Perspective: Asian and American

“Sos Koreano?” (Are you Korean?)
“No.”
“Sos Chino?” (Are you Chinese?)
“Soy un Estado Unidense.... Pero mis padres son de China.” My brain was already on autopilot. (I am from the US but my parents are from China)
“Ahhhhhhh.” The listener nods in acceptance.

With a sigh I jumped off the rusting bus, readjusted my dust-caked backpack and headed to the nearest dispensa (general store). Having spent the last 13 months in Paraguay, I must have had the above conversation at least a hundred times but often explaining America's diversity, seems only to confuse Paraguayans. I usually depart feeling like engrained preconceptions have forever won this battle. After all, all Americans are tall, blond and blue-eyed right? While I get the old stereotype of blond hair, blue-eyed beauties, I struggle to understand why Paraguayans continue to believe it. Today's mainstream television is filled with American movie, TV show and music super stars that are anything but blond haired and blue-eyed. And American media is widely available in Paraguay. Yet the fascination with “Rubias o Rubios”(blonds) is alive and well from Paraguay's capital to its rural farmlands (where I live). Every Paraguayan wants a blond. Even American girls who are clearly brunette or even red heads are called blond. Just ask any female volunteer. So where does that leave non-Caucasian volunteers?

Black Americans are Brazilians, Asian Americans must be from Korea or Japan (Korea and Japan seem to have a larger public presence here than China), and Middle Easterners are a shady mystery. As you may have gathered by now, I am a Peace Corps volunteer serving in Paraguay and being Asian makes me an anomaly. Being Asian American, makes me 1 of perhaps 10 in the entire country.  Subsequently, I find myself  with an interesting perspective on Asian American identity.

Identity: Asian and American
I have always thought of myself as Asian or Asian American but never really identified myself as just, American. Strangely enough though, it is this “American” description I find myself fighting for most in Paraguay because getting called a Chinito or Koreano just seems wrong, not even close, inaccurate. So much of me is American. You see, in the States when I'm labeled Chinese or Asian it almost automatically comes with the presumption that I'm American too. After all we are usually in America, speaking English but the clear assumption in Paraguay is that I must be from Asia, a foreign visitor.  Living in a country where Asians are rare, (probably less than 1% of the country, a fact I am reminded of almost everyday courtesy of the blank, unending stares I get on the street, in buses and in stores) has forced me to examine my own identity in a way I never did before. In America, I felt most comfortable with other Asian Americans but thought nothing of our ethnicity as being exclusive or special. Yet in Paraguay, when I pass other Asians I find myself giving a slight head nod as if in a secret fight club. For their part,  Asian pedestrians too often steal a second look or hold their glance just a little too long for a normal passerby. It's as if  shared culture or heritage must be acknowledged.

 Asians seem to find relief among other Asians in a sea of Latin Americans. I too feel it, whether its the familiar smell of Asian cooking, the soothing sound of the Chinese or Korean language, or even the time honored custom of taking shoes off before entering a household. All of it like a fleeting taste of home away from home, a comforting reminder of who I am.

At the same time, I have a sense of pride in the good ol' USA, one I had never noticed before. In America, we strive to do more, as kids we mow lawns, baby sit and sell lemonade. All to save for the future, whether its to buy that power ranger figure or those hot new kicks you just have to have. As professionals, we strive to work 40+ hours a week to earn that promotion, get that raise. As a people we believe in the capitalist dream, that opportunities are everywhere and if you believe in yourself, work hard, and never give up, you will succeed and be happy. Much of that creative, go-get-um attitude so essential to who we are as Americans is strangely absent here in Paraguay, especially in rural communities. Sure there are less opportunities, poorer people, less systems in place to help those in need but opportunity is still there. Sadly, meeting someone with the drive to realize a dream is frankly, a rarity. No mowing lawns, baby sitting, lemonade stands. No attempts to save what's earned or invest in the future. Just the hum drum of everyday farm work. Got a little extra money? Great! Beers all around. For many its a “tranquilo” relaxing life, one with just enough comfort: food, running water, electricity, a refrigerator and maybe a TV (if you are lucky), to be happy. And I get that. It's a culture with its perks, a deep value in family, community and sharing. Where your neighbors are family literally and figuratively and you can always stop by anywhere for a bite and some good gossip. I have seen many Paraguayans way happier than Americans and with way less. Still it is a culture I don't envy. The drastic difference between the American and Paraguayan psyche outlook on life highlights all the benefits of growing up in the USA, attitudes, opportunities, skills and values I always overlooked or took for granted.

My time in Paraguay has yet to end and I know when all of this is said and done and I return to an office job in the USA, this experience will have changed who I am on every level. But my identity as an Asian American will always remain and I know for sure, my 2 years in Paraguay will have helped define what that means to me.

This is RiSo, with a perspective.

