Contact Form 8Questions with Jessi Malay, Hapa Artist
I openly admit I am a gangsta rap fan. So I have to constantly remind myself that there is more music out there than 2Pac, Dr. Dre, and/or Snoop Doggy Dog. One talented hapa artist I’ve been following (that isn’t a gangsta rapper) is Jessi Malay. I have been lucky enough to have gotten to know her in the last couple of years and have found her to be more than just a “pop” singer. [...] Continue »
Read This ArticleAn Interview With Composer George Shaw
By John “Johnny C” Chuidian You’ve heard his music as your friend’s custom ringtone lovingly downloaded from his website (for free); you hear it across YouTube from Wong Fu to Michelle Phan, and now you’ve probably seen his new piece inspired by The Hunger Games. Yes: it’s George Shaw, the first name people recall when they think of Asian American composers. For someone whose music has both depth and accessibility (you can hum just about [...] Continue »
Read This ArticleJin Akanishi’s Japonicana Album and US Debut
Jin Akanishi’s US debut album Japonicana releases today (March 6th) on iTunes US and in stores everywhere. If the ticket sales for his Japonicana Tour were anything like his Yellow Gold Tour, chances are they would be hard to get. On the day I was to have telephone interview with Jin in Los Angeles (I’m in Toronto), President Obama had clogged up the traffic to the studio, thus delaying our interview for almost an hour. [...] Continue »
Read This Article8Questions with Claire Mix, Producer/Writer/Director of Gila River and Mama: The Ruth Mix Story
The first national organization to speak out against the illegal incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II was the Quakers. The Quakers have a long standing commitment to progressive causes. Many don’t know this but they were one of the first groups to fight to abolish slavery and have advocated for women’s rights and later civil rights as well. (To see some of the causes they are currently fighting for, click here.) Although the [...] Continue »
Read This ArticleExclusive: 8Asians.com Readers Asked, John Cho Responds!
Thanks for all the great questions posed to the stars of A Very Harold and Kumar 3D Christmas. Here are the answers to the questions John Cho selected in our exclusive 8Asians Reader Q&A! 1. How did your family respond when you told them you were interested in pursuing acting as a career? – AnnPantaleon JC: They weren’t super enthusiastic, but they were understanding. No one ever forbade me. They were just worried that I [...] Continue »
Read This Article8Questions with John Cho & Kal Penn on A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas, Nudity & Occupy Wall Street
Harold and Kumar are back for a brand new adventure with a Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas but this time, they’re older, wiser and well, not really friends with each other any more. Uh-oh. Does this mean their best friendship is over together? I had to find out for myself. I sat down with stars John Cho and Kal Penn to talk about the latest sequel and was treated to a pretty hilarious conversation. [...] Continue »
Read This ArticleAPA Faith Matters: Patrick Cheng, Theologian and Author of ‘Radical Love’
APA Faith Matters is a periodic interview of Asian Pacific American (APA) leaders in various religious contexts. It highlights those leaders who are passionate about social justice issues that matter to APA communities and work from within their religious contexts. Patrick S. Cheng is the Assistant Professor of Historical and Systematic Theology at the Episcopal Divinity School in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He is a member of the American Academy of Religion, and also writes for the religion [...] Continue »
Read This ArticleAPA Spotlight: Larry Lee, Executive Director, New York Asian Women’s Center (NYAWC)
APA Spotlight is a weekly interview of Asian Pacific Islander Americans (APIA) community leaders. It is a spotlight on individuals who have dedicated their careers to issues surrounding the APIA community with the goal of bringing much deserved recognition to their work and cause(s). Larry has been the Executive Director of the New York Asian Women’s Center since 2007. NYAWC is the largest Asian American domestic violence and human trafficking agency in the country. NYAWC [...] Continue »
Read This Article8Questions with Frank Abe of Conscience and the Constitution
The generally accepted Japanese American narrative goes something like this: We came to this country. There was discrimination. Then Pearl Harbor happened. We went peacefully to the concentration camps and then while there we remained docile and peaceful. Some fought bravely in Europe and helped win the respect of the country which 50 years later resulted in an reparations and an official apology. While a lot of that is true, there was also a group [...] Continue »
Read This Article8Questions with Fluff Ice & Their Taiwanese Shaved Ice!
I don’t usually write reviews of restaurants but when actor and food blogger (and friend) Lynn Chen invited me to join her at Fluff Ice, a new dessert place in my area (San Gabriel Valley, 626 in the house!), I jumped. She told me we were going to be eating at a new Taiwanese shaved ice restaurant that just opened. I have to be honest, I didn’t know what Taiwanese shaved ice was. I mean, [...] Continue »
Read This Article8Questions with Lucy Walker, Director of The Tsunami and the Cherry Blossom
Being that my mother is from Japan, I feel a connection to that country that many Japanese Americans do not. So when the earthquake/tsunami/nuclear disaster hit in March, I felt it in my gut. I was worried not only about my relatives but also friends and strangers alike. At home, I made it point to take another look at my family’s earthquake disaster plan and make sure we all knew what to do. However, after [...] Continue »
Read This Article8Questions with Brian & Tim Watters of Teruo Artistry
If you’ve ever seen me in person, then you know that when I’m not dressed up for work I’m wearing Teruo Artistry clothes. I like it because it’s simple but hip, something I can wear to make me look a little less weird and awkward. I decided to interview brothers Brian and Tim Watters, the founders of the Teruo Artistry, who happen to be hapa (and my best friends). From their website, Teruo Artistry (pronounced [...] Continue »
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