Three years ago in my high school classroom, I watched as a college student mocked an entire language in the halls of my future university. My 11th-grade teacher projected the video for the whole class to see, the audio loud enough that the words rang through our minds. We talked about the way she condensed…
You’ve probably seen it everywhere: ads that read in a borderline incredulous tone (“You won’t believe what happens next!”), bold font gossip magazines at the grocery store checkout lines (he said, she said, same old), coyly framed “technically true” YouTube video titles (“The Dark Truth Behind Mushrooms!”). Anything for a read, a click, a view,…
Dear Asian Youth (DAY) is a non-profit organization and literary magazine that aims to empower the Asian community. According to their website, their goal is to “uplift marginalized communities through education, activism, and celebration.” The organization was founded by 16-year-old student Stephanie Hu in order to create a space for her to publish her literary…
Thirteen years ago, a picture of Miley Cyrus racistly emulating Asian traits by slanting her eyes and making buck teeth was released to the public, joining her long list of scandals. Unfortunately, this racist mocking of typical Asian traits is no new experience to the APIDA community. “Yellowface” refers to wearing clothes or makeup to…
The events of last week remain fresh in my mind. I remember returning to my dorm after a long day of classes, ready to spend my Monday night catching up on all the homework I failed to do during the day. I remember sitting down at my desk and seeing my phone light up with…
Ring! Ring! Ring! As fast as I could, I raced my way across the soccer field to be the first in line for my fifth grade class before the teacher led us back into the dull, eraser-scented, fluorescently lit classroom. As I swayed from side to side, waiting for what seemed like forever in the…