TW: Mentions of Murder and Abuse. Dear Asian Youth, Success. A singular word which, according to a simple Google search, means ‘the accomplishment of an aim or purpose’. The words subjectivity has always perplexed me. What constitutes ‘success’? If I asked my parents, they would most likely say happiness or health. I’d ask what they mean by happiness, and they would say a comfortable life. To many, success means money. After all, the quote “I'd rather be rich and miserable than poor and miserable” must hold at least some element of truth. I sometimes lay on my bed and think about the children, teenagers, adults even who have been running from success in order to obtain it. The pressure to achieve greatness seems to be one of the most consistent themes in Chinese and generally Asian cultures. I remember being fifteen when I came across an article on Jennifer Pan. She was an Asian American who took part in a kill-for-hire attack towards her parents, bringing mass media attention to the concept of ‘tiger parenting’. According to Su Yeong Kim, ‘tiger parenting’ is a term coined by Amy Chua, a Yale law professor who claims that “strict policies are the reason why her children have been so successful in school and in their music studies''. In its purest form, I can see how the idea of authoritarian teaching over your children could naturally equal ‘success’ in good grades. Good grades mean good prospects to the majority of people, which naturally leads to more money to be made. This, however, does not take into regard the significance of mental wellbeing and healthy socialisation. Although the payoff of many arguments, humiliating toils, and hard-earned sweat may be financial success in a person's career, there are long-lasting issues that follow these individuals which they may battle with for the rest of their life. In Jennifer Pan’s case, the amount of sheer resentment that she must have felt towards her parents is something that is hard to imagine. The case that Jeremy Grimaldi (author of ‘A Daughter's Deadly Deception: The Jennifer Pan Story’) wrote “captivated many, if for nothing else than the sheer intrigue of a case involving matricide”. Grimaldi’s story resulted in Pan’s sentence to twenty-five years in prison with no parole, which she is currently serving. To prioritise a child’s academic achievements over their self-esteem and happiness is damaging for their perceptions of ‘success’ due to its objective definition. It essentially dictates that success must mean earning large amounts of money due to hard work. Studies show that this could partially link to the Chinese cultural idea of ‘keeping/saving face’, which the majority of Chinese people live by in efforts to maintain the reputation of being respectful and proper. Internations provides some insight into how this links to tiger parenting, stating that “Chinese culture is based on the concepts of group identity and collectivism. There is also “shared face”, where if one person loses face, the entire group, be it a family, company, or entire nation, also loses face. Although there are many benefits to being a part of a culture which is deep-rooted in its philosophies of ‘family first’ and collectivism, it also means that parents and the society surrounding essentially view an individual as an extension of them. Whatever they do directly affects their relatives, even the ones that they only visit once a year and speak English to instead of their ‘original’ language; if they fail, that means that their whole family has failed, meaning that they must succeed to save the face and honour of the family. This case also unfortunately relates to families whose lives are ruined due to relatives who commit crimes. Success being such a general term has now become a specific objective due to how this aspect of Chinese culture focuses on the external achievements which naturally links to reputation upholding. This could suggest that perhaps the saying “we want what's best for you” (which is a very popular saying by many Asian parents) isn’t as pure of a reason as we believe. Perhaps the ‘success’ being pushed by tiger parents is a selfish effort to maintain their own ‘face’ rather than for the wellbeings of their future. The concept of tiger parenting also links to ‘the model minority’ myth. Although this term also includes various sectors of Asia, this phrase is regularly used pertaining to people of East and South Asian descent. Angie Chung writes that “public fascination- and repulsion- with the model minority has also driven the popularity of books such as Chua… on the cultural superiority of such ethnic groups as Chinese and Jews”. Although this stereotype can be perceived as positive, it reinforces the notion that stereotypes are always correct and encourages unnecessary agendas that may be used negatively in the future. This stirs up hate and alienates the ‘model minority’ from the rest of the world, perpetuating the idea that we are different and should be treated differently. Chung also states that TV shows “highlight the intelligence, competitiveness, passivity, and emotionless rationality of their Asian American characters such as Sandra Oh as the type- A Dr. Cristina Yang from Grey’s Anatomy”. The stereotype that East Asians are passive presents us as biologically weaker than the rest, which links to the emasculation of people of East Asian descent, particularly men, over hundreds of