Perspective: Chinese American

There I stood, in what was arguably my own country, staring blankly at the middle-aged man who stared right back.  It was nearly 8pm and the narrow alleys became shaded much to the glee of the residents chatting on stools outside their homes.  It would have been a wonderful thing for myself as well, had it not made the alleys look even more similar.  I felt helpless. I clutched the wrinkled piece of paper and smiled, pointing at the map again.  “I want to go here,” I said for the 6th time.  I have no idea why I thought it might sink in this time. “Here,” as I later found out, was Jianchang Hutong, which is little more than an alley. In fact, hutongs are alleys. The entire area was covered in them.  It would take me a week before I figured out how to get home without getting lost.

For this to make any sense, I have to back up. I still remember high school when I proudly considered myself a minority. I say minority, and as an asian, most people come to associate “that” kind of minority with model minority. But I assure you, I am by no means a model. I am part of a new generation, one that is distinctly Asian American and one that can no longer be stereotyped with very much accuracy at all. They say we are all products of our environments and particularly, of our parents.  I agree and I don’t pretend to be any different, but i believe the circumstances that my parents have created and the world I have grown up in produced a certain result.

In the states I was proud of my identity, yet I was very aware that on the grand scale of things, I was neither Asian nor American.  I had the amazing opportunity growing up picking and choosing what i thought made the most sense from both cultures. I always placed myself on the Asian side, embracing classical Asian values such as unquestioned respect for parents, the importance of educational practical and  career oriented view of the world.  Yet my parents allowed a series of western ideas to creep in. I learned to trust rather than suspect. I was willing to take risks and assume the best rather than the worst.  I grew to be confident and social, rather than reserved and observant.  The end product, I have to admit was somewhat of a disappointment to my parents.  I was in no gifted child program, no accelerated after school tutoring. There were no endless hours of piano or violin, no academic awards or science competition.  Instead there was wrestling practice, leadership class and hours serving the less fortunate and soup kitchens.  There were lectures about the plight of the under-served and the inequity that was a very real part of the lives of my teammates, classmates and friends.  But these lectures were not meant to scare me into working harder. They were meant to inspire me to admire those that fought adversity and won, to inspire me to reach a point where I could help change the sometimes seemingly inevitable fate of the “have-nots.”

It is in pursuit of that dream that I come to China, a place I know nothing about.  The language, its people, its culture, all of it is lost to me, save the western spin my parents have put on the few lessons they passed on.  One month into my stay of undetermined length, I have already grown attached to the place – not for some love of its character, I’ve been here far too short to develop that relationship, but for the growing sense of curiosity i have about… everything. 4 hours of Chinese a day has done me well and I can proudly say I know my way home.  Even if I didn't, I could talk like a 5-year-old and make my way home like a confused child.  Here the difference between the rich and poor is unquestionably more obvious and I take an ironic sense of pride in trying to act as local as possible.  Each day I ride my bike through what initially seemed like a deathtrap otherwise known as Beijing traffic.  I eat at local stalls that do their best to pass as restaurants.  Yet it is still painfully clear that I am nowhere close to a local.  Countless times now, people will approach me, assuming that I must speak Chinese, only to find that the foreigner they met yesterday was 100 times more understandable.  I am always embarrassed. Similar situations made me feel the same way in the states, but sometimes I feel more out-of-place that I ever did as a minority.  Still, I have a drive stronger that I had expected to prove myself.  I will continue to study and learn and do my best to make a mark on this place. And at the end of it all, if I feel even the slightest bit more Asian, I’ll have fought for it, and I will have succeeded.

This is PSo, with a perspective

Where are you From?

Where are you from? No, I mean where are you originally from? or Where are you from from?

As Asian Americans this question comes up surprisingly often. But why? While it is true that Asian Americans may look distinctly different from the stereotypical notion of an American, i.e. a White or Black American, haven't Asian Americans been a large enough presence in the United States to merit the assumption that we too are probably Americans?

This topic, revolving around the idea that Asian Americans remain somehow foreign, has been discussed over and over and over again. It is probably the most common meeting topic of Asian American student organizations around the country and one that, despite being talked about for years and years, remains in need of attention.

Why has this issue remained unresolved?

In this article I hope to give some insight to the problem and then suggest some basic steps we can take to put this whole mess behind us.

First lets look at the problem:

So why does it seem like Asian Americans are always asked about where they are “from” even if everything about them, minus their racial features, screams American?

You in the middle, where are you from?

The obvious answer seems to be that many Americans don't associate Asian with American, after all, we are only about 5% of America's current population. Yet attributing this questioning of origin to population statistics alone would be wrong. Population numbers still doesn't explain why the question is asked in areas with large and influential Asian American populations such as San Francisco and New York City.


Then I read a short article on a Dear Carolyn letter that helped me pick apart this issue.

