In early August of this year, Trump issued two executive orders banning U.S. transactions with, as well as the usage of, TikTok and WeChat in the U.S. Although he later gave TikTok a chance to survive by stating that a deal with an American buyer can salvage the situation, he made sure that they were direct threats communicated with strong underlying reasons relating to national security and measures to protect American citizens from Chinese propaganda. However, after unpacking misinformation such as data security from his reasoning, it is clear that there are other forces at play. What is an even uglier truth is that even the action of announcing such autocratic actions against Chinese apps means the U.S. is one step closer to being on similar ground to China, and that it is a dangerous precedent not in line with democracy. As well as ironically harming American businesses in the process, it also increases China’s global digital influence in other parts of the world, indirectly helping China’s agenda as opposed to Trump’s wishes. The issue of national security, although valid, is questionable. Not only has the White House yet to release robust evidence that data of U.S. citizens are at risk of being accessed by the CCP, the assumption that data within American borders will solve the risk of being examined by China is not true. Data within American borders are extremely vulnerable even outside of a Chinese app: the information of 21 million Americans were stolen by China from the federal Office of Personnel Management in 2015, and records of 145 million Americans were accessed by the Chinese military in 2017 from the U.S. credit bureau Equifax. This only speaks to how selling the app to an American company for the purposes of keeping data within the country is simply a naive solution to enact. The fact that action was only taken now against the backdrop of COVID-19, when the potential dangers of Chinese technology have been circulating for years, only speaks of an ongoing tactic to reinforce sinophobic sentiments with motivations in line with the upcoming election. Moreover, the revelation that Trump insisted on the U.S. Treasury gaining a piece of the sale of TikTok hints that there are advantageous monetary incentives too. Indeed, the U.S. doesn’t have vigorously enforced data protection laws for a single company, and a further 53 iOs (mobile operating system for Apple devices) apps apart from TikTok are also taking clipboard data that may or may not be shared with outsources, such as Fox News or Fruit Ninja. This only reveals that other motivations may have played a bigger role. Regardless of whether there is evidence for national security to be at risk, TikTok undeniably is used as a weapon in the ongoing passive-aggressive war of world domination between the U.S. and China, and is a testament to how China is ever-growing in its dominance of cyberspace. The physical dominance that was required for a foreign power to assert influence is no longer needed in the age of digital technology that is widespread and interconnected. A tactical ban of TikTok and WeChat therefore, not only reinforces American influence and power, but decreases competition for American technology companies in the battleground for control of global technological order, and is no doubt a big part of the incentives behind Trump’s executive order. However, to deny U.S. transactions with TikTok and WeChat is essentially denying U.S. transactions with the whole of China, which will only hurt American businesses the most. This is because WeChat has virtually replaced card and cash transactions in China and is the sole form of payment in the vast majority of the country, which would be a huge blow to Western companies currently thriving there. An example would be how 30% of Walmart’s transactions came from WeChat. Therefore, carrying out Trump’s executive orders could mean major, even catastrophic blows to American companies. Furthermore, if China retaliates by putting restrictions on U.S. technology giants such as Apple -- when it comes to revenue, China is Apple’s third-largest market -- it would further harm American livelihoods. Mainland China has long been authoritarian on the apps and websites it allows usage of, to rid foreign, especially Western, influence, in order to perpetuate a good narrative of the country to the population. It also uses large-scale domestic surveillance technology such as in Xinjiang, to subvert, oppress, and control the population. These technologies are also currently being sold to other countries that strive for ‘cyber sovereignty’, which signifies how a country’s internet and flow of information system is closed off to the rest of the world, and is vastly different to what the U.S. regards as reflective of democracy: a free, global, and open flow of information. But ironically, Trump’s action of cutting out two biggest Chinese platforms from the U.S. directly contradicts this, by replicating China’s strategy of banning apps outright and taking one step closer to a closed-off information system. It is ironic how the U.S. views itself as the epitome of freedom and civil liberty, but is setting a precedent that jeopardises non-authoritarian digital worlds. The main impact to come out of the ordeal will not be complete cybersecurity of American data, but the inadvertent championing of state-controlled information systems that the U.S. has always sided itself against, not least because of the deliberate action to target supposed Chinese propaganda that directly endangers the values of free speech of which is so central to democratic values. More importantly, the path down a closed-off information system for the U.S. actually facilitates China to promote their authoritative surveillance technology to the rest of the world, and opens the door for other countries to follow, by giving China a strong argument in retaliation that the U.S. practices censorship too.

