APA Artists on Overcoming Racism & Stereotypes

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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,…

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

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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…

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

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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…

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A Conversation with Singer-songwriter Dawen

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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…

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A Fine Prologue for Singer-songwriter Calista Wu

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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…

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In Tune with Singer-songwriter Diana Li

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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…

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

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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…

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

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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…

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Mixing It Up with DJ ShOOey!

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TaiwaneseAmerican.org recently caught up with Jenny Shu, known in the club scene and among the Burning Man crowd as "DJ ShOOey." Perhaps one of the coolest and most colorful DJ's out there, she's definitely all about using her talents to promote non-profit organizations and to increase awareness about various issues. Originally from Chicago, she can now be found in the San Francisco nightlife scene rocking the house at odd hours of the night. I recently sat down with Jenny Shu for a lunch interview…

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Ang Lee & Lust, Caution — a special screening co-presented by TaiwaneseAmerican.org

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Ang Lee defies categorization and baffles critics. The Taiwanese/American filmmaker has created movies as divergent as Sense and Sensibility, Eat Drink Man Woman, The Ice Storm, and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, but he's probably best known as the Academy Award-winning director of Brokeback Mountain. On Tuesday, March 17, the San Francisco Bay area community got to see Ang Lee in person as part of a special screening hosted by UC Berkeley's On the Same Page program and Pacific Film Archive…

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