years. Pertaining to tiger parenting, these stereotypes may be supported due to the socialisation of a child who lacks self-confidence and self-respect, thus making them an easier target to hate and further abuse from others in the outside world. Overall, I believe that the key to true success is simple: happiness. Although we can’t control the way we are brought up, we can control the future and how we treat others. When balance is restored and maintained, success is much easier to obtain due to the simplicity of it. Growing up as a ‘minority’ in a Western country, you have the gift of seeing the best of both worlds. We can pick and choose what aspects of Western and Eastern culture/ways of life that we enjoy, and apply it to our own in an effort to reach our individual ideas of success. Whatever you do, as long as you’re following your own chosen path, it’ll work out. Keep fighting for the anti-stereotype committee, feminism (duh), and your own happiness. Merry Christmas! - Cathay Lau Sources: https://www.apadivisions.org/division-7/publications/newsletters/developmental/2013/07/tiger-parenting https://www.yorkregion.com/news-story/6163269-carty-gets-18-years-for-his-part-in-markham-s-pan-murder/ https://www.internations.org/go/moving-to-china/living/understanding-the-chinese-culture#:~:text=One%20of%20the%20worst%20things,is%20to%20%E2%80%9Close%E2%80%9D%20face.&text=For%20the%20Chinese%2C%20causing%20someone,cause%20someone%20to%20lose%20face. https://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt1f5g4tw.4?refreqid=excelsior%3A3a2f6dda63bfa1e1aa18fc6985a3128e&seq=5#metadata_info_tab_contents Cover Photo Source: University of California

Dear Asian Youth, I am disappointed. As an avid news and op-ed reader, the past week has brought several op-eds to my attention that have made me question the efficacy and morality of opinion writing. About a week ago the Washington Post published an op-ed by Mark Thiessen with the headline “The Election is Over. Can We Finally Blame China For the Virus?” a blatantly xenophobic and racist article that irresponsibly places the insurmountable number of deaths in the U.S. on China rather than a botched Pandemic response by the U.S. federal government and certain groups open defiance of public health measures. In the past week, the Wall Street Journal published an equally controversial article titled, “Is There a Doctor in the White House? Not if You Need an M.D.” by Joseph Epstein. A blatantly sexist and misogynistic article criticizing Jill Biden who has an Ed.D. (a doctoral in education) from the University of Delaware. Quite frankly, as a person who writes a lot of opinion articles on various topics, I am disappointed in these articles that were published by large, and what I considered mostly reputable news organizations. However, before I continue, I should probably distinguish the difference between a News report versus an Op-ed. News reports are written by journalists, these journalists are employed to go out into the field, collect information from first or second hand sources, documents, scientific reports, or actual people, and present the information in an article that presents the facts given to them from their sources, often doing the best they can to remain unbiased in language or presentation. Op-eds, on the other hand, are perspective pieces. These are designed to present perspectives on a certain topic or idea. They commonly are written by a person knowledgeable in a specific field (such as a politician, scientist, or expert) or can be written by an editorial (news) staff. There isn’t a need to collect sources or other outside information. The credibility for these articles are built upon the credibility and reputation of the op-ed writer. Almost every news agency has both Opinion writers and Editorial Staff. Oftentimes, they can be one and the same. Opinion writers, however, may have some background in a specific field that they specialize in writing Op-eds on (for example, a former scientist being a science op-ed writer). There is also a distinction between Op-eds and news reports in newspapers. This is to clarify what articles are a presentation of facts and what is an opinion. However, even with these rules in place, I think there is still a moral responsibility that both the Wall Street Journal and the Washington Post failed to meet. There is an age old quote, “With great power comes great responsibility.” I think of this quite a bit, especially when social media and online digital spaces have given large platforms and followings to many people. When the words of a social media influencer, a pop star, or a politician can be seen, heard, and read by thousands if not millions of people, they should take extra precaution in what is said. News agencies are no different. The saturation of mass media, and the lack of regulation has not only allowed for great democratization of information, but has also also led to the virulent spread of disinformation as well. News agencies maintain their reputation and credibility by holding themselves to high standards of efficacy when it comes to sourcing information. When journalists and reporters report on information and events they include: who said what, who did what, and where was this information found. These age-old rules are what have held up large news agencies such as the New York Times, Washington Post and yes, the Wall Street Journal for