Dear Asian Youth, Something that was brought up again and again in the recent Democratic Convention was the word empathy. Something that our current president lacks. Something that our nation needs. The discussion about the word brought me back to 2016 in an interview with the then presidential candidate Bernie Sanders. In the interview with Barbara Walters, when asked what he would want to be known for in one word, Sanders responded with the word: compassion. Bernie Sanders took the Democratic Party by surprise in 2016 when he led a grassroots campaign against an established Democratic politician, Hillary Clinton. While this arguably split the Democratic Party and led to Trump's win of the presidency, Bernie had shown what a growing number of people wanted: compassion, authenticity, and empathy. The Politics of Empathy, as it's been called, are tricky waters to navigate, but it's something that has been lacking in our current government and a lot of its supporters. The modern-day Republican Party spearheaded by President Trump and several politicians that swear their unwavering loyalty to him thrive on divisive and dangerous rhetoric that seeks to make Americans fear each other. In a time when many of us are coming to terms with the deeply-rooted racism in our society, empathy has also become a word that has been said time and time again. But what is empathy? And how can we use it to better ourselves and society? Let's start by defining empathy. Colloquially, empathy is commonly analogized by the phrase “putting yourself in another person's shoes.” This phrase summarizes the idea of stepping in another person's shoes, by not only seeing a person's perspective, but imagining what it is like to be that person and to go through their experiences. In a much longer definition, empathy is defined by the Merriam-Webster dictionary as “the action of understanding, being aware of, being sensitive to, and vicariously experiencing the feelings, thoughts, and experience of another of either the past or present without having the feelings, thoughts, and experience fully communicated in an objectively explicit manner.” In essence, empathy is the process of understanding a person’s experiences, being aware of their feelings based on those experiences and being sensitive to how those feelings and experiences affect their worldview. Sympathy, another word which is often misinterpreted to be the same as empathy is defined by Merriam-Webster as “an affinity, association, or relationship between persons or things wherein whatever affects one similarly affects the other.” Sympathy is the ability to relate to an experience that is shared between two people. While this is important, sympathy relies on a collective experience that isn't always shared between two people; whereas empathy is developing an understanding of a person's experience even if you haven’t experienced the same event. When we take a look at our country in recent months, certain events have revealed a great lack of empathy from the American people. While our country is reckoning with deep systemic racism that has seeped its way into every aspect of our society, a global pandemic, and a divisive leader who incites violence, a sense of empathy is needed now more than ever. The COVID-19 pandemic has arguably been the greatest example of a lack of empathy in Americans. The pandemic brought our nation to its knees socially and economically, and the deep division within our nation was exposed in our disorderderly government response. While some governments shut down their states, others reopened, all while the federal government remained holistically inactive in creating a strong unified national response. This is where a lack of empathy and collective thinking was presented in our country. Government inaction left the protection of each other up to the people. Basic things such as wearing a mask, socially distancing, and going out for essential business were all disregarded. The politicization of masks in particular highlighted a lack of empathy within our society. Wearing a mask has proven to be effective in many countries, particularly in Asia, in limiting the spread of the virus over the past few months. However, we need the collective cooperation of everyone to not only protect ourselves, but also others. When we see people flat out refusing to wear a mask, defying social distancing and safety regulations, and some states refusing to put mandates in place to require pandemic management, we see a huge lack of empathy from Americans and our leaders. Such a lack of empathy has led to the deaths of thousands of people over the past few months in the U.S. The same lack of empathy can be seen in the rise of white supremacy and the emboldening of white supremacists with the election of President Trump. Since 2016, the number of domestic terrorism and hate crimes has hugely increased. From the Uniformed Crime Reporting Publications under the FBI, stats show a steady increase from 6,727 victims of hate crimes in 2014, to 7,173 in 2015; 7,615 in 2016; 8,828 in 2017; and 8,819 in 2018. About 60% of all hate crimes reported were perpetrated on a racial bias, with 15-20% of victims being targeted based on sexual-orientation or religion in their respective categories. Deepening racial tensions has been one of the main issues in recent months and a sense of empathy from white communities in particular has been demanded in deconstructing racism on all levels. However in doing this, we’ve also unveiled a major lack of empathy as movements such as the Black Lives Matter movement faced violence from police and counter-protests from white supremacist. Politicians, political commentators, news hosts, and many more were quick to denounce protestors as thugs and criminals, without even taking a look at the reasons behind the protest. Sadly, we also see these same attitudes within different communities of color. While BIPOC communities share many collective experiences, we have not all been treated equally. Empathy is a key to bringing divided communities together since the collective experiences shared between the Asian community, the Black community, and the Hispanic community hugely differ from one another. While all our communities face different levels of racism and oppression, a sense of empathy is what is demanded in uniting together as BIPOC to face systemic racism and white supremacy. Yet we see a lot of anti-Black, anti-Asian, anti-Hispanic sentiments within each community. Our inability to reckon with our own personal traumas, and develop a sense of empathy for other communities has kept us divided and unable to collectively fight against the oppression we all face. How do we develop a sense of empathy? How can we put ourselves in someone else's shoes? A New York Times article by Claire-Cain Miller dives into the subject starting with its root cause. Miller opens the article with the words, “More and more, we live in bubbles. Most of us are surrounded by people who look like us, vote like us, earn like us, spend money like us, have education like us and worship like us. The result is an empathy deficit, and it’s at the root of many of our biggest problems.” While we may pride ourselves in being a diverse country, we are still hugely divided among racial and socioeconomic lines. From redlining to ethnic enclaves, we have divided and separated ourselves to be with people who are similar to us. This is a natural human tendency to be drawn to what is familiar, and what we think is safe. But it's incredibly harmful in developing a sense of empathy. Miller states, “...researchers have discovered that far from being an immutable trait, empathy can be developed. There are steps people can take to acknowledge their biases and to move beyond their own worldviews to try to understand those held by other people.” Empathy is something that can be developed and taught. Empathy is something we can learn, something we must learn. Miller then continues on to give tips on how to develop a sense of empathy in our daily lives; some of which include: Practicing Empathy: Talking to new people, reaching out to neighbors, coworkers, and people you don't know well is a good way to gain their perspectives on matters. This can also include getting involved in other communities, volunteering, or attending religious services at another place of worship. Admitting Your Biases: By being honest with yourself, and checking your privilege, you’re addressing how your singular perspective and experiences aren’t the same as others, as well as acknowledging other people's perspectives and