whether your kids are sports nuts or benchwarmers, they will probably find the baseball aspect of this story something they can relate to.

Going Home, Coming Home by Truong Tran, illustrated by Ann Phong is described by Terry Hong of Smithsonian BookDragon as “A poignant, lovely bilingual tale about a little girl who visits her ancestral home in Vietnam and realizes that she can be both Vietnamese and American, with a home here and a home there.”

Chachaji’s Cup by Uma Krishnaswami, illustrated by Soumya Sitaraman is also a BookDragon pick. “A young boy’s special relationship with Chachaji, his father’s old uncle, teaches him important lessons about family bonds and his rich Indian heritage,” writes Hong. This book was also made into a stage performance in 2010 that featured Bollywood and sitar music and a multicultural cast.

Apple Pie Fourth of July by Janet S. Wong and illustrated by Margaret Chodos-Irvine is a more contemporary story that deals with an issue that many children of immigrants can relate to: food shame. The main character is embarrassed that her family is cooking Chinese food to serve in their shop, even though it is Independence Day. Of course, there is a delicious twist to the story.

The Name Jar by Yangsook Choi portrays a dilemma all too familiar to immigrant youth — whether or not to trade in a foreign sounding name for an American one. Unhei must make this decision after she moves from Korea to New York, and her new classmates attempt to help her by filling a jar full of potential monikers.

Do you have any recommendations?

For more recommendations, including chapter books and Young Adult literature,  my favorite Taiwanese American author Grace Lin has a Asian-Pacific Heritage Month Booklist on PBS Parents.

For more suggestions check out the San Francisco Public Library site. Also, Pragmatic Mom has recommendations for  Japanese American Internment and Chinese American books.

A Jar of Dreams by Yoshiko Uchida- Rinko is an eleven-year-old Japanese American girl growing up in Oakland during the Depression. Her family deals with blatant racism from their white neighbors and Rinko herself struggles with a lot of internalized hatred, but a visit from her Aunt Wada helps her come to terms and make peace with her cultural identity.

Journey Home, also by Yoshiko Uchida, chronicles the story of twelve-year-old Yuki and her family after they leave Topaz, an internment camp in the middle of the Utah desert, towards the end of WWII. Yuki is a daydreamer who often writes letters in her head to her friends still in the camp as well as her brother Ken, who is off fighting in Europe. Despite terrible acts of racism against them, the family still manages to find hope in their friends and neighbors.

I also really like Good Luck Ivy!. Historical only in that it takes place during the 70’s, but it’s a fun and lighthearted story. From Amazon: Ivy Ling feels unlucky. Her best friend, Julie Albright, has moved away, her mom is super busy with law school, and Ivy has to go to Chinese school every Saturday. Worst of all, Ivy learns that the annual Ling family reunion is scheduled for the same day as the All-City gymnastics tournament, for which Ivy has been practicing for months. When Ivy’s parents tell her she has to decide which event to attend, she despairs—how can she please both her gymnastics coach and her family? Gradually Ivy realizes that she can make her own luck—and make a decision that’s right for her.

(via woc-resist)

lady-jei:

He has been president of Warner Bros.’ home entertainment unit and will become the first Asian American to run a major Hollywood studio.

In a bold bet on the digital future of entertainment, Time Warner Inc. has named Kevin Tsujihara as chief executive of its Warner Bros. studio — ending a fiercely fought battle for one of the most powerful jobs in Hollywood.

Tsujihara has been president of Warner Bros.’ home entertainment unit, which is responsible for home video, online distribution and video games. In winning the top spot, he edged out rivals overseeing the larger and more prestigious film and television divisions. He will become the first Asian American to run a major Hollywood studio.

Read More Here

WHOA!

(via krisralphio)

toastytoastykim:

jadecho:

in response to “Comedian is violently attacked on Stage”

how much
we all want
to punch a racist motherfucker
in the face

every time some dude on the sidewalk
hollers “konnichiwa”
like i’m some Hello Kitty coin bank
pussy that will open
if you say hello in my language
the middle age ass man
who shouted

He had it coming.

(via theoreticaltheory)

Just bought

-Ruby Veridiano’s Miss Universe (e-book)
-David Levithan’s The Lover’s Dictionary
-Ishle Yi Park’s The Temperature of this Water

Yay poetry.  

20-feet-tall:

rumpshaker:

Dr. Samuel “Sammy” Lee, 91, was the first Asian-American to win an Olympic gold medal for the U.S. at the 1948 London games, and the first man to win back-to-back gold medals in Olympic platform diving.

From Wikipedia:

As a twelve-year-old in 1932, Lee dreamed of becoming a diver, but at the time Latinos, Asians and African-Americans were only allowed to use Fresno’s Brookside Pool on Wednesdays, on what was called “international day”: the day before the pool was scheduled to be drained and refilled with clean water. Because Lee needed a place to practice and could not regularly use the public pool, his coach dug a pit in his backyard and filled it with sand. Lee practiced by jumping into the pit.

I’ve learned so much about Olympians in the past few weeks, and this guy was a fucking champ. This article on Investors Business Daily goes a bit more in depth on what Mr. Lee was up against. Only having access to a pool ONCE a week, having to swallow his pride and train with a douchebag eventually led him to the Olympics where he beat out his competitors who probably had an advantage over him with the luxury of being able to train in a pool at their leisure. Then he came back four years later and did it again!

