Behind the Big Screen with Composer George Shaw

Written by

How many Taiwanese and Asian Americans do you know who took piano lessons? Too many to count? For sure! How many went on to pursue music full-time as a career? Perhaps not that many. Well, meet young Taiwanese American composer, George Shaw, who studied composition and film scoring at the University of Southern California Thornton School of Music, taking part in its world-class Scoring for Motion Pictures and Television program. Now, he's an award-winning musician with Gold Medal recognitions…

Read More »

We B HERE with KevJumba! He’s Taiwanese!

Written by

Recently, staff members of TaiwaneseAmerican.org attended the B HERE campaign to learn about Hepatitis B and how prevalent it is in the Asian American community. The fact is, 1 in 10 Asian Americans is living with chronic Hepatitis B right now. It’s a 'silent killer'; those that have it are rarely symptomatic until it’s too late. Among Asian Americans, it is one of the greatest health issues affecting our community. However, it can be screened for, and it can be treated. That’s why…

Read More »

APA Artists on Overcoming Racism & Stereotypes

Written by

Taiwanese American and Asian American artists discuss their personal experiences with stereotypes and racism and how it influences their creative work. The interviews feature 2nd generation Taiwanese Americans such as actor Adam Wang of Formosa Betrayed, R&B singer-songwriter Dawen, music video producer / filmmaker Karen Lin, and creative director Jerry Ma of the Secret Identities Superhero Anthology. Other featured Asian American artists include Prohgress and Kevnish of Far East Movement,…

Read More »

NYC Cravings, Taiwanese-Style Food from the Truck: Like Your Grandmother Cooked It

Written by

Update: NYC Cravings is now called Bian Dang! Where can one get Taiwanese-style fried chicken over rice, seasoned with a delicious home-cooked pork sauce, with tea eggs and handmade dumplings on the side? Earlier this summer, possibly the first Taiwanese-style food truck in the United States drove into town and opened for lunch at neighborhoods around New York City. The response? Long lines and lively word-of-mouth between friends and foodblogs—enough so that NYC Cravings sold out of…

Read More »

The Return of TACL’s Leadership In Development Camp: A Glimpse Behind-the-Scenes

Written by

It's 5:30 pm on a Sunday afternoon in July , and I've walked into a loft building in a rather shady-appearing part of downtown Los Angeles. I'm greeted at the door by a friendly young man, Jason Tsai, who is one of the co-directors of this year's Taiwanese American Citizens League's Leadership in Development camp, fondly known as TACL-LID camp. A planning meeting is taking place upstairs in one of the beautiful loft spaces, and 15 or so counselors-to-be have gathered here from all around the greater…

Read More »

A Conversation with Singer-songwriter Dawen

Written by

Taiwanese American singer-songwriter and independent producer Dawen describes his music as "neo-soul with socially conscious lyricism" that he hopes "will further the dialogue on racism and social injustice in American society." And sure enough, if you listen closely to his lyrics, you'll find that it speaks directly from his personal experience as an Asian American and challenges us to reflect on issues that have shaped our collective "American" consciousness. I recently caught up with R&B…

Read More »

A Fine Prologue for Singer-songwriter Calista Wu

Written by

I am 15 minutes late to our meeting because LA traffic and passive driving do not mix. I see her across the room and she waves at me, mid-sip from her Chocolate Latte. Halfway through my breathless apology, Calista waves it off and orders me the same drink. "They have the best coffee here," she beams at me. She’s cool and smart-- conversation flows easily. What I like most about Calista is that though she is fully aware about Asian American issues and all the pressures that come with being an Asian…

Read More »

In Tune with Singer-songwriter Diana Li

Written by

I've been following Diana Li for some time now since a fellow leader in the Los Angeles Taiwanese American community clued me in to this talented singer-songwriter. After watching her perform on multiple YouTube clips, I instantly became a fan and have since invited her to perform at San Francisco's Taiwanese American Cultural Festival for two consecutive years. Without a doubt, she is always a hit, stopping crowds in their tracks. I'm sure they, too, are captivated by this young performer whose…

Read More »

Chris Lin’s Mandy and Pandy Say “Ni Hao Ma?”

Written by

I recently had the opportunity to catch up with Chris Lin, a 2nd generation Taiwanese American who grew up near Ann Arbor, Michigan, who in recent years created the cartoon characters Mandy and Pandy as a means to teach Mandarin to children. Since publishing the books, the entrepreneurial endeavor has taken a life of its own as Chinese animation production powerhouse CCTV Animation and North American production company PorchLight Entertainment have entered a co-development agreement to develop…

Read More »

Shawna Yang Ryan Brings Water Ghosts, an Asian American Novel, to Life

Written by

TaiwaneseAmerican.org is excited to share an exclusive personal interview with Taiwanese American author Shawna Yang Ryan whose new novel, Water Ghosts, hit mainstream bookstores starting April 16th, 2009. We caught up with her just after the book release and just before she embarks on a multi-stop reading tour at several bookstores around the west coast! She has been actively supporting the Taiwanese American community in and around the San Francisco Bay area (including this very website!) and…

Read More »