struggles. Standing Up for People: Speaking up when you see something discriminatory or wrong. Amplifying the voices of others, and advocating for others without expectation of anything in return is a huge way to develop empathy. Reading: Reading about the experience of other people, both fiction and non-fiction, allows for a better understanding of the human experience. Also, doing deeper research on other people's lives helps to develop a sense of empathy. My personal journey to being more empathetic is something that has been and still is a struggle, yet incredibly fulfilling. While I still am learning and growing and doing my best to be more understanding and empathetic, I think listening and trying to understand others has been one of the biggest influences. Having parents who grew up working-class helped me to acknowledge my privileges that I had growing up. Having the opportunity to travel the world and live abroad, I was truly able to see how people live their lives in other countries. As a cisgender male, having friends that are female, LGBTQ+, and from all different ethnic backgrounds has helped me to understand different life experiences. Empathy is something that is grown from collectivism. Grown from an environment that is diverse in every aspect of life. Americans pride ourselves on our strong sense of individualism, and the ability to be oneself, yet this has gone to extremes in many cases. The fact that some people see empathy as a sign of weakness speaks volumes to the many issues that plague our nation today. But I don’t think that all is lost. In the words of Bernie Sanders, “We are one world and one people. And that belief leads me to the conclusion that we just cannot turn our back on human suffering.” While empathy isn’t going to fix all our problems, it's the beginning of the search for a solution, the beginning of the push for change, for the better. Sources: Bernie Sanders. Facebook Watch, Bernie Sanders, 25 Jan. 2020, www.facebook.com/watch/?v=473144096694150. Original Interview (Clip) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6AENKrNzTBI Miller, Claire C. “How to Be More Empathetic.” The New York Times, The New York Times, www.nytimes.com/guides/year-of-living-better/how-to-be-more-empathetic. UCR Federal Hate Crime Statistics and reports from the FBI: https://www.fbi.gov/services/cjis/ucr/publications

1. SHEAR OFF YOUR HAIR IN THE MIRROR // & leave. They say it’s better to ask for forgiveness than permission, but under your surname Forgive Me & Please are homonyms. Your father says you don’t know either. Your father doesn’t know the miniature-dictionary cradled between your calluses & seamed jean pocket, how you leaf through fluke, godsend, landmark like badly bound scripture. This time, you rearrange your plaits in the shape of a letter. Leave him to spell out his apologies. 2. WATCH YOUR KITCHEN TILES PLAY SCRABBLE WITH THEMSELVES // & leave. Sunlight won’t stop spilling across everything you touch. Think, delirious, about the unleavened loaves leaning against the cabinets. That afternoon a puncture at the center of the scene, your father screaming Quiet On Set. Come On, Get Up, Back At It; The cupboards blown wide open, the popcorn walls blitzed, the fridge door swinging crooked like a fractured shoulder, you front stage in the earthquake divot of tiles. The phone rings & you don’t pick up. 3. DIG STERNUM SHAPED DENTS INTO THE DOORFRAMES // & leave. Rib-climber, boy-eater, get in, you want to be kept safe. Every storage ransacked and every container found wanting. Drop to / the ground, Don’t Want To Look Weak, No? Roll / over. Get / back up. Coward. Touch / your hand / to that bareback line / of your nose. Your palms splayed open like that dead sparrow’s neck you found on a morning walk, ages ago. Breathless horizon cleaved down the middle. Pray that I am not the first to discover you. The phone keeps on ringing. No, keep grime away from that cotton tank top. Wife-beater, blood-feeder, all that drywall plaster sinking to marrow. Come On, Get Up, Back At It. Your shoulder grinding tectonic plates to the clattering cadence of his fist, how you choke the strings of your guitar ‘til your fingers twist into more of beginning-violence-hymn-strums than of sustenance. Get / The / Fuck / Back / Up. Your chokehold won’t stop shaking. There is / no triumph between / these walls. 4. CRAWL INTO YOUR ROOM TO NURSE YOUR VICTORY // & leave. You can never finish things right. You never start the fight. There is nothing to nurture but your bruises & the sparrow buried in your backyard. You’re always a flight risk, standing next to doorways so you think it's only right that you’re found gone in the center of the room. I deserve some sunlight, so you crack open a window and wait for morning. There is nothing left but the phone is still ringing. 5. REMEMBER EVERYTHING IS ENDING // yet everything is beginning. The front door is open. The birds are cheeping. The other day, your father stopped in the middle of the freeway to let a chittering squirrel cross. You told me about it & you couldn’t stop talking in circles about his hands. His half-moon thumbprint melding into the steering wheel, the same way it used to around his worn leather belt. How violence can leach out of a man. How it could latch onto another. I don’t know if blisters can soften, but I tell you so & try to imagine this possibility into existence. My front door is closed, but all you need to do is knock. My hairbrush crooked on my desk. My kitchen dripping with sunlight & yeast. Our morning walks. Our made-up songs. They’re all waiting for you. Walk out of your home & into me. 6. CALL ME, CALL ME, CALL ME, CALL ME // & stay. Love, this is me asking for you to call me. I’m bad at these things but this is me telling you that I love you. I’m waiting. I’m waiting. Please call me back. Editors: Blenda Y., Phoebe H., Uzayer M.

\ Dear Asian Youth, Since the very beginning, Boris Johnson’s government has presented itself with indecisiveness, gross negligence of the seriousness of coronavirus, and the lack of effective responses. It conveyed inconsistent policies, and public communication of confusion and ambiguity with regards to the control of COVID-19. This article splits the timeline into three time periods: before lockdown, during lockdown, and after lockdown to the present day, to look at the main ways in which Boris Johnson’s government was weak and incompetent from the start. The first initial reaction of the government to the gravity and intervention of coronavirus is crucial in order to control the vicinity of the population and as a result, the speed at which infection spreads. However, the delayed response and public display of triviality that was perpetuated by the government resulted in one of the top rates of infection and number of deaths in the world. Thus, the need for a prolonged period of lockdown-- which could have been avoided. The government’s modelling group stated on the 4th of February, it is inconclusive that ‘outbreaks can be contained by isolation and contact tracing’. On the 27th of February, Health Minister Edward Arger stated that there is ‘no need [for schools, concerts, and sport events] to close now’. These statements were all made simultaneous to the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies’ (SAGE as abbreviation; an advisory body to the central government in emergencies) clear assertions that limiting activities outside the household would delay the peak of the outbreak by up to five weeks, reduce overall cases up to 60%. It also stated that isolating and quarantining suspected cases and households could reduce the peak of an outbreak by 25%’. On the 2nd of March, SPI-M, a group that models how the virus spreads, informed the government that ‘it is highly likely that there is sustained transmission of Covid-19 in the U.K. at present’, and that if the U.K. continues with the lack of rigorous measures, ‘80% of the population will become infected, leading to the deaths of up to 500,000 people, as a good estimate. On the 3rd of March, Boris Johnson proudly stated that he shook hands with coronavirus patients at a hospital and ‘will continue to do so’, sending out a message of carelessness and triviality at a time when cases in Italy were exponentially rising. He also missed a string of 4 consecutive Cobra (national crisis committee) emergency meetings in the lead up to the outbreak that were about the handling of COVID-19. These actions, coupled with the fact that the U.K. nation-wide lockdown from the 23rd of March was only implemented nearly 2 months after the