Sure, the beef is actually a setup (as it has been for a decade) but this is an epic game of skate - you don't even need to skate to like this - just watch for 2:00 minutes and see if you keep on watching.
Glad to see Sean Malto who's Hapa (Filipino) back in action after what could have been a career ending ankle injury.
Nice.
Sean Malto's Epic Unsanctioned Game Of Skate
Tuesday, May 02, 2017Jintae + GoFundMe
Tuesday, May 02, 2017I'm gonna provide a link to this GoFundMe page for an AK/KAD/KA - feel free to help out if you can.
I met Jintae when I went to Korea last year. We were both guests at KoRoot, a guesthouse for Korean adoptees. I was there on a trip to visit my biological family. He had just moved there to start a new life for himself.
I quickly learned that Jintae is a remarkable person who has overcome so much. His story exemplifies everything that can go wrong with international adoption.
I share his story now with permission.
cw: abuse, depression
His white mother wanted a Korean baby boy because she thought he would grow up to be scientist or doctor and make lots of money. His white father didn't care-- he wasn't around. He was constantly teased for being the only non-white kid around. Additionally, his parents made him switch schools every single year, so it was impossible for him to make friends. The ones he managed to make, he wasn't able to keep because he'd always have to go to a new school.
As he got older, it became even harder to make friends because people had been friends for years at school together already, and he was always just the new Asian kid.
His most prominent memories of his father from when he was a child were drunken arguments with his mother in the middle of the night. When he was 7 or 8 they started having problems. When he was 10, they got a divorce and didn't tell him about it. He found out accientally when he overheard a conversation his adoptive mother was having.
For the next two years, he was pretty much ignored because they were finalizing the separation/divorce.
He was sent to military school when he was 12. At the beginning of his second semester, after he turned 13, he was molested by an older cadet. This happened on multiple different occasions. Several other cadets around his age were also victims. They were also physically abused constantly by senior ranking cadets.
This is when his decline picked up momentum. Eventually he left military school to finish his freshman year of high school in California with his adoptive father.
In 2015, he decided he wanted to get in touch with Korean culture and move there.
In response, his adoptive family issued an ultimatum: It was either them, or Korea.
He chose Korea, and they disowned him.
When I met Jintae in August 2015, he was hard at work learning the Korean language (seriously, I was so amazed that he had only been there for a couple months) -- and starting up his personal training business.
I was amazed by his courage in coming to the country of his birth, leaving everything he knew behind to seek something better than what he knew.
It is extremely difficult to move to a foreign country, especially if you don't have financial support in some way.
It is even more difficult if you are a survivor of trauma, and struggle with the resulting depression.
Jintae couldn't afford rent, because he didn't leave the U.S. with enough money to secure the "key money" / deposit, which is extremely high in Korea. So he was paying rent that was double what it could have been. If he had come with enough for the key money/deposit, he would still be in Korea today.
As it was, it was too expensive for him to continue to stay.
Jintae recently had to move back to California, where he's struggling to get mental health care and to make enough money to return to Korea.
I offered to make him a GoFundMe to help him get back, because I know the obstacles he faces are too difficult to surmount alone.
Jintae will have a job lined up before he returns to Korea, but would need help with all those upfront costs of moving.
The donations would be for the following things:
Flight: $700
"Key money"/deposit: $3,000
Three months' rent: $1,800
Shipping belongings: $300
Korean language class: $1,500
Total: $7,300
Thank you so much for considering this. Jintae is one of the most hardworking, perseverent people I know, and has so much integrity.
I know, as a community, we can give him at least a portion of the support -- financial, but also emotional -- that his adoptive family so cruelly denied him.
Damn NBC News Asian America
Wednesday, March 29, 2017Seriously - you're still promoting a racist show that so many people have demonstrated against?
A show that's steeped in colonial orientalism and as I said in my YOMYOMF post "set in the dreams of White People"?
Again - I'm not saying it's all bad - but you need to think about the Asian America that's tagged to your site then, and what your mission is - because how can Asian Americans fight if members in the community, and an outlet that at least I've thought is supposed to be shedding a light on Asian Americans, is promoting racist shows like "Miss Saigon"?