decades- and that hasn’t changed. The New York Times often is considered an archive for much of American history is due to its reputation and longevity as a new organization. However, there is another story to be said about Op-eds and Opinion articles. Opinion pieces are not held up to the same standard that a news report is held to. This is because op-eds are not news, they’re someone's opinion. The accountability for any misinformation or issues with an article is placed solely on the opinion writer. However, I think that's where there is a moral and ethical failing. Large news agencies such as The Wall Street Journal or The Washington Post have thousands of followers and readers. They are given a lot of power in our society as credible news organizations. While I understand that there is an established precedent that opinion articles should never be taken as objective fact within the world of journalism, I think news organizations have a responsibility for who they give a platform to. Journalism is for the people- whether its op-eds, or editorials. Journalism is protected in this country because it is one of the sacred pillars of democracy. The ability to tell the truth without fear of persecution. Op-eds are part of this to a certain extent. While op-eds are not objective truth, they are supposed to help people develop or see a topic or issue from a certain point of view, even when that point of view may not be popular. And while news agencies are mostly removed from any accountability for op-eds they publish this still doesn’t mean that they aren’t free from accountability from the people. Back in June, in the heat of the Black Lives Matter movement the then New York Times Opinions editor James Bennet published a controversial essay by Senator Tom Cotton that essentially stated that the U.S. Military should be used to put down protests across the country. Writer Kevin M. Lerner Elaborates on this in his article From op-eds to editorials, readers find it difficult to distinguish fact from opinion: “The New York Times opinion editor James Bennet resigned recently after the paper published a controversial opinion essay by U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton that advocated using the military to put down protests. The essay sparked outrage among the public as well as among younger reporters at the paper. Many of those staffers participated in a social media campaign aimed at the paper’s leadership, asking for factual corrections and an editor’s note explaining what was wrong with the essay. Eventually, the staff uprising forced Bennet’s departure.” This incident highlighted that there is, in fact, a level of accountability to news organizations and the material they decide to publish. Bennet had decided to publish an essay from a Tom Cotton which was inherently dangerous to the people. The essay justified violence and the use of military force on American citizens exercising their right to protest. This sparked major outrage that a reputable news organization such as the New York Times would publish such an article justifying military violence. Eventually, pushback from staff at the New York times led to the resignation of Bennet from his post. Journalists and news organizations have a responsibility to the people. A responsibility to deliver the facts and truth to the people. A responsibility to help educate and bring awareness to issues happening within our country and world. This obligation to the people is why news and news agencies are so incredibly important to our society. However, when news organizations publish articles endangering a group of people or reinforcing dangerous standards within our society, I believe that it shows an absolute failure in an organization's ability to live up to its function in society. When Washington Post published an article that was clearly xenophobic and racist towards the Asian community, regardless of who it was written by, the choice to publish such an article endangers thousands of Asian Americans across the country facing increased violence and hatred due to racial scapegoating from our own federal government. When the Wall Street Journal published an article baselessly criticizing Jill Biden over her educational credentials, that highlighted and reinforced sexist and misogynistic attitudes within our society which inherently endanger women. This is what brings me back to the quote “with great power comes great responsibility.” When a news organization decides to publish an opinion article that is sexist, misogynistic, xenophobic or racist, even under the guise of being an opinion, that organization has failed in its function within our society to hold those in power accountable and protect those that are vulnerable. Something that any major democratic institution should do. And while we should always defend freedom of the press, this doesn’t mean that we can’t hold these institutions accountable for their actions. Readers should always be critical of anything they read, research the information behind a story, the background of the author, and intended audience, and message. And while large news organizations attempt to keep “balance” within their writing, there should be a moral line drawn in the sand when it comes to the endangerment of a marginalized identity or group of people. - Chris Fong Chew Sources: https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-biden-team-strikes-back-11607900812 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jill_Biden https://ijnet.org/en/story/op-eds-editorials-readers-find-it-difficult-distinguish-fact-opinion Cover Photo Source: BBC