first cases were confirmed in York, and three weeks after SPI-M informed the bleakness of the situation, expose the most obscene government strategy that took place during the first few months, herd immunity. Multiple sources, including the Guardian, have since concluded that herd immunity, specifically a target of 60% of the population to be infected, was no doubt the strategy that delayed widespread, stringent measures, during a time which experts have said that there was yet to be evidence of immunity from COVID-19. Indeed, Professor Neil Ferguson, the former scientific adviser to the government, told the Science and Technology Committee that deaths would have been reduced by 50% if lockdown was implemented a week earlier. However, even after lockdown was implemented, Johnson’s government consistently went through more controversies that, when analysed, decreased the efficiency of the fight against COVID-19, and maintained the narrative that human sacrifices were inevitable. On the 26th March, the deputy chief medical officer, Dr. Jenny Harries, despite the World Health Organisation’s advice to “test, test, test”, blatantly rejected the importance of testing and claimed it was not ‘not an appropriate mechanism as we go forward’, suggesting it is aimed at less developed countries. Even when the government switched this rhetoric around, it admitted on the 6th of April that not one of the 17.5 million antibody tests it bought was effective. During the peak of lockdown, numerous sources reported on the lack of personal protective equipment (PPE) for NHS staff, with guidance from Public Health England reacting to this by advising healthcare workers to reuse equipment that are supposed to be disposable, even suggesting the use of aprons if full-length gowns cannot be obtained, showing a neglect towards the staff that are saving lives on the front line. By late May, the Guardian estimated that over 200 NHS staff had died. Additionally, NHS staff also reported a shortage of the crucial, life-saving FFP3 respirator masks. Whilst the government imputed billions of pounds to ensure the economy would not collapse, the percentage of NHS salary rises during lockdown was so low that even the top consultants could only take home an extra £15-£24 per week, despite rampant NHS cuts over the last few years that resulted in many ‘suffering a 30% real-terms pay cut over the last decade’. Finally, not only did lockdown expose the unfair treatment of NHS staff, but staff were warned by central NHS bodies to not speak about the lack of PPE publicly over threats of disciplinary actions in order to adhere to a strictly professional image. This is especially ironic when knowing the performative dedication the government had at clapping for essential workers every Thursday evening. From the 10th of May, Johnson officially announced the end of ‘stay at home’ rhetoric and instead moved to ‘stay alert’. As the U.K. death toll approaches 40,000, numerous cases of top government officials that breached quarantine rules whilst simultaneously promoting them to the public were uncovered. Professor Neil Ferguson resigned from SAGE after it was revealed that whilst stressing the importance of social distancing, he himself met up with a woman twice during lockdown. On the 22nd of May, allegations of a breach of lockdown came out, of which was directed at no other than Boris Johnson’s own Chief Advisor, Dominic Cummings. Whilst displaying symptoms of COVID-19, he drove his family to Durham to find a babysitter for his son, as well as another 30 miles to Barnard Castle to assess the severity that COVID-19 had on his eyesight, and refused to resign despite 71% of the public believing his actions to be against the law. After non-essentials shops were opened, Johnson implemented an ‘Eat Out to Help Out’ scheme whereby from the 3rd-31st August, certain restaurants had a 50% discount to mitigate the economic impact of lockdown. Exactly two weeks later, the ‘rule of 6’ was implemented, which sought to restrict indoor and outdoor gatherings to a maximum of 6 people after a sudden rise in cases. The back-and-forth, fluctuating behaviour of the government induced inconsistency, confusion, and a chaotic government policy. Further signs of gross incompetence were also shown, including a report with evidence of pages missing from recommendations of ways to protect Black, Asian, and minority ethnic groups (BAME) from the disproportionate harm of COVID-19, as well as the failure of recording confirmed cases onto its national track and trace system because of the Excel sheet reaching its maximum size, resulting in some 15,841 cases being left out of total statistics. From the initial reaction and consistently throughout, Boris Johnson’s government displayed hypocrisy, exclusiveness and ineffectiveness to the handling of COVID-19. It is no surprise that the UK’s second wave is already in full swing. Cover photo source: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/boris-johnson-heralds-britain-s-coronavirus-successes-numbers-tell-different-n1197926

Dear Asian Youth, Asian parents are strict. They are harsh and stern and unyielding, their words often sharp around the edges and their hugs and kisses scarce. While there are certainly bad parents in this world, it is a common misconception that all Asian parents are. A misconception because mine, well, mine are everything but bad. Yes, “I love you”s and explicit words of affection are once in a blue moon: they are few and far between, infrequent and unfamiliar against our tongue, but like stars in the Milky Way, our love for each other is infinite. My parents may not be open in their affection, but nonetheless, their love can still be found, snuggled in the corners of onyx eyes, hidden in the soft curves of lips, and most often, tucked away safely inside food—sometimes salty and sometimes sweet—but always made with care. I remember when I understood the significance of food in my household. It was a subtle realisation and there was no heartfelt speech or passionate confession. The moment of understanding was like the first snowfall, hushed and often unexpected, or like the sun settling below the horizon. Like the liquid gold of sunlight against green leaves in those brief moments of sundown, it was a quiet thing that one would merely take note of before moving on. My dad and I had been making dumplings. I slid a little closer to him, my shoulder accidentally bumping into his elbow, causing flour to spill from his rough, calloused hands. He simply sighed, and with a shrug, he went back to deftly weaving the dough into dumplings. With my slender fingers, I smoothed out my own circle of dough, sticky and thin and dusted softly in flour. I was new to this, lacking the same dexterity as my dad who was making dumplings at twice the speed I was. Although I occasionally made dumplings with my dad, it was always to indulge him, never because I wanted to and certainly not often enough to grow as skilled as he was. I simply could not understand why he always seemed so enthused when I would agree—to me, it was but a simple process of making food, nothing more and nothing less. He was on his 9th dumpling when he started to sing. As usual, it began as a hum, and by the time he was on his 11th dumpling, the vibrations had turned into words, and Chinese was tumbling out of his mouth in smooth rounded waves. The rich and powerful sound echoed throughout the kitchen, bouncing off wooden boards and furnished walls. It took me a second, but soon enough, the song clicked into place—it was a familiar one. Whether it was in the car or at home or in his tiny garden in the back, he would always sing it, voice low and deep and surprisingly good. “He was my favorite singer back in college,” my dad had once told me, ebony eyes locked onto the road as he made his way through traffic. He had said it so casually, so indifferently, as if he hadn’t just shared a piece of him I had never known before. At my silence, his eyes had flickered towards my own, a curious glint in them before returning to the crowded road. I had watched as the warm gold of sunset melded with obsidian orbs, lighting his eyes aflame as he squinted, nose tightly scrunched with irritation. “I… I didn’t know that. That’s kind of cool,” I had murmured lamely, at the time unsure how to explain why I felt so emotional about a simple thing. I was stitching together my 5th dumpling when I joined in, my own voice light and silvery and a perfect imitation of a dying cat. I snuck a glance at my dad, half expecting a face of disgust (my singing is that