Unemployment Statistics

Some unemployment statistics say the following:

Last year marked the second year in a row that Asian Americans had the largest share of unemployed workers who were unemployed long term (i.e., for six months or more). In 2011, 50.1 percent of the Asian American unemployed were unemployed long term, up from 48.7 percent in 2010 (Figure A).

They Said It In 1996

...then-Flushing City Councilwoman Julia Harrison was quoted in the New York Times speaking about the growing Asian-American community in her district. "They were more like colonizers than immigrants," Harrison said. "They sure as hell had a lot of money and they sure as hell knew how to buy property and jack up rents of retail shops and drive people out."

And she still got elected in 1997.

ABC News + Tuyet Le

Power Player Of The Week: Michelle Kwan

Slants Tour Dates + Get On The Bus

Kickstart it


05/27: Portland, OR: Wonder Northwest Cosplay Dance Party (all-ages)
07/07: Seattle, WA: TBA
07/13: San Francisco, CA: TBA
07/14: San Diego, CA: San Diego Comic Con party at The Stage Bar (21+)
07/15: TBA
07/16: Los Angeles, CA: The Mint (all ages, bar w/ID)
07/17: Las Vegas, NV: TBA
07/18: Phoenix, AZ: The Lost Leaf
07/19: Denver, CO: The UMS Festival
07/20: Tulsa, OK: Tokyo in Tulsa (all-ages)
07/21: Tulsa, OK: Tokyo in Tulsa (all-ages)
07/22: Tulsa, OK: Tokyo in Tulsa (all-ages) - morning
07/22: New Orleans, LA: TBA - late evening
07/23: Tallahassee, FL: The Back Room
07/24: TBA
07/25: Atlanta, GA: TBA
07/26: Nashville, TN: TBA
07/27: Wausau, WI: Wausaubicon (all-ages)
07/28: Wausau, WI: Wausaubicon (all-ages)
08/03: Portland, OR: Dante's (CD Release Party)
08/04: TBA
08/05: Salt Lake City, UT: TBA
08/07: Houstin, TX: TBA
08/08: Austin, TX: TBA
08/09: San Antonio, TX: SanJapan (all-ages)
08/10: San Antonio, TX: SanJapan (all-ages)
08/11: San Antonio, TX: SanJapan (all-ages)

Mnet + Angry Little Asian Girl, Kollaboration

Cool.

Mnet (www.mnetamerica.com), the first and leading national, 24/7 English-language television network in the U.S. for all things Asian cool, has taken the hottest line-up of original shows inspired by Asian entertainment to the next level with its 2012-13 programming slate. The network’s new programming includes the original series Angry Little Asian Girl, where animation gets an Asian American attitude. Also, YTF unites the biggest YouTube sensations, and Kollaboration takes U.S. cities by storm, scouring the nation for the hottest talent. The line-up was unveiled as the network celebrates Asian Pacific American Heritage Month this May with a series of announcements, including a new content everywhere initiative.

These three new shows join returning original favorites Short Notice, which is launching a film festival tied to season three; Beats Per Mnet (BPM), covering the world of Asian Pop culture; and the daily K-pop music show, Hello Pop!.

“As our programming strategy evolves, we have been able to present original series that exemplifies our passion to bring the best of Asian pop culture to America,” said Ted Kim, acting president & CEO of Mnet. “It is stimulating to watch our new original programming join forces with the previously successful series, further expanding our reach to millennials that love all things Asian cool.”

Kero One - Fast Life Ft. Esna

Love.This.

New Love + Taiyo Na

SuChin Pak + Makers

The Feministing Five: SuChin Pak

SuChin’s story is one of the many amazing stories highlighted on the new PBS/AOL digital series MAKERS. This digital series and soon-to-be PBS documentary features the stories of trailblazing women like Madeleine Albright, Carol Burnett, Faith Ringgold, Alice Walker, Misty Copeland and our very own Courtney Martin. Talking about the lack of role models for Asians on camera and fighting for the underdog, SuChin continues to create an alternative narrative to the American identity. In one clip she says, “If I can use the system to really help that guy that’s trying to break down the system? That’s when I’m like, nice, that’s a good day’s work.” How can you not love that? And now, without further ado, the Feministing Five, with SuChin Pak.

Cool.

Where'd That Week And A Half Go Btw?

No idea...so much for staying on task here...

Nguyen + Yearbook = Awesome

You might have already heard about this - but in case you haven't - definitely check it out.

Because it's awesome.

On many many levels.