Recently, an Asian American wrote a Dear Carolyn letter (syndicated columnist for the Washington Post), asking what she should do about constantly getting asked this question. The writer said that the question often offended her. As it felt like she was unfairly being questioned, as if she did not belong or, at the least, was somehow an exotic curiosity.

The Asian American continues by saying that after trying several solutions that were met with some success she has decided to go with "I don't particularly care to satisfy your curiosity right now.", an answer that others felt was potentially rude. The Asian Americans disagrees, citing that people don't ask other personal info upon greeting like age, income, religion or sexual preference.

The columnist replies by suggesting using "it's a long story", and then saying not to get angry because "the question is new to each person who asks it" and "as entitled as you are to your anger, no one person caused it ... meaning it's not fair to make any one person pay."





This is a syndicated columnist, from a respected newspaper who has been giving advice to average Americans for years and it seems sadly clear that she has spent little time pondering the Asian American experience.




1.It isn't a long story. The writer is from her hometown in American, period and that should be understood without a slew of following questions. The origin stories of a son of an Irish-English immigrant or descendant of an African slave are just as long. What makes an Asian American's story longer?

2. The question is new to each person who asks it. The columnist is implicitly implying that this question is a normal, unbiased, one, one that your average good-natured American might ask. But is it an unbiased question? Does it not imply that so many Americans in some way believe Asian Americans are inherently less American, a curiosity? For many Asian Americans the question is one that implicitly questions their American credentials, and in some manner, hurts their sense of belonging or self confidence.

3.Just because one person is not responsible doesn't mean you shouldn't get upset at each person that is somewhat culpable. If one person calls another a slur and truly doesn't know the negative meaning of it, that doesn't mean the victim should let the person have a free pass . A slur is a slur and has an impact no matter what the original intent. It is important that those who commit the folly are held accountable even if that means a simple description of why what he or she has just said or done was offensive.

4.Finally, in the end, it is clear that the columnist is essentially suggesting that the Asian American, though entitled to be angry,  should shrug it off. It is just not a serious issue to the columnist despite the writer's clear discomfort on the subject.


So what can we as Asian Americans gather from this well meaning columnist who should know better.

The heart of the problem seems to lie in the unwavering fact that most Americans consider us more foreign than American. This explains all of the columnists responses.

The Solution:

How do Asian Americans fix all of this?

1.Educate the misinformed
What should  Asian Americans do if they feel like they are being asked because they don't look like "normal Americans"? Often it seems like the most civil solution is to begin a discussion with the asker about how this origins question can be offensive and educate the asker. It seems that most Americans misunderstand the rich and full history of Asians in America.  Asian Americans have been a part of American society for decades now. (Look for data). Railroad workers, farm laborers, small business owners. More and more Asian Americans are the product of immigrants ancestors 2, 3, 4 generations ago. Though these younger generations may continue to practice Asian customs or traditions, many would immediately identify themselves as American. Asian Americans routinely make their presence felt in higher education and the work force but that somehow seems to get lost.

Actually, Asian Americans have been apart of America since the late 1700s...

But is educating every questioner our job? Should we be educating every time? Whose responsibility is it to educate other Americans about this issue?Personally, I don't think it is our job to educate every person who asks us these questions in an insensitive manner. It is tiring and makes me angry that our American-ness seems to always be in question. I think Americans as a whole should know by now and if not, need to educate themselves.

2. Encourage reflection and action
Understanding that change takes time and effort, encourage colleagues, friends and acquaintances to take a part of their day to reflect on the diversity of today's America and the shared journey almost every ethnicity took through abuse, discrimination, and humiliation. The hope, diligence and strength that allowed each group of immigrants to find a better life and (hopefully) has allowed Americans to look at each other equally. Exchange these ideas even if no one has offended you and even if you know few people will take your message to heart. The truth is that this type of encouragement is crucial to changing the general mindset of others. You can go one by one correcting wrong and launching into racial lectures but prevention is better than cure. Laying the issue out in a positive, all inclusive, forgiving and  patriotic light is bound to be more persuasive. Encourage people to read just 1 article, 1 book, attend one event or watch one film (Harold and Kumar go to White Castle is a great laugh that actually addresses many Asian American issues) Then perhaps a colleague who never thought about it will, in one moment, realize he has been treating an Asian acquaintance unfairly, or perhaps that one person that asked you about your origin will recognize his folly and relay the information to his friends. There is really no way to know how effective your efforts will be but that shouldn't dissuade you. Doing something is better than nothing.