bad). Yet, he was smiling—a faint tilt to his lips and crinkles at the corners of his ebony eyes. He seemed… appreciative. As warm yellow and pink light began to creep through the windows, staining the pale walls a soft peach, I returned his smile (as hidden as it was). I went back to working on my own dumplings, and on my final one, I made a horrible mistake. I had pressed the dough together incorrectly, and it came out deformed, a misshapen lump vaguely reminiscent of a toad, an especially warty toad. I burst out giggling, tears wetting my lashes, and my hand offering the lump to my dad as if it were some sort of trophy (surely, he’d be proud of it—it was a toad!). He snorted, shook his head, and smiled before dumping the poor toad (I named him Bobby) into the pot of boiling water. We watched as the plump piece of dough sunk to the bottom before rising back to the surface, softly bobbing like some sort of floatie. A moment of silence passed, and then, we exploded into a cacophony of cackles and laughter, mine high and squeaky and once again, no better than a dying cat, and his low and hearty. In the backdrop of our laughter, the sun had set, casting deep hues of red and orange and dimly lighting the room like a ripe mango. The moment was just a simple, everyday act of unspoken and unseen love; yet, I still vividly remember it. I can still recall how there was something content, something fond and loving radiating from his expression, from the shake of his head and the wrinkles of his eyes, usually sharp obsidian eyes suddenly warm with mirth and happiness. I wasn’t unfamiliar with seeing him content, but for some reason, the happiness etched into the lines on his face and the small raise of his brows were so clear in that moment. The realization that this is why he wanted to make dumplings with me, suddenly came into blinding focus right then and there. I realized that—like that time in the car—he had shared a piece of himself with me, and it was his way of conveying his love as a parent. He found joy and happiness in making dumplings and eating them with me, and as such, he hoped that I would too. And like the sun setting below the horizon, the realization was quiet, subdued, and easily accepted; because whether or not I’m aware of the depthness in his every little action, to me, the small plates of food, short nods of approval, and other simple yet caring actions have always been enough—and will always be enough.

Thrift stores are businesses that sell second-hand products such as clothing and furniture for more affordable prices. In the past, thrifting was a necessity for the underprivileged who could not afford new items. Those who thrifted were often looked down upon for their socioeconomic status as these second-hand stores were never considered fashion-forward. However, thrifting has recently become a huge trend on social media platforms such as TikTok and Youtube, as many teenagers and young adults come to recognize the unique joys of finding one-of-a-kind, vintage clothing for low prices. Not to mention that an explosive number of people are also buying thrifted clothing for the sole purpose of reselling them on platforms such as Depop and Poshmark. According to the 2020 ThredUp Resale Growth Report, the secondhand market is expected to grow from $28 billion in 2019 to $64 billion in 2024. While the popularization of thrift shopping has dispelled the elitist stigma surrounding second-hand shops, its explosive adoration has also presented unprecedented issues. Primarily, are those choosing to buy second-hand clothing contributing to the gentrification of thrift shops? Gentrification is when richer individuals increase the value of a lower-income neighborhood by bringing in more prosperous businesses and residents. It often displaces and excludes lower-income people. The fundamental argument for the gentrification of thrift shops is that thrift stores are raising prices to capitalize on the sudden demand. One example is Goodwill, one of the largest thrift chains in America. This was made evident by the changes to Goodwill's valuation guides, manuals provided by Goodwill that help employees price the secondhand items. In 2010, the valuation guide for Goodwill Donors were limited to flat prices, but by 2020, the valuation guide included a range of prices. For example, a sweater in 2010 was estimated at $5, but a sweater in 2020 can cost anywhere from $5-$15. Furthermore, a vast majority of regular thrifters have noted this change in price, as a quick Google search leads to thousands of forums such as this Reddit thread that echo these complaints. While a five-dollar markup might not seem like a big deal, to lower-income individuals, it is the difference between being able to buy any clothing at all. These businesses are marginalizing the communities they were made to help. Many point out that while thrift shopping for fun may contribute to these higher prices, it is the fault of the company that chooses to capitalize on the sudden demand. This is true to a certain extent, but at the end of the day, these for-profit businesses are simply trying to maximize profit under our capitalistic economy. As their primary customer bases shift towards those who can afford more expensive clothing, these businesses are fully aware that they can raise their prices. Not to mention that even if certain businesses did not try to maximize profit, the sudden surge in demand has already bred competition, and many would still be forced to raise prices in order to keep up. This is especially prevalent in college towns and large cities where higher-income individuals are moving in. While what these companies are doing is by no means moral, it is part of a greater issue of whether ethical consumption under capitalism is even possible. Therefore, it’s inaccurate to completely shift the blame onto these businesses. These businesses are very unlikely to lower their prices just because we ask them to. So, even though those who thrift for fun are not necessarily to blame, they are still contributing to the issue at hand. However, as easy as it would be to condemn people who choose to thrift as gentrifiers, we cannot ignore how thrift shopping has combated the prevalence of fast fashion. Fast fashion is both environmentally and ethically problematic. As stated by Business Insider, “the fashion industry emits more carbon than international flights and maritime shipping combined.” Furthermore, around 85% of textiles end up at the dump, making the fashion industry one of the biggest contributors to pollution. Shopping second-hand mitigates this pollution, slowing the effects of climate change. Not to mention that as fast fashion companies seek to make greater profiters, many are trying to find cheaper and cheap sources of labor. Subsequently, many are outsourcing their labor to countries that utilize child labor. According to Unicef, around 170 million children are engaged in child labor and because fast fashion requires low-skill labor, it plays an incredibly large role in this terrifying statistic. One report by the Center for Research on Multinational Corporations and the India Committee of the Netherlands found that recruiters in South India coerced parents in impoverished regions to send their daughters to spinning mills through the false promise of housing and food. In reality, most are placed in terrible working conditions comparable to modern-day slavery. Stopping the cycle of fast fashion not only improves the world’s environment but prevents these children from being subjected to such conditions. Therefore, the popularization of thrift stores has incredible benefits despite what it has done to lower-income individuals. As a result, there is no one solution to the gentrification of thrift stores. However, those of us who are privileged enough to get to choose whether or not to buy second-hand should keep our socioeconomic statuses in mind. For example, overbuying thrifted clothing only to resell them at astronomical rates is incredibly detrimental. While selling the clothing you no longer wear is perfectly understandable, this reselling trend is often allowing people to profit at the expense of lower-income households. Not to mention that we can be more mindful of the communities we are thrifting in, as lower-income areas have a lot more people who need these clothing. Telling people to stop thrifting all together is counterproductive, as it ignores the benefits of thrifting. However, an understanding of the gentrification that resulted from its popularity is crucial in keeping everybody’s privilege in check.