This piece was created in honor of my take on the song “Strawberry Blonde” by Mitski. Many interpret the piece as a song about yearning, most traditionally for love- my interpretation follows with that line of reasoning. I believe “Strawberry Blonde” is about a deep yearning. However, I perceive it as a desire held by women of color to fall in with the traditional standard of western beauty. A standard that is notably tailored towards white women. All across Asia, and many other countries, skin bleaching is a common cosmetic practice. Lighter skin means beauty. That is what we are taught, subliminally, from day one. Our movie stars are white, our models, even our own cultures tell women of color that it is better to be white. Growing up in a predominantly white community has undoubtedly shaped my views on femininity. It, as a whole, is an ideal wholly catered to white women, not just as a standard of appearance. I have felt the same yearning to be white all throughout my childhood. It is a terribly subconscious desire. There have never been days where I have felt beautiful. And, though few and far between, there are still days where I think about how much prettier I’d be if only I possessed whiter features. On the surface, my family members and I will always be perpetual foreigners. But I want to grow from that. I want our Western world to grow from that. I hope to live in a society that celebrates features from all ethnicities as a hallmark of beauty. I am still learning to love my own features.

Dear Asian Youth, In my eleven years of being a student, I have never had a teacher of color. This year, at least half the student population at my school are Black, Indigenous, or people of color yet nearly the entire staff is white. My friends and I have made plenty of jokes about this lack of racial diversity as we flip through our yearbooks and remember all the times our white teachers couldn’t tell us apart, but I never wondered about the reason behind all-white staffs that don’t reflect student demographics. While there are certainly causes related to prejudiced hiring, the sheer lack of BIPOC teachers is primarily the result of a greater issue: the active undervaluation of educators. The lack of BIPOC in public education is astounding. When the Washington Post analyzed data from school districts from 46 states and the District of Columbia, they found that only 0.1% of Latino students attend a school system where the percentage of Latino teachers equals or exceeds the percentage of Latino students. For Black students, that number is 7% and for Asian students, the percentage is 4.5%. On the flip side, 99.7% of white students attend school systems with a percentage of white staff that equals or exceeds the percentage of white students. The graph below shows this data by plotting the students of color in percentages on the x-axis and teachers of color in percentages on the y-axis. The lower right corner is where the greatest teacher of color gap exists. The size of the dots shows the total student population in each district. The dotted line illustrates the points at which there is an equal share of teachers and students of color. The lack of data points on or above this line prove the lack of diversity, and a vast majority of the points that are on this line are only there because there are so few students of color in these schools to start with. This disparity is unfortunate for students of color because teachers of color often foster better relationships with their students of color, through more culturally relevant teachings and a better understanding of their lived experiences. Teachers’ Perceptions of Students’ Disruptive Behavior: The Effect of Racial Congruence and Consequences for School Suspension by the University of California, Santa Barbara provided a poignant example by proving that Black teachers are less likely than their white counterparts to perceive their Black students’ behavior as disruptive. The study states that just a 30% increase in exposure to Black teachers results in a 28%-38% decrease in the probability of suspension for eighth-grade Black students. Similarly, Center for American Progress found that when Black students had a non-Black and a Black teacher, their Black teachers tended to have higher confidence inof their student’s’ academic abilities than the non-Black teachers. This is incredibly important because studies such as Research on School Suspension by the North Caroline Family Impact Seminar show that schools employing “Teachers with consistent, positive, clear, and high behavioral and academic expectations of students” resulted in lower rates of suspension. Teachers play an incredibly important part in the development of adolescents. They are the role models for hundreds of students, especially for those who lack adult figures to look up to in their lives outside of school. Evidently, teachers of color play a very special and crucial role, but there are incredibly few teachers of color in the workforce. One of the primary reasons for this disparity is the way that America consistently undervalues teachers. According to the Economic Policy Institute, teachers earn 19.2% less than comparable college