3.Give examples
Luckily the image of Asian Americans is changing as the population increases and prominent Asian Americans reach the spotlight in music, dance, television, fashion, sports and social media. Far East Movement, Jeremy Lin, Quest Crew, Jabbawockeez, Ryan Higa of the NigaHiga YouTube channel, Wong Fu of Wong Fu Productions and Freddie Wong of the Freddiew YouTube channel. With some motivation and luck we will start seeing more Asian American politicians representing us as well. The emergence of a wide range of popular and well known Asian American faces is a huge boon to this cause.
 or  or 

 As for creative solutions to the original question? Ask back where they are from or ask why they are asking. If you are feeling good and have the time, explain the issue with origin questions. Point out that no other ethnic group seems to get these questions.


When the origin question will become something of the past? Who knows.

Math Geek to Dancer Chic: A Shift in Perceived Coolness

Jabbawockeez, Quest Crew, Kaba Modern, Far East Movement, Harry M Shum and Jeremy Lin. What do they all have in common? Well first they are all Asian Americans but more interestingly they are considered cool, and hot and not just by Asian Americans.

When one thinks of the Jabbawockeez one might think "Those guys are ballin dancers. I wish I could be like them." When one sees Far East Movement on stage one might think,"Those guys know how to rock!" Harry Shum has danced for famous stars and was one of People Magazines's sexiest men alive. Jeremy Lin? "Linsanity!!!! wooooooo!"


I think these new pop icons may usher in a new image of Asian Americans.
Over the years Asian American men have suffered through many stereotypes but in my opinion, in today's world, we have come to be defined by one classic image.


The studious, timid doctor, engineer, programmer or pushover office worker.  John Cho's role as Harold in Harold and Kumar (except Cho is pretty handsome if you ask me)

Nerd?

Before you barrage me with objections about this grand over arching claim, think about it. Most people have moved on from older stereotypes involving dogs and cats, martial arts or sneaky trickery. Yet the belief that Asians are intellectual, enjoy and or excel at math and science and do not question authority are still very strong. As Asian Americans continue to dominate higher education and certain professions, the media has picked up on it and depicted us so. In addition, these stereotypes aren't perceived as particularly negative and thus have been perpetuated. The question is presented as such:

“Whats so bad about thinking of you guys as hard working, smart people in successful careers? Isn't that a good thing?”

 There are many problems created by the above stereotype, including issues revolving around the model minority myth, discrimination and bias but for the sake of this article I want to tackle a social dilemma created by the “nerdy Asian image.”

I think this stereotype puts young Asian Americans at a huge disadvantage socially, especially in the teenage years where social standing can and often does significantly shape a persons identity. Of course there is always the adage, be yourself and don't bow to peer pressure but as all of us know every person wants to be liked or popular to some extent. Lets face it, teenage life is easier when you considered cool, good looking or popular. Yet the nerdy Asian stereotype automatically puts Asian Americans back  like starting the race half a lap behind. In addition, I feel the expectation to grow into the stereotype boxes teenagers in and makes them far less likely to explore options that are more commonly associated with coolness or popularity. When I was growing up I know for sure I was more nervous to try sports, be confident among peers or stand up to bullies. How much of this was influenced by stereotypes? I can't say for sure. But I also remember that growing up, I did not really have any cool Asian American role models to look up. There was Jackie Chan and Asian pop stars but there weren't really American and changing forward into unknown territory without so much as a role model is difficult and frightening. I remember that for me, being cool, sexy or popular was something that seemed always out of my reach.

 But in the part 5 years or so things have changed. Asian have been breaking out into cool territory. From fashion designers, to rappers, to dance crews to musicians and actors, Asian Americans are showing America that they are more than one stereotype.  The emergence has lead to not only a new hip image but a chic sense of style as well (pics of far east movement, harry m shum, dance crews).









I can tell you now that if I had had examples like Quest Crew or Jeremy Lin back when I was in high school I would hands down have been more confident in sports and dancing (something I always had interest in).

So what does that mean for us, the average Asian American guy. Well may of us are still studious and timid (especially with girls) and there is nothing wrong with that but now it feels like we have much more wiggle room. For those of us who want to be something different we have role models and mentors. We see that we can be cool poppers lockers and breakers. We can bring girls to the dance floor and can be one of the sexiest men alive. If nothing more, the emergence gives me confidence to believe that I can be more than the background un-noticed Asian guy who gets good performance reviews.

I think that as Asian Americans continue to break the nerdy asian stereotype or begin molding an image that combines both smarts and coolness we will see a boom in Asian youth exploring roads that to me, just 10 years ago, felt impossible to explore.

As for me, now, maybe I'll mouse my hair put on a chic vest and hat and hit the clubs with a new sense of confidence... Chao!

That's my real life college friend breaking it down in the student center.

Forgive us ... Renovations in Progress

Thanks friends  for all your support so far. You may have noticed that all articles have mysteriously disappeared. Not to worry we will be back up with revamped older posts and new ones soon. We are simply undergoing some reorganization and improvements. Thanks for your patience.