The imminent threat of climate change has reemerged as a topic of concern after a Metronome digital clock sprawled across a 14th Street building facing Union Square was temporarily installed in New York, counting down to the hundredth of a second until climate change has an irreversible impact. This visibly ticking timer and many other factors have grown concern in many about the lasting impacts of climate change and the little amount of time left before the Earth undergoes irreversible changes. Through this concern, many mommy bloggers and social media influencers have begun their sustainable life posts and advocacies, showing off aesthetic trash cans and reusable mason jars. In no way am I bashing these stars for promoting change and what's good for our planet; but I find it ironic that many people of Asian heritage, Latinx heritage, and other ethnic groups have been practicing the three Rs (reducing, reusing, and recycling) religiously before it was popular. My Chinese mother always makes a point to save grocery bags. Under California legislature, stores were mandated to charge for single-use plastic bags to combat the overall use of plastic and encourage sustainable multi-use cotton or polymer bags. Even without such a restriction, my parents, along with many others, due to past experience or cultural norms, have habitually been saving these bags. In my house, I have a cabinet full of single-use plastic that we reuse. As these practices became more mainstream, the original groups that adopted these habits became suppressed under white granite countertops and flower centerpieces. There is a hypocrisy in thinking something is “cool” because your social media inspiration is doing it aesthetically, but condemning my mom as frugal or cheap as she folds and stashes her bags. It evokes a culture of popularity dominated by the West. Why should we be so Eurocentric when we look for inspiration and practice methods that are more efficient and effective? In addition, as Tik Tok has pointed out, the Danish cookie box is a staple in any reusing household. The joke is that instead of cookies in the box, it is filled with sewing tools or other materials. This is often seen as ethnic communities teasing their own cultures. However, besides the innocent poking members may do to their own kind, there are those who criticize unfamiliar cultures without reason. As exemplified, when white mommies reuse their gift boxes as containers, it is seen as innovative and creative. The DIY culture that spurred in 2016-2017 on YouTube encouraged people to recycle their products, and now it is as if blogger upcycling is revolutionary. However, I do not think that influencers should stop with their sustainable practices. Rather, I hope they recognize the impact of Eurocentric beauty and culture standards on something so popular and give credit where credit is due. Regardless of popular culture, the three Rs will never “go out of style” because of their lasting impact on the world. The importance and impact of the three Rs: reducing, reusing, recycling cannot be underestimated. By far, the best “R” is reusing. Reusing is best for many reasons, the most obvious of them all being because it saves the energy that comes with having to dismantle and re-manufacture products. It also significantly reduces waste and pollution because it lessens the need for raw materials, saving both forests and water supplies. On the other hand, reducing the demand for single-use plastics can help the environment by decreasing your footprint on this Earth. However, if not done on a large scale, the results of this method may not be measurable on a large scale. Recycling, although beneficial, should be a last resort. Breaking down these products takes large amounts of resources and much of this waste has to be directed towards landfills in the form of microplastics or second-class plastic materials that consumers deem undesirable. It is critical we all do our part because, at the end of the day, we are all living on one Earth that needs our support after we have disregarded it for so long; and with the physical and metaphorical clock ticking, I suppose now that there was a method to my Asian mother’s madness. So please, for the sake of your children, your grandchildren, and your great-grandchildren, take steps to reduce waste and be proactive in conservation.

I don’t know, I’m still trying to decide what I want. I linger by the checkout lane, watch the way the metallic soda cans shiver & pounce, all those wasted nickels sinking corrugated rims into my jaw. how the prices I’ve been chewing over lately, lispy & metallic, trickle out between double puncture wounds. a twin pack of Coca-Cola ricocheting off concave echoing shelves on every late-night grocery run, $1.88. the last-minute submission fee for yet another high school poetry contest I have written about my Complex Asian Identity for, $19.99. a glistening array of Burt’s Bees lip balm nestled & wobbly like newborn birds in crinkled plastic, $3.29. the pre-college Stanford summer program my counselor calls Vital For Creating A Pathway To The T-20, $4926.00. the Chinese coupon book left between Aisle A, which sells noodles & rice products, and Aisle B, which recedes further into the distance for every boxy character I cannot read, $0.00. the application fee for a ivy-buried University that makes me call my mother and say can you believe they’re charging this price for a possibility. can you believe I still want it, $80. what I can’t calculate is the price without numbers, how the exchange doesn’t end at the cash register. what I don’t name is all the parts of me I’ve left behind for the junkyards to ingest. if it’s not a phone-book list of expenses, it’ll be a scribbled shopping list of traits scattered endearingly throughout every classroom start-up non-profit volunteer Icebreaker Introduction I have participated in, to make myself Someone Set for Success: IB Diploma Student. Ampersand Enthusiast. Lit Mag Founder. 1500 on the SAT. Wears only lipstick and no other makeup. Girl-kisser. Writes poetry about God, no, wait, to capitalize or not? god? no, my Mother, no, my Kitchen, a bag of tangerines but Not the kind every Asian-American poet writes about, God no, every lit mag rejection email lately has been telling of the overabundance of fruit as a motif for love. so please let it be known that I write Asian Grocery Store and not Costco. this way, the College Admissions Counselors will know I have a sense of identity. that I am like a compass: I know every way home no matter where I am. that I am an Asset to Every Situation, you want me by your side, you want me to walk through these Latin-adorned History-bound arches of Higher Learning. to say without saying that, yes, I have walked down this supermarket aisle every Friday evening since I was six. A unrelenting routine that I will turn into some kind of literary metaphor about Growth in a ruthlessly peer-reviewed Personal Statement. no, I do not see myself in every scattered corporate bathroom mirror across the country. I am the Girl you want and not a ghost. no, I have not forgotten my Mother Tongue nor my Mother’s Endless efforts to get me where I am today. a series of checkout lane beeps echo from across the supermarket, Your barcode number is invalid. Please contact the nearest customer service. everything marketable, everything label-able, box-able, sell-able to the most wanting mouths. my mother asks me what I will put on my Common App Essays. I say, the google bookmarks folder labeled for my poetry chockfull with synonyms & dictionary.com & ‘search history: interesting facts about’ / the Letterboxd list of A24 film reviews I reference when someone asks about my Likes and Dislikes / the price tag of every local-grocery-store-fruit I have consumed in the past month. Ma’am, the cashier says. Ma’am, are you ready to check-out? I turn, see my wavering reflections steadily watching me through the cash registers, grocery bags, linoleum tile. Ma’am, what do you want? Myself. I want myself back. Editors: Phoebe H., Luna Y., Uzayer M.

