Wednesday, December 31, 2014

Couple's Lifelong Love Story Breaks Box Office Records - NBC News.com

My article for NBC Asian America re "My Love, Don't Cross that River"
Directed by veteran documentary filmmaker Jin Mo-Young, the film follows the love story of an elderly couple - 89-year-old Kang Kye-Yeol and 98-year-old Cho Byeong-Man, married for 76 years. The two are described as fairytale-like characters—the husband is strong like a woodsman and the wife is full of charms like a princess. Every day, the couple wears matching traditional Korean hanbok, enjoy a daily routine together, and fall asleep at night holding hands. The movie documents their days as they sense their time together, and their love story, may be drawing to a close.
Couple's Lifelong Love Story Breaks Box Office Records - NBC News.com

Thursday, December 25, 2014

Traditional Asian Lending Circles Get New Life with Modern Twist - NBC News.com

My article for NBC Asian America on Lending Circles:
"Social loans have long been practiced in our communities, both in countries of origin and here in the U.S.," said Lisa Hasegawa, Executive Director of National CAPACD, "The added twist of being able to build credit while saving has really resonated with so many previously disenfranchised people including recent immigrants and refugees, survivors of domestic violence, and micro-entrepreneurs."
Traditional Asian Lending Circles Get New Life with Modern Twist - NBC News.com

Wednesday, December 24, 2014

Justin Lin Goes From 'Fast and Furious' to 'Star Trek 3' - NBC News.com

My article for NBC Asian America
Lin is best known for directing four of the Fast & Furious films, which grossed $1.9 billion worldwide. But he's also known for Better Luck Tomorrow, one of the few all-Asian-American film projects to reach prominence on the mainstream market, and which introduced actors John Cho, Sung Kang, and Parry Shen to national audiences. Lin is also one of the founders of the Asian-American blog and video network, You Offend Me, You Offend My Family (YOMYOMF).
Justin Lin Goes From 'Fast and Furious' to 'Star Trek 3' - NBC News.com

Tuesday, December 23, 2014

The Year in Books: Asian America's Must-Reads of 2014 - NBC News.com

My article for NBC News Asian America
Need new book ideas now that your Asian-American Literature class is over? Check out some of the books published by Asian-American authors in 2014. From food to family, comedy to color, these books will be next on your must-read list.
The Year in Books: Asian America's Must-Reads of 2014 - NBC News.com

Monday, December 22, 2014

SNL Doll Sketch: Straight Satire or Pushing Stereotypes? - NBC News.com

My article for NBC Asian America re SNL Asian American Doll sketch:
"I didn't find the sketch offensive, but I also didn't find it funny," said 8Asians.com Editor-in-Chief and CEO Jocelyn "Joz" Wang, "Once it got going, I could see all the jokes and stereotypes before they came. Why so predictable, SNL? I guess it's too much to ask for SNL to do anything more nuanced."
SNL Doll Sketch: Straight Satire or Pushing Stereotypes? - NBC News.com

Holiday Gift Guide Looks Back at the Year in Asian America - NBC News.com

My article for NBC News Asian America:
As the holidays approach, from Diwali to Christmas to Lunar New Year's to Songkran, gifts are on everyone's minds. Below, a look back at some of the stories and people we've covered in 2014, and the holiday gifts they've inspired. 
Shout outs to Nina McConigley Dominic Pangborn Grace Lee American Revolutionary: The Evolution of Grace Lee Boggs Awesome Asian Bad Guys Samurai Bike Messengers Penn Masala Jet Tila Angry Asian Man Blacklava The Sikh Coalition Center for Asian American Media Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF)

Thursday, December 18, 2014

Chinese-Americans Find Love on Specialty Dating Site - NBC News.com

my article in NBC News Asian America
Founded in 2010, and modeled after JDate, a dating site for Jewish Singles, 2RedBeans is an online dating site for the Chinese diaspora or "Overseas Chinese." It boasts almost 500,000 members, of whom 70 percent use simplified/traditional Chinese as their default site language, 30 percent were born in North America, and only 2 percent are non-Asian. It also has an algorithm that weeds out "Asianphiles" and accounts for Chinese cultural values such as date of immigration and highest level of education.
Chinese-Americans Find Love on Specialty Dating Site - NBC News.com

Tuesday, December 16, 2014

Millennials Are Increasingly Non-White, Foreign-Born, and Bilingual - NBC News.com

My article in NBC News Asian America
"One day - and soon - large portions of the earth will look and behave like New York," said International Cultural Strategist Jie-Song Zhang in response to new Census data describing millennials in New York City as increasingly non-white, foreign born, and bilingual. "A multitude of ancestries sharing the same trains and parks and grocery stores."
Millennials Are Increasingly Non-White, Foreign-Born, and Bilingual - NBC News.com

Tuesday, December 9, 2014

Indian Americans Targeted in Spate of Home Invasions - NBC News.com

I just found out there have been 4 similar home invasions also targeting Indian Americans in my county. What about where you live? My article for NBC News Asian America
Indian Americans Targeted in Spate of Home Invasions - NBC News.com

Update: Follow up by Emil Guillermo December 17, 2014: Arrests Made After Series of Indian-American Home Invasions - NBC News.com

Should Mark Wahlberg Be Pardoned for 1988 Assault? - NBC News.com

Asian Americans respond to Mark Wahlberg's application for pardon and 1988 court documents say race did have something to do with it. My article for NBC News Asian America.
But his assault conviction was accompanied by another, for contempt for court. That stemmed from a series of attacks he committed two years earlier, chasing and hurling rocks and racial epithets at African-American school children. A court prohibited him from assaulting, threatening, or intimidating anyone because of race or national origin; the 1988 investigation found him in violation of the order, meaning the court believed race did play a role in the attacks on Lam and Trinh.
Should Mark Wahlberg Be Pardoned for 1988 Assault? - NBC News.com

Sunday, December 7, 2014

Sing Along with Santa - Ann Arbor Observer

Sorry to miss Sing Along with Santa this year, everyone knows I can't resist a man who sings. here's an article I wrote in 2009 for Ann Arbor Observer Sing Along with Santa - Ann Arbor Observer

Friday, December 5, 2014

Eric Garner Case Resonates Among Asian Americans - NBC News

My article for NBC News Asian America
"While we do not experience racism in the exact same way as Blacks, Latinos, and Native Americans," said Minneapolis-based poet and activist Bao Phi, "I think we should look at cases of state-sanctioned violence and police brutality against Asian Americans, Fong Lee being one example, to engage our communities."
Eric Garner Case Resonates Among Asian Americans - NBC News

Thursday, December 4, 2014

Hawaiian Palace Launches Worldwide Search for Lost Artifacts - NBC News.com

My article in NBC News Asian America:
"Palace objects have been recovered from 36 states and four foreign countries," including, "porcelain plates returned from Australia and a table found in the Governor's mansion in Iowa, to a chair in a local thrift store."
Hawaiian Palace Launches Worldwide Search for Lost Artifacts - NBC News.com

Tuesday, December 2, 2014

Sikh-American Student Challenges ROTC Rules - NBC News.com

My article for NBC News Asian America:
"Ever since the army changed its grooming regulations back in the 1980's," said Manmeet Singh, staff attorney for United Sikhs, "it led to a presumptive ban on devout Sikhs from serving in the armed forces."
Sikh-American Student Challenges ROTC Rules - NBC News.com