Contemporary Asian America 101: An Introductory Class

If you were like me, when you started paying attention to Asian American issues, activities, entertainment and so on, you didn't really know where to start. Here is a crudely organized chart to get you going on things that are going on right now! Hope it helps.

Music:	Film:	Dance:	YouTube:	Sports:	Causes:	Movies:
Rap:	FreddieW	Dance Crews:	HappySlip	Jeremy Lin	Hep B Free	The People I've Slept With
Dumbfoundead	Wong Fu Productions	Jabbawockeez	NigaHiga		Bone Marrow Drive	Better Luck Tomorrow
Traphik	JustkiddingFilms	Quest Crew	Tim De la Ghetto			Harold and Kumar Series
J Reyes		Instant Noodles	Fung Brothers			White Frog
Lil Crazed		Kaba Modern	KevJumba
Gowe
Magnetic North		Dance:
J Reyez		Kanauru
D Pryde		LXD
Alternative:
AJ Rafael
New Heights
Jennifer Chung
Kina Grannis
Joseph Vincent
Jason Chen
Clara C
David Choi
Tim Be Told
Alyssa Bernal
Paul Detah
Hip Hop:
JRA
Blue Scholars
Iammedic
Far East Movement

Perspective: I Want to Be a Doctor

Perspective: I Want to Be a Doctor

I am Chinese. My dad is a surgeon at a prestigious university medical center, and yes – I want to be a doctor.

Surprise Surprise! Another high school Asian who has been brought up…trained…indoctrinated to follow in the footsteps of his all mighty doctor-dad.

I will graduate near the very top of my class having taken 11 AP classes, spent summers in labs and clinics, not to mention hundreds of hours of community service. I will go on to a top university and graduate with a major in Molecular Biology and apply to only the top medical schools in the country.

Oh wait. No I won’t.

In fact, I didn’t do most of that and I’m not in high school – I’m 24.

While I did take 11 AP classes in high school, do lab/clinic work, and go to a highly selective university, I didn’t major in Biology. Quite the opposite, I majored in English Literature. Don’t get me wrong, I also took all the pre-med requirements, but I graduated with a 2.7 science GPA as opposed to my 3.9 English GPA.

If you didn’t know, applying to medical school with a 2.7 science GPA is about equivalent to sending in an application with nothing on it except: “I watch House on TV and its cool.”

Forget top schools, even the least competitive schools laugh at applicants with 2.7’s.

I loved my work in clinics, and loved the science; I just wasn’t that good at it. In college, I began studying for tests weeks in advance, putting in (and I say this quite literally) 30 hours of study time for a big test. I found myself teaching my roommate concepts the few days before the test (when he started studying) only to find my scores 15% lower than his. If I was lucky, I got a C.

So after college, I went on to do a few other things. I did some tutoring in high school and college so I got a Master’s in Education from UC Davis and a California State Teaching Credential. I taught high school for a year and loved it. I was so young and short that on my first day, my students refused to believe I could be their teacher. It was one of the best experiences I’d had in my life.

But when funding got cut and schools had to fire the younger (and often better) teachers to save the tenured teachers, I decided I needed some job security. So I followed another passion of mine, technology.

I started working in start-ups. For those of you who haven’t worked or heard about working in a start-up let me explain what it is. Start-ups are companies that receive millions in funding on the hopes they will hit it big on the next amazing technology and/or product. Facebook is a great example, along with Yelp, Groupon, Google, even Ebay was once a start-up.

But before they became giants, they all started out the same: some young, hopeful people with an idea and buckets of money that some big wig investors have bestowed upon them. Most often, a dozen engineers are hired, some sales and marketing folks, and in a few years, the company goes under or does alright. Once in a while, one hits it big like Facebook.

Now having experience working at a few of these, I can personally say that it’s a blast. They put you in a room with a bunch of other young people and provide you with a nice chair, desk, computer, etc. and ask what amounts to very little of you. You don’t make much, but it’s better than most other jobs that you’d qualify for and because the environment is so great, you do good work, and have fun doing it.

To me, the work I do each week at the start-up is not even half as hard as a single day of studying for my college science classes. Eventually (or so you hope), you work your way up and after 15 years or so, you’re a VP of something and you’re set.

But the thing about this kind of work is that it’s not that fulfilling. Maybe it’s just me, but my work teaching and even in clinics felt more valuable. In the end, start-ups are about money. When you’re company makes it big, everyone gets a huge check and promotions. I wanted more than that…

Which brings me back to today. I am still working at a start-up but spend 6 hours a week taking private MCAT tutoring lessons. (The MCAT is the equivalent of the SAT for medical schools) I got lucky and found someone who charges only $80/hr and I spend almost half my paycheck each month on the lessons. In April or May, I’ll take the test and apply to international medical schools. These are schools outside the US with vastly lower standards that won’t use my 2.7 GPA application as toilet or scratch paper. If I don’t get in, I’ll try again next year, and again the year after that. And if I still get rejected, I still have the start-ups. Wish me luck.

