Before the fame, before Harold & Kumar and Searching , John Cho was just a college student trying to find his place in the world. In a recent interview about that time in his life, he shares that transferring to UC Berkeley was “the first independent, proactive thing that I did for myself,” a decision that marked a turning point for him. Once there, he suddenly felt a freedom he hadn’t known before. Surrounded by students from all walks of life, he realized he could explore

Asian American literature has gone mainstream. Finally. What started as a few trailblazing voices has become a full-on literary movement reshaping how our country understands family, identity, and belonging. Here are ten books that didn’t just tell great stories. They changed the culture. 1. The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan (1989) Amy Tan’s interwoven tales of Chinese immigrant mothers and their American-born daughters gave voice to an experience that millions recognized but had

Disney’s 1942 classic Bambi defined an entire generation, and after years of re-releases on home video, in theatres and on streaming, you probably have no problem picturing its dreamy forest filled with soft pastels, drifting mist, and sunlight melting through trees that look more like a painting than a cartoon. You might be surprised to learn this beautiful, ethereal look came from the vision of one man: Tyrus Wong, a Chinese-born artist whose name appeared in the credits s

When DNC Vice Chair Shasti Conrad told Fox News , “We lost ground with many of our communities … The Asian American community was one of them,” she wasn’t just rehashing a tough presidential campaign loss back in 2024. She was issuing a very specific warning for the 2025 gubenatorial battle happening in New Jersey — a warning for Democrats not to ignore Asian American voters there, but also in upcoming elections happening in Virginia and New York, as well. Conrad pointed out

Actress and filmmaker Rachel Michiko Whitney is turning her family’s layered, often unspoken history into art with her moving documentary short, Yonsei (a term that means fourth-generation Japanese American). The film has been traveling its way through the festival circuit, and Whitney sat down with Deadline to talk about what it means to honor your past while also working to create something entirely new. What started as an attempt to tell her mother’s story as a Japanese

Harvard’s student body is beginning to look different these days. And it isn’t by accident. Recent data reveals a clear trend. Asian American enrollment is on the up, while the number of Black and Hispanic students is falling. The Times of India called it Harvard’s “diversity in flux,” a change in the makeup of our universities. Now some are sending out an alarm. The Harvard College admissions data for the class of 2029 showed a mix of 11.5 percent Black students, 11 percent

KPop Demon Hunters has captured streaming records, the zeitgeist, and the hearts of die-hard fans everywhere. What started as a stylish, demon-slaying girl-power fantasy became a global phenomenon, even sneaking onto the Billboard charts this year. But the animated musical also caught Netflix flatfooted, leaving the streamer running to catch up. For years Netflix famously avoided diving into merchandising, but when KPop Demon Hunters exploded into a worldwide obsession, fa

Rabbi Angela Buchdahl has never fit neatly into anyone’s box. As the first Asian American to be ordained as both a rabbi and a cantor (and the first woman to lead New York City’s historic Central Synagogue in its 185-year history) Buchdahl spent her career expanding the idea of who gets to belong in Jewish life. Her new memoir, Heart of a Stranger , tells that story in full. Born in Seoul in 1972 to an American Jewish father and a Korean Buddhist mother, Buchdahl grew up in T

Having influence means more than just counting the number of followers someone has on social media. It’s about shaping culture, building communities, and defining what authenticity looks like in the real world, too. From TikTok stars to business moguls, these Asian American creators have used their platforms to amplify representation, inspire creativity, and redefine what success looks like. Here are ten of the most powerful voices shaping the social media landscape today. 1.

NBC News recently laid off 150 staffers in what the company is calling a necessary restructuring tied to the split between NBC News and MSNBC, as reported by The Wrap and The Advocate . The team behind NBC Asian America, a group of dedicated journalists who spent years telling stories about our community that mainstream media often overlooked, was included in the layoff. For many of us in the Asian American community (and other marginalized groups) this move is more than ju

Erik Spoelstra has been named head coach of the U.S. men’s national basketball team , a breakthrough moment for Asian American representation. As the first coach of Filipino descent to lead Team USA, Spoelstra brings deep basketball credentials as head coach of the Miami Heat, taking the franchise to six NBA Finals and championships in 2012 and 2013. As of 2025, he is the NBA’s longest‑tenured head coach with one franchise. He will lead Team USA in both the 2027 FIBA Men’s Wo

Asian Americans in Hollywood have long been told their stories are too niche, but a new report from The Asian American Foundation (TAAF) proves that that isn’t necessarily true. Their 2025 Business Case for Asian and Asian American Narratives suggests that Asian-led stories aren’t just good for visibility, they’re actually good for business, too. Despite recent progress, Asian Americans remain the most underrepresented group in Hollywood, accounting for only about three to