And while I have nothing against Nick Ut or the commemoration of the anniversary of his famous picture (mostly) - I find it odd that on a site that's supposed to be in the spirit of Asian America, Phan Thị Kim Phúc's name can't be found in a headline - versus doing mostly the same thing as most everyone else - focusing on a naked tortured Vietnamese child. And yes you do have a pic up of her now as an adult - but her name isn't anywhere to be found on it (and sure it's the main page, no captions for images...) - so she's kind of nameless again. Yes, it's still talking about Nick Ut AKA Huỳnh Công Út - but it's the same, somewhat torture war porn imagery we like to remember in America, and about Vietnamese Americans.
When you put those two together - I have a hard time swallowing it.
At Least There's Some Justice? AKA James Harris Jackson Gets It. Unfortunately It Won't Bring Back Timothy Caughman
Tuesday, March 28, 2017http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/james-harris-jackson-terrorism_us_58d97aa0e4b0f805b3227e96
On Monday, James Harris Jackson, 28, of Baltimore was indicted Monday on one count each of first- and second-degree murder as an act of terrorism for the March 20 stabbing of Timothy Caughman, 66. He previously was charged with second-degree murder as a hate crime and three counts of criminal possession of a weapon.I think this is great, but we gotta do something about the mindset - before this happens.
Run River North + Melissa Polinar + Shoutouts
Thursday, March 23, 2017
Shout out to All Things Considered for their article on SXSW. Love love love Melissa Polinar and loving the pic of Run River North.
It Ain't Me - Kygo, Selena Gomez (KHS & Kina Grannis Cover)
Wednesday, March 22, 2017
What are those potato chips?
Love Song: A Little Jason A Little Chu + Some FUZZY + Jessica Louise
Wednesday, March 22, 2017
The 2nd MV from #Arrivals.
When White People Make Shitty Covers And Videos (AKA Is It Stand By Me Or Give Me A Lap Dance?)
Wednesday, March 22, 2017
Honestly - I don't remember how I even found this - but for some odd reason I was thinking about shitty covers, and I was like - Oh Shit - this is probably the worst cover and video ever for a song.
Ever.
Go Jaylow!!!!!
Some Days It's Hard To Rep My Viet People (Because It's Like We Have To Do It All The Time)
Tuesday, March 21, 2017Seriously - some days, it seems like too much work to have to bring up all the great Viets in the community because it seems like in almost every twist and turn we get forgotten about, overlapped with other people, or just looked at like "Who the fuck do these Viet MF's think they are?".
Honestly - it sometimes gets tiring - not repping my peepages but - having to do it because some people or orgs, or fill in the blank - just have no fucking clue.
Fine - I'll just hit you like I'm kicking in the tunnels and you'll see me coming - well...
Never.
Kickstart That Chasing Lovely New EP (They Need Your Help!)
Thursday, March 16, 2017
5 days.
A little over 3 thousand.
Can you get them there?
P.S. Episode 1 Of Andi Mack Made Me Cry (Just A Little)
Wednesday, March 15, 2017Seriously.
Don't judge.
It was just that good.
It really is - and no I didn't really cry - well just a little teary...because it was in fact that good and I'm glad to see Disney stepping up their game with teen pregnancy, Asian Americans, and Hapas.
And for all you Buffy the Vampire fans out there - yes, there is a reference.
Get It While It's Hot: A Fistful of Soundtracks
Monday, March 13, 2017Always some good reads down at AFOS - but beware - only a year left until the last post in Dec of 2017.
So get 'em while they're hot.
http://afistfulofsoundtracks.blogspot.com/
Dai Thao Is Running For St. Paul Mayor. I Hope He Gets It
Monday, March 13, 2017
I've see the signs, seen the videos - and you know - I think he'd make a good mayor.
Council member Dai Thao believes that Saint Paul is at a pivotal moment in need of leadership that will stand with the people despite the uncertainty at the state and federal governments. Our city needs a bold direction that will tackle the racial disparities gap that is crippling our economy, make sure that our city services operate equitably across all neighborhoods, and assure that residents are invested in because they are the infrastructure of our community and economy. To do this, our community deserves tenacious leadership from an invested, hardworking and responsive Mayor who can both listen to and empathize with the diverse residents of St. Paul. Dai is a proud and determined progressive who will help us ensure a more prosperous and secure future for the Capital City.
Peep the site and make a contribution if you are so inclined.
And yes - more to come.
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