I’m Chinese. My dad is a surgeon at a prestigious university and yes – I want to be a doctor.

Advice:

There are those that fit the model minority stereotype and those that don't. To each their own. My advice, Do what feels right. If you want to follow your parents suggestions, do it. Even if you don't love the path they want for you, its probably a safe and secure route. They only want the best for you. IF you want to take more time and do your own thing, that's fine too. Just remember that the life of a starving artist isn't as glamorous at it may seem. Whether I end up a doctor or a startup employee or even a teacher, I'll know that it was worth the experience and hopefully I will be where I belong.  

With a perspective, I'm GSo

Asian Americans and Civic Engagement

It can be argued that Asian Pacific Islanders (API) have it pretty good in America.  High median income, stellar college graduation rates, amazingly fine women -- what else could we want? 

There are currently 17.3 million APIs living in the United States; 5.6 million of that total number are living in California.[1]  APIs are one of the largest growing ethnic groups in the US; according to the 2010 Census, the Asian population in the United States has grown by nearly 50 percent over the past 10 years. Although Latinos are the fastest growing ethnic group in the US, states such as Texas, New Jersey, and Missouri show higher API growth. Additionally, it is estimated that the API community will grow 150 percent by the year 2050.  However, even with all of these optimistic numbers, it won’t mean a damn thing if there isn’t a comparable number of API elected officials to represent them.

According to UCLA's Asian American Studies Center, there are more Asian Pacific Americans currently holding public office in the United States than at any other time in U.S. history.  From the current roster of API electeds, we have two state governors, three U.S. senators, 10 members of the U.S. House of Representatives, two Obama administration cabinet members, two California statewide elected officials, four members of the California State Supreme Court (including the chief justice) and three of the five members of the California State Board of Equalization. It also includes the majority of Hawaii's Legislature, three California state senators, eight California Assembly members and 44 mayors of cities, including San Francisco, Oakland and Irvine.[2]  However, when you compare the proportion of congressional members to population size between APIs and Caucasians, the disparity becomes much more apparent.  The API vote is simply not being effectively leveraged.  More APIs need to run for office, and more APIs need to vote for them. 

2012 will be a significant election because of the presidential race, as well as the large number of congressional seats that will be in play.  Up to 4 million APIs are expected to vote this year, making this the most-voted election by the APIs ever. An additional 600,000 votes will be cast by APIs, a dramatic improvement from the 2008 presidential election.

Although APIs have made great strides in local representation, it needs to expand at a federal level.  Policy that can address the needs of the larger API community can only be implemented through congressional authority, which we are sorely lacking in.  It doesn’t help that we recently lost a congressional seat in Oregon due to a high-profile scandal.  API candidates need to support each other and not fight over the same seats and funders.  API voters need to be apprised of the issues and the candidates and must vote based on informed opinions.  With an 85 percent high school graduation rate and a 50 percent college graduation rate, the only thing holding API voters back is their lack of interest or commitment to political public discourse.  The pressure is now on to maintain this trend of ever-increasing API representation, which can only be accomplished through regular participation by API voters. 

We cannot become complacent within the electorate, even if we are being accepted with open arms into the middle class.  When you have an economy coming out of a recession, simply having corporations declaring record profits doesn’t mean a thing if a growth in job numbers fails to follow.  This just means that the rich are getting richer.  This same disparity can and will happen within the API population if we do not change our voting habits.  As the API population grows, we must vote in our best interest and encourage ambitious and progressive APIs to run for office, or else our voices will go unheard.  Non-API officials consolidate their power over us when we refuse to show up to the polls.  If our numbers increase and our level of representation doesn’t keep pace, then we will continue to be ignored by the old guard and never get our seat at the table.  One vote cast in support of an API issue can do so much more for our community than we give it credit for.  June is just around the corner and November isn’t far out either.  Remember to vote early and regularly.

Get Involved! 
First, register to vote and vote! It is the first and most important step to get our voices heard.
Second, get involved with some local activist groups or political groups. See what your own  representatives are doing. Do they represent Asian American community needs? If you are even more motivated:

Here are a few cool groups to look into:
AACI, Asian Americans for Community Involvement
SBFT, South Bay First Thursdays
VNA, Vision New America
ALC, Asian Law Caucus
OCA, Organization of Chinese Americans
CAPAL, Conference on Asian Pacific American Leadership

These are just a few resources. I encourage you to find your own interests and get involved!