For the eight students at a California high school with the same last name-Nguyen- it was obvious their wallet-size snapshots would be sharing the same yearbook page. So instead of exerting their individuality with the standard Grateful Dead quote and a prom-worthy up-do, they decided to join forces for the ultimate prank. Alexandra, Angela, Angelica, Elizabeth, Emily, Isabella, Madeline and Vi Nguyen all wore the same black off-shoulder dresses and the same hairstyles. Then they went for the win. Eschewing the optional yearbook one-liner under each of their photos, they divided up two sentences that made fellow students and administrators think twice before making any stereotypical assumptions. Altogether, the words under the Nguyen girls' eight pictures read: "We know what you're thinking and no we're not related."

Read it in full here.

Former Playboy Models, Mexico's Presidential Elections, And Reuters Make Me Laugh

It's not the debate. It's not even the fact that you have a former Playboy model grab a lot of attention.

Nope.

It's the fact that Reuters felt that we wouldn't be able to figure out that she was the one in the white dress.

Five Years Of Blogging

While I'm in my sixth calendar year of blogging, around this time five years ago is when I started this thing up to put out another voice from the APIA community. I wanted to talk about race and racism, some pop culture, random things that interested me, put the word out on as much as I could from the Asian American community, and in a way, simply to say this is who I am as a member of the APA community -- take it or leave it - and at the end of the day if I could help push out something new to at least a few people about a community that I love to see flourish - even if sometimes from a distance because that's simply who I am - that's a part of what it was and still is all about.

I've learned about myself, the community - a lot since starting this - and I just have to put out a thank you to all the great people I've met either online or offline, those folks who've backed me up, taken the time to help with things I've been involved in, shared what they have to offer, not been turned off because I've wanted to maintain a sense of anonymity when I have and haven't always known how to work that, and not been afraid to say they actually like or use this blog and what I do here.

This blog has never created a lot of dialogue in terms of comments. I've always known because of the language I use, the name of the blog itself, and some of the things I talk about, or the way that I talk about them, that it would never have the reach that some do or will. As I've started blogging less over the past two years, traffic ebbs and flows, and I wonder where it goes from here as I think about other things down the line.

I'm approaching 5,000 posts. The content put out here has been exposed at least 2-3 million times by half a million to a million people. It's a drop in the bucket for a lot of folks, especially over this time -- but for someone who didn't quite know what they were doing, still can't really network worth a damn - if I think about how long it would have taken or the amount of resources needed to get even half that exposure en masse via traditional means (think fliers and gatherings and readings) and to reach some of the people who I have - I can't help but think that I've done what I set out to do here five years ago during this month - because truth be told - I just didn't feel like I was doing enough and I needed to do more.

So to the people that still read this, to those that have lent their voices and their time, to the musicians and filmmakers, writers who've kept me up at night, friends who've passed news my way, and just to those that have been around - keep doing what you do and thank you again, one last time.

Ashton Kutcher + Brown Face + White Dick Racist Tendencies + Breaking It Down For The Clueless

Some might say to themselves "Why does he have to be a White Dick, why can't he just be a dick?" to which I'd reply, "Because only White People can be this type of a dick where they indulge in racist tendencies."

Others might say "Ashton didn't do anything even remotely racist, it was funny and you people should learn to laugh a little," to which I'd say, "When a White Person dons black face, brown face, yellow face, et al., in this day and age it's a modern day minstrel show no matter which way you cut it and hearkens back to the days when People Of Color had no visibility or power and were treated less than second class citizens. Because of the inequalities in mainstream society for POC and the xenophobic attitudes that still exist - resulting in lower wages, less power to influence government, school bullying, hate crimes, and less than equal health care treatment (to list a few) - it's just as offensive now as it ever was and possibly even more so because you're supposed to know better."

Kollaboration DC 3 Auditions Schedule

Finalized Auditions Schedule:

Round 1 – Live Auditions @ University of Maryland, College Park (MD)
Date: Saturday, May 5
Time: 11:00am - 5:00pm
Location: University of Maryland – Rekord Armory, room 0117
Free weekend parking in lots C1 or C2 (http://www.transportation.umd.edu/parking/maps/map_color.pdf)

Round 2 – Live Auditions @ Jammin Java (VA)
Date: Saturday, May 12, 2012
Time: 10:00pm - 12:00am
Location: Jammin Java
227 Maple Ave E, Vienna, VA 22180

Round 3 – Live Public Auditions @ Fiesta Asia 2012 (DC) – FOR SOLO OR DUO ACTS ONLY
Date: Saturday, May 19, 2012
Time: 10:00am - 5:00pm
Location: Fiesta Asia 2012 – Kollaboration Acoustic Lounge Booth
Pennsylvania Ave. between 3rd and 6th Streets, Washington, DC – audition live for judges in front of an audience

Round 4 – Live Auditions @ the George Washington University (DC)
Date: Sunday, June 3
Time: 11:00am - 5:00pm
Location: Marvin Center – Grand Ballroom
800 21st Street, N.W., Washington, DC 20052