“A Memories Chase” With Timothy Den of Ohvaur

What's your story? It's the simplest of questions with the most complex of answers guaranteed. For many Asian Americans, the answer begins with our parents emboldened by the pipe dream of a better life for themselves and their family. The roads leading towards this dream were tumultuous for so many generations preceding us, wrought with unfathomable hardships and obstacles.  For Timothy Den of the Chicago and Miami-based independent band, Ohvaur, these roads were a reality he experienced first…

"A Memories Chase" With Timothy Den of Ohvaur

What's your story? It's the simplest of questions with the most complex of answers guaranteed. For many Asian Americans, the answer begins with our parents emboldened by the pipe dream of a better life for themselves and their family. The roads leading towards this dream were tumultuous for so many generations preceding us, wrought with unfathomable hardships and obstacles.  For Timothy Den of the Chicago and Miami-based independent band, Ohvaur, these roads were a reality he experienced first…

An Interview with Julie Wu, Author of The Third Son

Author Julie Wu has crafted a beautiful story in her debut novel The Third Son. It’s a compelling tale of a boy named Saburo set against the backdrop of occupied Taiwan and America at the dawn of the space age. TaiwaneseAmerican.org’s editorial director Anna Wu sat down with Julie to talk about the book, her inspirations, and her path to becoming an author. * * * Anna Wu: Julie, you have written an absolutely beautiful novel. For our readers who haven't read the book yet, could you give…

Fashion Trending with Designer Jason Wu

Outside of the fashion corners of Paris, Milan, London and New York, it isn’t often that one comes across a Fashion Runway Showcase here in San Francisco, let alone that of acclaimed New York-based Taiwanese Canadian designer, Jason Wu. Honored and ecstatic, Creative/Editorial Director (and professional photographer) Anna Wu and myself attended to cover this fabulous event hosted by the San Francisco Opera Guild and Neiman Marcus - Union Square at the San Francisco City Hall, on behalf of TaiwaneseAmerican.org. What…

Ai-jen Poo: Inspiring Across Generations

I had the opportunity to connect with Ai-jen Poo, activist and keynote speaker at the Intercollegiate Taiwanese American Students Association (ITASA) East Coast Conference in New York City. Ai-jen serves as the Director of the National Domestic Workers Alliance and Co-Director of the Caring Across Generations campaign. She was named one of Time's 100 Most Influential People in 2012 and was featured on Newsweek’s 150 Fearless Women list. Learn more about her story of how her Taiwanese roots influence…

Taiwanese American Ang Lee Wins Best Director Academy Award for Life of Pi

TaiwaneseAmerican.org congratulates Director Ang Lee for winning his 2nd Academy Award for Best Director! On Sunday, February 24th, 2013, Taiwanese American director Ang Lee was awarded his 2nd Oscar for Best Achievement in Directing for his vision and work on Life of Pi (2012). It seemed to be a surprise moment for Mr. Lee, though many in the Taiwanese American community and among his fans around the world rooted for this win, the 4th Oscar recognition for the film and the most of any film in…

Composer George Shaw Closes the Year on a High Note

TaiwaneseAmerican.org's Ho Chie Tsai takes a moment to catch up with composer George Shaw, who he interviewed back in 2009. Since then, George has continued working on musical scores for film, TV, and new media. Best known for his collaborations with YouTube stars, George has composed various music that has been featured in videos by NigaHiga, Kevjumba, Wong Fu Productions, Michelle Phan, and Mystery Guitar Man. Now, at the close of 2012, George has two major releases: The Christmas Album, a…

Catching the Invisible Light

Erin Li is a 2nd generation Taiwanese American filmmaker. TaiwaneseAmerican.org has been pleased to support her work in the past, which includes L.A. Coffin School, a film about a recently transplanted grandmother who enrolls in a school that claims to teach people how to start life anew. Her most recent film, To the Bone, tells the story of a preteen migrant farmworker who attempts to defy the status quo with unintended consequences for herself and her family. It was one of six films greenlit…

Hey Lianne! How about that Video Interview?

TaiwaneseAmerican.org's Ho Chie Tsai interviews internet celebrity, model, and former host of NMA.tv, Lianne Lin. Together, they swat at flying insects, while she talks about her background in the arts and evolving career path in the media. With over 1.7 million followers on Google+, there's no doubt that her wry yet witty sense of humor, her gorgeous looks, and her time spent as an NMA host has drawn a huge fan base worldwide. Her latest project is the development of her own YouTube…

Culture and Language in David Henry Hwang's 'Chinglish'

I’m no avid theatergoer, but I do love entertainment! Watching David Henry Hwang’s new comedic play, Chinglish, with a few TaiwaneseAmerican.org staff was definitely one of the most enjoyable evenings I’ve had all summer. We follow an American man on his business trip to China, where he is faced with language barrier, cultural differences, and conflicting values, all of which made signing a contract for his family’s sign-making firm way more complex than he thought. I truly enjoyed the play’s…