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[1] http://www.census.gov/prod/cen2010/briefs/c2010br-02.pdf

[2] http://newsroom.ucla.edu/portal/ucla/new-ucla-study-finds-highest-number-219844.aspx

North Korea - Unrecognized Hell

http://cdn.theatlanticwire.com/img/upload/2012/02/10/
kimjongun.02102012/large.jpg

On February 10, 2012, Twitter and Weibo were buzzing about the rumored assassination of Kim Jong-Un, the current North Korean leader. In a matter of hours, there was an article about the rumor posted on every major news site. Then, just as quickly as it began, the rumor was dismissed by U.S. officials who noted that the rumor was false based on close monitoring of the Korean Peninsula for abnormal economic and military activity. This was as "official" as confirmation would get and the rumor disappeared from all thought and mind. There was no way to accurately assess Kim Jong-Un's status or actually communicate with North Korea, and without Kim Jong-Un actually coming out publicly and declaring his state, there would be no way for the rest of the world to have any light into the country. And so, due to the general lack of information, the world once again dismissed North Korea and placed it out of mind.

60 years of hunger even in the capital
http://www.asianews.it/files/img/
NORTH_KOREA_-_POVERTY.jpg

IMPACT:
That would be fine if North Korea were a decent humane country simply seeking national sovereignty and privacy from other nations. But that is not the case. The situation in North Korea is not one that can be ignored simply because information is scarce. In fact, one of the main reasons why information is so tightly controlled in North Korea is because of how terrible the situation in North Korea is. (The other reason information is limited is so that North Koreans can't see how much better the rest of the world is). Even with the information control, however, we can still catch glimpses into the horrors of North Korea through the eyes of escaped refugees, and this is information that cannot be discarded. The purpose of this article is not to focus on Kim Jong-Un or to suggest anything about his status. Frankly, I have no idea, and neither does anyone else. What I want to emphasize though is how little everyone seems to actually know about North Korea. Just look around you. How much do you and your community actually know about North Korea?

http://www.newworldorderwar.com/wp-content/
uploads/2011/01/North-Korea-1.jpg

The lack of knowledge about North Korea even within highly educated communities is absolutely astounding. Most people simply see North Korea as a nuclear threat and a low-income developing nation, but that is where the knowledge usually stops. Based on occasional photo releases like the one at the right, they assume North Korea is just another highly militaristic country with living conditions comparable to other developing countries. They are wrong. North Korea is more comparable to Hitler dominated Germany in mentality with human rights violations rivaling the Holocaust exacerbated by regular country-wide famine and agricultural failure. Although what I write cannot even begin to do justice to North Korea's situation, here's a brief overview.

North Koreans mourning the death of Kim Jong-Il,
a testament to North Koreans' state of mind.
http://static.lifeislocal.com.au/multimedia/
images/full/1625096.jpg

Let's start with information control and North Korean mentality. For the 24 million in North Korea, there is no freedom of speech, press, assembly, or association. All information distributed to the citizens is centrally controlled and produced. Information that is given to the public is saturated in indoctrination praising the leaders of North Korea as literal gods who have blessed the country and made it prosper. All citizens are required to have a Kim pin and have a portrait of the leaders in their homes. People in North Korea actually believe they are living in the best modern living conditions due to the blessings of their leadership. They believe every other country is living in much harder times than them. A great documentary that shows this is "A State of Mind," which follows participants of the Mass Games in North Korea. Frankly, there is no way for citizens to know any better because anyone who possesses information, books, or media not approved by the government is considered a traitor to the Communist state and thrown into a concentration camp. Anyone who shows any dissent against the state are thrown into camps. All citizens are forbidden from leaving the country. Citizens cannot even travel within country without prior approval from their local jurisdiction. All entry into the country is forbidden unless it is pre-approved by the government and the visitors are guided throughout their entire stay. If a citizen attempts to flee the country, they are shot on site or sent to a camp.  And yet people still ask me if I'm from South or North Korea when I tell them I'm Korean...

A drawing by defector Hye Sook Kim showing one of
countless public execution she witnessed before escaping.
http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/images/
stories/large/2011/02/03/DSC_0089.jpg

Speaking of the camps, there are an estimated 200,000 "offenders" of the state forced into concentration camps separated from society because of their "traitorous actions and thoughts" against the government. Much of what we know about the camps is from first-hand testimony by the trickle of those who have managed to escape. I had the rare opportunity of speaking with such a refugee during an awareness talk at Stanford, and the conditions he spoke of really are comparable to the concentration camps during the Holocaust without exaggeration. People are starved, beaten, tortured, raped, and publicly executed on a regular basis. Prisoners must feed on rats and weeds to survive, and even getting caught in that act of feeding can be considered insubordination and a reason for execution. Punishments are often applied to related kin as well, and three generations of a family can be executed simultaneously for the "crime" of one. North Korea's government officially denies the existence of such camps, but the steady stream of refugees and horror stories from those who escape cannot be denied.