Lee went on to become an ear, nose, and throat doc, serve in the U.S. Army Medical Corps during the Korean War–wonder what that was like for a Korean American–and, later, coach diving legend Greg Louganis to a silver medal in the 1976 Olympics. He’s a member of the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame, has a square named after him in LA’s K-town, and is now retired and living in Huntington Beach, CA.

wow.

kirstinthereckless:

fascinasians:

koreamjournal:

Stuntman Ilram Choi puts the Amazing into Spider-Man
Angry Asian Man

Have you seen the new Spider-Man? Meet the man behind the mask. Oh, you thought it was that dude Andrew Garfield? Nope. Meet Ilram Choi, the real guy behind the mask: Secrets Straight from Spiderman’s Stuntman.

In this clip, Yahoo’s Michael Yo talks to Ilram Choi, a seasoned stuntman working behind the scenes on The Amazing Spider-Man, who put on that skintight Spidey suit and made the dangerous stuff look easy: link.

Spiderman is Asian!

Oh its his Amazing body in that suit!

(via dancing-with-diversity)

sexgenderbody:

ethiopienne:

queerandpresentdanger:

thegang:

The visibility project by Mia Nakano and Christine Pan, is one that seeks to bring images of Asian and Pacific Islander queer women and transgender individuals to the forefront; and to build a supportive, progressive community through social, political and educational activism.

This project is dope for a number of reasons - the primary being the positive, compelling, and beautiful imagery. Queer folks are all beautiful shapes, colors, and sizes with different styles, gender-identities, and personalities. The Visibility project is doing a great job of showing that very fact, and filling the media with positive images of queer people. Check out the beautiful photos via the Visibility site and view Mia Nakano’s portfolio HERE.

(via colorlines)

fuckyeahaapi:

so-treu:

Asian Americans Less Likely to Report Domestic Violence

crankyskirt:

fascinasians:

Asian-American victims of domestic violence rarely seek help from police or health care providers – “an alarming trend” among the fastest-growing racial group in the United States, says…

pag-asaharibon:

Don’t Know Much About Asian American History? Books for Children

In 1992, Congress proclaimed the month of May as Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month. And what better time to teach your kids about the history of Asians in the United States? Perhaps you’ve shared with your children how you or your family members came to America, but this is also a great opportunity to learn about the experiences of other Asians in the United States.

I’ve reviewed plenty of Asian children’s books before, but I’m especially excited about this list, because these are all titles that focus on the rich and varied history of Asians in America. Here are some picture books that feature experiences of immigration, forging an identity, and key points in history. Because these subjects are rarely taught in class. Think of it as Asian American Studies for the elementary school set.

Kai’s Journey to Gold Mountain: An Angel Island Story by Katrina Saltonstall Currier is a book I first saw while visiting Angel Island. In case you’re not familiar with it, Angel Island, in the San Francisco Bay, was the Ellis Island of the West. During the 19th and early 20th century, immigrants from China, Japan, Korea and the Phillippines were detained in barracks, often for long and unpredictable lengths of time. Twelve-year old Kai is one of those new arrivals, who must wait to be released so he can join his father on “Gold Mountain”.

Coolies by Yin and illustrated by Chris Sontpiet tells the story of Shek and Little Wong, who arrive in California to build the transcontinental railroad.  Inspired by actual events, this story reveals the harsh truth about life for the Chinese railroad workers in 1865, while celebrating their perseverance and bravery. The author and illustrator also teamed up to create Brothers, a story about a friendship between Ming, a boy in San Francisco’s Chinatown, and his Irish neighbor, Patrick.

Where the Sunflowers Grow by Amy Lee-Tai and illustrated by Felicia Hoshino is a recommendation from my friend Elisa Koff-Ginsborg. The book tells the story of Mari, who — along with thousands of other Japanese Americans– has been forced to move to the Topaz internment camp during World War II. An art class and a kindly teacher offer a ray of hope amidst these unjust circumstances.

Baseball Saved Us by Ken Mochizuki and illustrated by Dom Lee is another title about the Japanese American internment experience. The main character is a small Japanese American boy who dislikes baseball because he is often teased as he plays with his white peers. Life is even harsher at the camp, with tempers flaring in the tight quarters. However, a makeshift baseball game at  Whether your kids are sports nuts or benchwarmers, they will probably find the baseball aspect of this story something they can relate to.

Going Home, Coming Home by Truong Tran, illustrated by Ann Phong is described by Terry Hong of Smithsonian BookDragon as “A poignant, lovely bilingual tale about a little girl who visits her ancestral home in Vietnam and realizes that she can be both Vietnamese and American, with a home here and a home there.”

Chachaji’s Cup by Uma Krishnaswami, illustrated by Soumya Sitaraman is also a BookDragon pick. “A young boy’s special relationship with Chachaji, his father’s old uncle, teaches him important lessons about family bonds and his rich Indian heritage,” writes Hong. This book was also made into a stage performance in 2010 that featured Bollywood and sitar music and a multicultural cast.

Apple Pie Fourth of July by Janet S. Wong and illustrated by Margaret Chodos-Irvine is a more contemporary story that deals with an issue that many children of immigrants can relate to: food shame. The main character is embarrassed that her family is cooking Chinese food to serve in their shop, even though it is Independence Day. Of course, there is a delicious twist to the story.

The Name Jar by Yangsook Choi portrays a dilemma all too familiar to immigrant youth — whether or not to trade in a foreign sounding name for an American one. Unhei must make this decision after she moves from Korea to New York, and her new classmates attempt to help her by filling a jar full of potential monikers.

Do you have any recommendations?

For more recommendations, including chapter books and Young Adult literature,  my favorite Taiwanese American author Grace Lin has a Asian-Pacific Heritage Month Booklist on PBS Parents.

For more suggestions check out the San Francisco Public Library site. Also, Pragmatic Mom has recommendations for  Japanese American Internment and Chinese American books.

(via saysjessie-deactivated20120518)