My fingers dance across worn ivory keys, practicing a melody they’ve followed countless times before. As my eyes scan a sheet covered in various ledger notes and musical symbols, I slowly but surely make my way to the end of the page. The song I’m playing is unbelievably beautiful, abounding in both artistic nuance and emotion. To the untrained ear, I’m doing the piece justice, but I know better. As the song progresses, my mind fixates on each slightly botched rhythm, every barely flubbed articulation. The rendition comes to a close, and my finger slips. The result is a discordant note that echoes across the room, a musical phrase left unfinished, and a despondent piano player. Mediocrity is unacceptable. This is a motto I have subconsciously striven to obey for all of my life, and not just in playing the piano. Furthermore, it is not some individual circumstance, but rather, a collective phenomenon among many Asian Americans. Asian youth face undeniable pressure to always put their best foot forward—pressure from their families and their peers, but also from themselves. When perfection is the standard, you’re always going to fall short. In Asian culture, there is a ubiquitous subscription to the belief that success equates to happiness. We place more value on attaining this success than any other demographic. Many of us are second-generation, meaning we were born in America to immigrant parents. Our parents have had to work hard all their lives to make ends meet in this land of opportunity. They know more than anyone the importance of hard work and commitment, and as a consequence, they’ve instilled in us these same values. However, these qualities often come with negative tendencies. A strong work ethic is very much a good trait, but if one isn’t careful, this same dedication can quickly pave the way towards normalizing hustle culture. In very much the same way, unceasing commitment and the desire to always improve seems wonderful at the surface level, but can very easily lead to the trap of perfectionism. There is nothing wrong with wanting to be your best self, with wanting to become better each passing day. However, if you can no longer find joy in pursuits that were once fun, if you can’t engage in a task for the first time without wanting to be on a professional level, if you’re hesitant to try something new because the thought of being subpar terrifies you, your perfectionist tendencies are no longer beneficial. Instead, your perfectionism is hindering your ability to grow. Those of us with this perfectionist mentality often associate our mistakes with our own value as people. We tie our identities to our accomplishments, our self-worth to our success. We play it safe, purposefully confining ourselves our own self-imposed boxes filled with the things we know we’re good at. We’re afraid to try new things, for fear of not measuring up to unsurpassable expectations. And when we inevitably fall short in this endless pursuit of perfection, we beat ourselves up for it, not even giving ourselves a fighting chance. I was five years of age when my parents bought a piano, a polished Kawai with a mahogany finish. Long have I forgotten the process of learning an entirely new instrument, let alone an entirely new language. While it didn’t take long for me to develop a considerable degree of skill, I am no modern-day Mozart. In all honesty, I am far from it: even after over a decade of piano-playing experience, I will never reach the level of the six-year-old prodigy who played at Carnegie Hall. I used to be ashamed of what I believed was my lack of ability. At piano recitals, I would listen to the other children performing and feel terrible about my own skills. Their piano-playing abilities seemed utterly flawless—effortless dynamics, not a note out of place. It hurt to know that while I was good, I would never be one of the greats. “You’re the most successful person I know.” “Why can’t I be more like you?” “You’re literally perfect.” For my whole life, I have been put on an ever-growing pedestal, given the role of the child parents want and the student everyone aspires to be. I’m lucky to have been supported in all my academic, athletic, and creative pursuits, and I’m incredibly grateful that people believe in me. It feels like the whole world is cheering me on, waiting with bated breath to see where I will one day end up. However, knowing everyone is watching exacerbates the pressure I already impose upon myself to attain the unattainable, to be this perfect person. I have always been told that I will succeed at anything I put my mind to, but what does it even mean to be successful? When will I finally be satisfied with myself? Will I ever be fulfilled? I often feel like I do not deserve the recognition I have been given, because I could be so much more. I’m unable to play a piece without hyper-fixating on everything I did wrong. I’m unable to sing a song without focusing on the things I don’t like about my voice. Things I love to do seem pointless if I’m not the best. I’m hesitant to try new things and take risks, because I don’t want to disappoint myself. I’m so exhausted of running on a path that doesn’t end, trying to pursue this ideal that doesn’t exist. Many of us are the same way. We grew up believing that the only path to find happiness is through being the best at everything we do—that being anything else means failure on our behalf. I challenge you to try something you’ve never had the courage to start, or take some time to indulge in an activity that makes you happy. You don’t have to be good at something in order to derive joy from it. Sing, even if your voice is average. Write poetry and stories, even if your work isn’t good enough to be published. Cook and bake, even if you can only follow basic recipes. Make art, even if you’re not the next Van Gogh. The mistakes you make at the beginning mark the start of your journey as you inevitably improve in your abilities. You don’t have to be the most successful, or the most funny, or even the most kind in order to matter. My accomplishments are a huge part of who I am. They haven’t come easily; they’re the result of ceaseless dedication and unparalleled determination. However, I’m so much more than a perfect score on a standardized test or a flawless rendition of a song. I’m so much more than straight A’s or a nationally-recognized accolade. My value as a person is not measured by my successes. I am far from perfect, but that doesn’t matter. Yes, I’m running on an ever-winding path, and there’s no end in sight. Sometimes, that’s terrifying. But slowly but surely, I’m learning to enjoy where the journey takes me. No matter where I will end up in life, I will love myself every step of the way—and you should do the same.