graduates. Furthermore, USA Today posts a 2018 PDK poll that asks parents from 1969 to 2018 whether they would like their children to be teachers. The decreasing percentage of parents who answered affirmatively shows that teachers are no longer considered a respected profession. The lack of respect for teachers causes less and less people to want to enter that profession, despite the fact that teachers play one of the most prominent roles in shaping today’s youth. As an Asian American, I have also been guilty of falling into this false line of thinking, as my parents have made being an educator, something to look down upon, despite the fact that I myself have had educators who have changed my life. This issue specifically harms certain teachers of color who, as stated in The Atlantic, can't maintain a work-life balance when they are serving lower-income communities with inadequate training and poor classrooms for insufficient wages. The writer of the article, Amanda Machado goes on to state that, “Because our backgrounds often parallel those of our students, the issues in our classrooms hit us more personally. This ultimately places an extreme amount of pressure on us to be good teachers immediately, since we know or have experienced ourselves the consequences of an insufficient education.” These difficulties are reflected in a 2005 University of Pennsylvania study by Richard Ingersoll that revealed that the turnover rate for teachers of color is 24% higher than for white teachers. It is important for society to place more value on the people who determine the future. Once educators are given the respect that they deserve, we will begin to see more teachers of color. My hope is that as more students see teachers who look like them, they will be encouraged to pursue careers in education and more students will feel represented by the members of their school’s staff. - Lora Kwon Cover Photo Source: EWA

Dear Asian Youth, On November 24th, USA Today published an article detailing the Scottish parliament’s unanimous decision to pass the Period Products (Free Provision) Bill. This means that there is “a legal obligation for the government to ensure sanitary products are free and accessible for all who menstruate, including tampons and pads in public facilities nationwide”. It is thought that the bill would cost around $32 million and be a counteraction to “period poverty”- a phenomenon describing the ostracization of those who menstruate from many aspects of life, including cultural shaming to inaccessibility issues. In stark contrast, the US faces a lack of accessibility to period products, leading to pushes towards reform of what is known as the “tampon tax”. The “tampon tax” is a popular reference to feminine hygiene products having added taxes or sales taxes, unlike tax exemptions granted to other products considered basic necessities. Cristina Garcia, an assemblywoman from California, noted in a Washington Post article how “women in California pay about $7 per month for 40 years of tampons and sanitary napkins”.This means there is around $20 million dollars annually paid in taxes, and in total, around $150 billion dollars nationally. So far, this tax still exists in 33 states, despite bills and legislatures to counteract it. Besides monetary value, the inequality in the issue stands in the patriarchal nature of the US’s legislation. Before the momentous case of Roe v. Wade, it was a states’ right to determine reproductive services access policies. Those laws, that have since been ineffective, were put in place to restrict women’s reproductive access from abortion clinics to birth control. This is no exception. The tampon tax exclusively affects those who menstruate, primarily women. If men menstruated as well, the tampon tax would cease to exist. The core argument is that menstruation is not a choice. Why should some be put at a disadvantage for experiencing a natural, uncontrollable process? On top of that, around the world, on average, men earn more than women, putting those who do not have the resources- access, sanitization, or monetary compensation- more vulnerable to poverty and economic hardship. If feminine hygiene products aren’t considered a basic necessity, they certainly aren’t considered a luxury. In fact, 1 in every 5 teens are unable to afford menstrual products in the US. This can result in increased stress, missed class time, risks of infection, and other repercussions. It has become not only an issue of preference, but one of health for half the world’s population. As an alternative, many have resorted to reusable, but less common, products to save money in the long term. Menstrual cups and reusable cloth pads are available, but require constant maintenance and cleaning to avoid risk. At its core, the issue lies within the accessibility of menstrual products and their contrasting necessity. America has made change, but we certainly have a long way to go. - Allison Li Cover photo source: https://happymag.tv/scotland-are-set-to-make-period-products-100-free/

