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A D V E R T I S E M E N T
CULTURE


Moving Documentary Recognizes the “Godfather of Asian American Media”
The documentary film Third Act is more than a biography retrospective. It's a profound, intimate exploration of art and activism, as well as the complicated beauty of a father-son relationship. Directed by Tadashi Nakamura, the film shines a spotlight on his father, Robert A. Nakamura, a figure who "Generations of artists call… 'the godfather of Asian American media,'" but who his son simply calls "Dad". Initially conceived as a career retrospective, the film evolves into so


How a Chinese Immigrant Shaped the Look of One of Disney’s Most Iconic Films
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


Are Democrats Taking Asian American Voters for Granted?
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


Yonsei and the Power of Remembering Japanese American History
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


The First Asian American Rabbi on Finding Faith, Identity, and Radical Compassion
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


Three U.S. States Shine a Long Overdue Light on Diwali
Homes lit up with tiny clay lamps. Families spending hours creating rangoli designs that look like living pieces of art. Diwali is more than just a holiday to those who celebrate it. Known as the Festival of Lights (or Deepavali, which translates into “a row of lights” in Sanskrit), Diwali is a time of year when millions commemorate the power of light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance. For Hindus, according to Wikipedia , it marks Lord Ram’s victorio


Kevin Nguyen’s Mỹ Documents Feels Less Like Sci-Fi and More Like a Warning
Kevin Nguyen’s novel, Mỹ Documents , might be speculative fiction, but the world it imagines feels uncomfortably close to home right now....


Merit and Opportunity in the Changing World of STEM
According to recent commentary from the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF), Asian students are a key component to...


The Unchanging Yet Always Changing Chinatown: Morris Lum’s Tong Yan Gaai
As you walk through Chinatown, it hits you. Neon signs in both English and Chinese, the savory smell of roasted duck, aunties chatting in...


Bruce Lee: The Man, the Myth, and the Echo
Bruce Lee may have been known for lightning-fast kicks, nun chucks spinning like a blur, and that legendary one-inch punch, but Jeff...


Asian American Literature Gets a Data-Driven Rethink
What does it mean when we say “Asian American literature”? Is it every book written by someone of Asian descent? Only works that directly...


Can You Really Hear an “Asian American Accent”? People Say Yes, but Linguists Aren’t So Sure.
Ever heard someone say, “You have an Asian American accent”? If you haven’t, scroll through TikTok or Reddit. You’ll see it popping up...


Indian Tech Workers in the U.S. Face Increase of Online Hate Speech
In tech, it can be easy to obsess over code, AI breakthroughs, the next big app. But while the industry pushes forward, a more human...


Brands That Fail to Connect with AANHPI Communities Are Missing The Future of the U.S. Consumer Market
Marketers no longer look at the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) community as a small, niche group. They...


Skepticism Over DEI is on the Rise
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, better known as DEI, was once seen as a promise. A way to address inequalities that were embedded...


Is Hate the New Normal?
It wasn’t so long ago that phrases like “go back to where you came from” were the stuff of hushed insults. Ugly, but whispered. These...
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Simu Liu Says Hollywood’s Asian Representation is 'Appalling'
Barbie actor Simu Liu, known for his starring role in Marvel’s Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings , recently sparked a viral conversation after taking to social media to call out the film industry's systemic prejudices and "appalling" lack of Asian representation. Liu's comments followed a Threads post (below) lamenting the absence of Asian men in romantic comedies. In his powerful statement, Liu wrote: "Put some Asians in literally anything right now. the amount of ba


Awkwafina Explores Asian American Cuisine in Apple TV's New Culinary Adventure
Emmy and Golden Globe Award-winning actor and comedian Nora Lum, better known as Awkwafina, is heading to the kitchen, and she’s taking viewers along for the ride. Apple TV recently announced it is developing a new eight-episode unscripted food series titled The Unlikely Cook with Awkwafina , with the star both headlining and executive producing the show. The series is described as a personal, cross-country culinary adventure that will see Awkwafina exploring the dynamic wor


CNN Reports Surge in Anti-Indian Hate Across the Far Right
Indian Americans, including public figures like Vivek Ramaswamy and FBI Director Kash Patel, are now being openly targeted by racists in political corners of the internet. According to CNN , what was once the rants of a bunch of fringe radicals has moved right into the mainstream, with xenophobic slurs, calls for deportation, and attacks against both race and religion now made openly. This wave of hostility doesn’t just come from typical anti-immigrant rhetoric. Commenters o


KPop Demon Hunters Star Admits She Once “Hated That I Looked Asian”
Arden Cho, the voice of Rumi in Netflix’s animated smash hit KPop Demon Hunters , has recently shared a personal struggle that’s probably familiar to many Asian Americans who grew up without seeing themselves reflected in media. In an interview with the BBC World Service’s Global Women series , Cho spoke about her childhood in Texas and the self-reflected racism she battled. “I hated that I looked Asian,” she admitted to the BBC. “That I didn’t have blue eyes and blonde hair


New Streaming Channel Focusing on American Asian Stories Launches on Amazon Prime Video
JoySauce, a streaming network and multimedia hub aimed specifically at the AAPI community and its allies, is looking to shift the spotlight toward joy, celebration, and candid storytelling for the "American Asian" audience. The network’s launch and mission were detailed in an exclusive report by The Hollywood Reporter . Founded by serial entrepreneur and GeekWire chairman Jonathan Sposato, JoySauce was conceived to focus on "more celebratory stories." Sposato has noted that
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