The body of a North Korean woman
who died crossing the Duman River
trying to escape into China
http://english.chosun.com/site/data/
img_dir/2008/12/11/2008121161003_0.jpg

Life is hardly better for those who manage to miraculously escape North Korea. An estimated 300,000 North Korean refugees are hiding underground in China where the official government stance is to return discovered refugees back to North Korea where they will undoubtedly be placed into camps or executed. Thus, under the threat of being returned, over 80% of refugees never make it out of China and become victims of human trafficking. A documentary called "The People's Crisis" follows the journey of a North Korean refugee from the moment they arrive in China and shows the perilous risks these individuals must take even after finally escaping from North Korea.

What I've mentioned really is just a glimpse into the hell of North Korea, revealed by those far and few between who have escaped the country and lived to tell their story. The information is scarce, but it is powerful and reliable and cannot be ignored. Educate yourself and share about North Korea to others. It's the least you can do for one of the most unrecognized horrors of our time.

Get Involved!
You can also be proactive and join or support activist groups such as LiNK, Liberty in North Korea or others. Check them out here.

Music Review: Magnetic North - Home:Word [Deluxe Edition]

On November 29th 2011, hip hop group Magnetic North released their remastered and revamped collaboration album with Taiyo Na entitled, Home:Word [Deluxe Edition]. The culmination of 3 years of work, the collection includes 6 new songs as well as the majority of the original release's songs redone to feature some of the artists Magnetic North and Taiyo Na have shared the stage with while performing (Sam Kang, Heather Park and more).


Fortunately for all of us, this long time coming album was well worth the wait...


Sound:
In general the album steps away from the harder hitting more dramatic sound of many of Magnetic North's older songs ("We Will Not Be Moved" and "Price of Perfection" for example). The new album explores a wider variety of rhythms and beats.  From the soft relaxing piano of "Home:Word" to the jazzier sound of "I'm Here" to the poppy, fun paced guitar of "Summertime," This album has a nice, relaxed and homey feeling to it.

Despite the lighter tone, all of Theresa Vu's and Derek Kan's (the two members who make up Magnetic North) lyrical talent and rapping skill are obviously present and the voices of the other featured artists bring an intriguing and sweet complexity to the music.

Related to the title, the album revolves around home, family and friends, from the album's title song, about the importance of home, to "In My Corner" about the presence of loved ones no longer with us.

UPDATE 3/3/2012:
Upon further listening to Magnetic North's new album, I realized how woefully insufficient my original review was. If you know Magnetic North at all, they made a name for themselves with clever and catchy rap lyrics while telling relevant stories about the Asian American community and struggles. It is a field that is only now rapidly expanding as more and more Asian American artists take advantage of new media and pick up microphone to rap, sing, and play music.  The new album shows all those traits integrating great sounding lyrics with a deeper message that hits home for so many of us about our relatives, homes, relationships and more. In terms of criticism, some say that the songs, especially in this album, are somewhat cheesy. Although the topics are indeed disney-esque PG, for me, Magnetic North's songs fill a void, speaking directly to my own experiences, and my generation's perspectives and I would take their meaningful words over drugs, hoes and guns anyday. It was something I thought I would never really find in professional music and now I can sit back and hum along to songs that I feel are a true part of me.

Listening to Home:Word is a delight and suitable for any occasion really, but I like it best when I am just lounging around and can absorb the clever lyrics.

I could go on and on about each song on the new album but I'll let you experience them for yourself. You can sample the new album and Magnetic North's older songs here. Or purchase Home:Word [Deluxe Edition] here for just 10 bucks. Or you could be super awesome by buying the album along with t-shirts and posters for just a little more.

My verdict? Buy the CD!!

My Favorites:
Home:Word (Duh)
I Got My
Summertime

Here is the song list:
1. We Belong [ft. Chris Lijima]
2. It'll Work Out [ft. Sidney Outlaw]
3. Chris Speaks
4. Summertime [ft. Conchita Campos]
5. La La La [ft. Ruth Cho]
6. New Love [ft. Heather Park]
7. I'm Here
8.Cold [ft. Sam Kang]
9. Fukushima
10. In My Corner
11. Postcards
12. Chuck Speaks
13. Home:Word [ft. Sam Kang]
14. I Got My [ft. Jin]
15. Home:Word (Acro Jazz Laboratories Remix) [ft. Sam Kang]

Additional Notes:
"Home:Word", "Summertime" and "I Got My" all have fun music video versions, with Home:Word being the most touching and having been produced by our friends, Wong Fu Productions. It was a fun collaboration as Wong Fu had done Magnetic North's first ever music video "Drift Away" 5 years earlier.

You can take follow Magnetic north at http://magnetichiphop.com/ and Taiyo Na at taiyona.com.

For a more in depth view at Magnetic North and their history stay tuned for their upcoming spotlight!