Dear Asian Youth, The school term started, and work began pouring in. The curriculum is different this year because of COVID-19, and the choice to go exclusively remote, hybrid, or fully in-person was presented. I am a senior this year and am already feeling the panic of college applications, school work, and general stressful matters. I don’t know if I could describe this feeling as “burnout,” but I am certainly feeling the pressure of juggling many conflicting obligations. Tiredness is seen as a natural factor of daily life but what if I truly need to relax? When would it be a good time to step back and just re-evaluate? I feel as though the hustle and bustle of high school blur our ability to self-care. There is an expectation that a successful high school student can not only handle school, but also extracurriculars, social life, and whatever life may throw at you. Even though our summer has been unprecedentedly longer than usual, I think there is new anxiety: online school. I think the concept of online school is initially very appealing to a high schooler, but when it comes down to it, I feel sometimes it can be worse. For me, it can be isolating and distracting because of the lack of structure. I know that could be a personal issue I have, but it’s challenging to alternate between virtual and in-person school. It’s almost like there is no routine, and there is no rhythm to the madness of school. Everyone wants a sense of normalcy, but I don’t think there can be complete normalcy as life has changed. There are things we took for granted before that we find ourselves missing now. The removal of leisure activities and the onset of being thrust back into a school mindset leaves me overwhelmed. So maybe you’re feeling the same way and wondering how to combat it. Obviously, fatigue is hard to overcome. Oftentimes I just want to lay in bed and sleep through all my online classes or not go to school that day. I think self-motivation is a huge component of how to create the routines you are seeking. Since school isn’t the same as before, and there is no traditional “school” routine you can have, you need to create a new normal. Try to let yourself go through the motions you would usually go through for school before the pandemic. If not, you run the risk of making laziness become a habit. But that’s not to say you can’t take breaks and relax. I take a lot. It’s not the fatigue of overworking but more so the mental challenge of dealing with the stress of a pandemic, school, and everything else going on. I think you need to find a way and a time to switch off. If you are constantly alert, that pressure will seep into the weakest points of your mind. Maybe it’s sleeping in, maybe it’s playing with a pet, or maybe it’s facetiming a friend. No matter what it is, you have to decompress. Put your mind at ease, and just focus on nothing. Don’t force yourself to be constantly alert and processing something because our brain needs charging too. One of my teachers told me yesterday, “sleep is king,” and I honestly can’t disagree. Whatever time you’re reading this, take that action or take that break that you're craving. You probably need it, and so do I. -Ella

Dry lips to ebony locks, she presses a kiss against my hair, fleeting and chaste, yet delicate. A breath against my scalp, warm against the cool night air my mother inhales, citrus shampoo and something sweet. Mango. Too sweet. Too sweet to be the mangos of Vietnam, the limbs tangled in branches and soft skin against bark. To be a slender hand reaching, pulling, grasping for warm red and orange. Tell me more. Though sleep tugs at my voice, my mind is awake. A sigh and an arm wraps around me, her body framing mine like two crescent moons hidden in the cover of night. Too far away, she whispers, to be the juicy flesh that melted against her tongue; to be the bright yellow strings caught between teeth and sweat against the gentle curve of her brow. She tucks me further into her embrace, close enough to hear the steady thrum of heartbeats, to hear the melancholy laced in her whispers of a home worlds away. Of tanned hands clutching sunset colored fruits and rays of liquid gold against her face. She pauses, the longing in her voice heavier in the silence. Fingers thread through mango scented hair, slowly and then still and I close my eyes, strangling my desire to hear more. The night is empty, a lull in the winds instead of a quiet rustle of leaves. Starlight soundlessly slants through glass windows. The world has stopped for her, and a hushed silence blankets the room, one that I am too afraid to break.

Dear Asian Youth, A notion exists that 2020 has been the worst year the world has faced in decades, which has led to a prolonged hope for a better year in 2021. However, it is rarely mentioned that all the “tragedies” of 2020 were not just “freak events” hailed upon the world simply by bad luck. These occurrences are the product of several years of underlying stress, causing misfortunes and eventually revolutions throughout 2020. The greatest repercussions of man-made mistakes in the past decade have mostly unfolded in 2020, including killings of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor that took place this year are the consequences of racism throughout history. Police brutality has always been an issue in the United States. The main problem is the lack of social representation the Black community has had in these past few years, leading to less acknowledgement gained for the Black Lives Matter movement and even less of a change to how the United States governs its people. Although, it is worth mentioning that with the onset of the COVID-19 lockdown and the increased use of social media by many American citizens, people are finally starting to notice how widespread police brutality is in America. In this case, 2020 has not harmed, but rather helped open eyes to the systemic racism that exists in the American society, and how there is a dire need for reformation. For much of 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic has been the most prevalent issue, revealing a lot about the lack of organization in certain parts of the world.For example, the U.S. has the highest number of COVID-19 cases in the world. Though the struggle to fight COVID-19 is universal, the U.S., instead of dealing with the issue head-on, blamed China for being the “originator” of COVID-19. These accusations make no sense, as each country has played a major role in either preventing or unwittingly promoting the spread of the coronavirus in each respective country. The USA had only started to realize the extent of damage COVID-19 could cause in mid-March, when prompting schools and businesses to lockdown. Because coronavirus had emerged in late 2019 but it took around four months for the USA to understand the importance of safety precautions. Such a slow reaction time has resulted in serious defects to the overall vitality of the nation’s integrity. While writing this I have realized how ironic it is that America’s slow reaction time does not only apply to the whole COVID-19 situation, it also pertains to how the Black Lives Matter movement has only become so popular recently, even though police brutality and other acts of racism have existed for decades. Throughout the past few years, a main commonality that prolongs in global society is the detachment each nation—even citizen—has from the events that occur from within or from countries across the world. It might be either that many people don’t know about such internal or external world issues or they have the mindset of, “How does it concern me?” It concerns everyone because we are all humans, and therefore, inhabitants of the Earth. The pollution in California will not just stay inside California, it will contribute to trapping Earth’s heat inside of its atmosphere: global warming. A few months ago, Antarctica reached a high temperature of 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Although you or your family might not be in danger of being sent to a concentration camp, put yourself in the shoes of those who are. And the explosion in Beirut, Lebanon was the product of a lack of care, recklessness, that resulted in one of the most costly disasters in history. While the explosion contributed to an increased global pollution, it also directly destroyed families, businesses, and homes. This all leads me to believe that true peace exists in unity and an increase of personal interest for the people who surround us. The sky will continue to be polluted orange in California. Uyghur genocide will persist in Xinjiang, China. Explosions similar to the one in Beirut, Lebanon will increase in occurrences. There is no other way to state this other than we need to start caring more. The solution is empathy.