Capitalism. This is perhaps the most lofty-sounding, pretentious, intangible idea - and also the most concrete description of reality. Capitalism is virtually all-encompassing. Everything from the obvious, such as Wall Street corporations, to the modern familial structure, can be traced back to capitalism. It holds an iron-grip on every aspect of society: the food we eat, the houses we live in, the education we are given, everything. Everything. Reality can be summed up in one word: capitalism. This is a pretty big claim to make - so, let’s backtrack. It’s somewhere in the 1600s. Up until now, merchants traded goods that were produced by other people. Kind of like the “middle man,” linking seller to buyer. Merchants are starting to expand their field of business, though. They’re becoming more and more involved in the production of the goods that they trade. They begin hiring workers to make the goods for them. In turn, merchants supply the materials to the workers and pay them wages. Vaguely like a small business of sorts. Then, the Industrial Revolution hits. We can make goods faster than ever, with all kinds of new machines. We also get better at farming (read: machinery), so we have a lot of new people. A lot of new workers and a lot of more buyers. Merchant capitalists hire more and more workers to produce more and more goods (which are then sold to more and more buyers). Because we have machines, workers technically don’t work that hard… so we can pay them less! In fact, we hire more and more women and children because their labor isn’t worth as much as men’s. We pay them just enough that they can sustain themselves and their families - and so they can buy the same products that they produce. Well, we have to sell our goods to someone, right? Capitalism is exploitative. In a capitalist society, the rich own all the means of production - the machines, factories, and raw materials. Workers survive by selling their labor to the rich. And when it comes down to it, workers always receive the short end of the stick. If the rich pay their workers fairly and allow for their own profit gain, the price of the products would be ridiculously high, meaning they would lose customers. The goal of the rich is to turn up as much of a profit as possible. So, they charge as much as they can for a product (a tricky balance between maximizing price and maximizing customers), take as much money for themselves as profit, and pay workers with the rest of the money (which is just enough for them to survive and buy the same products they helped make). In this way, workers are never paid enough. Capitalism is pervasive. The rich want as many workers for as cheap as possible. In modern society, this often leads to outsourcing. Sure, we could pay workers unfairly in the US, but we could also exploit workers in countries like Bangladesh or Colombia, which have little to no labor laws or protections for workers. If we have our products made there, we could get away with paying our workers even less and turn up an even bigger profit! All in a day’s work of capitalism, right? Capitalism is also pervasive in the fact that it needs more and more customers. The more customers - the more people willing to spend their money on the rich - the better. Capitalism is always hungry for exploitable workers and customers and will quite literally stop at nothing to acquire them. If you think about it, it makes sense. Without more and more readily available people to exploit, profit will eventually become stagnant and die. Capitalism goes with it. P.S. It’s not a coincidence that capitalist countries like the US had such a violent reaction to communism. Think past the brainwashing. Capitalism always needs more, remember? Communism is a threat to capitalism because it turns the means of production over to the workers. There is no exploitation in a communist society. Capitalism reached a point where it needed more (more workers, more customers - as always), and turned its eyes to communist countries* to pervade. Communist countries either fell - in which case, this was used as propaganda for capitalists to say “Look! Communism never works!” - or developed strict governments to fend off capitalism - in which case, capitalist propaganda would say “Look! Communism is when the government takes away your rights!” In the spirit of “restoring democracies” in previously communist societies, capitalist countries obstructed democracy in those areas. Capitalist countries rigged elections (among other things) to ensure that capitalism would prevail. Because capitalism dies if it doesn’t have more. Okay, so, yeah, capitalism is pervasive. It’s an economic system - and the economy (or money, that’s about the same thing, right?) is everywhere. This is, in a way, old news. But wait! There’s more. The Salem witch trials, the very existence of the LGBTQ+ community, the patriarchy, schools, literally almost every single aspect of society has its roots in (and/or ties to) capitalism. Remember, capitalism is exploitative. It exploits everyone in every way it can (because it’s pervasive!) and it all starts in the home, where parents - typically women - wrack up hours upon hours of unpaid labor every day. Women were made out to be more “fit” to do this labor because by putting them into a biological box, it made them easier to control and exploit. Under capitalism, exploitation pervades every workplace it finds. Even the home. *The phrase ”communist countries” is a contradiction in and of itself - communism envisions a stateless, classless, moneyless society. Therefore, communist countries cannot exist. Still, for the sake of simplicity, we’ll call countries like the USSR “communist.” - Yunseo Chung Cover photo source: https://emperorsgrave.wordpress.com/2020/05/03/the-effects-of-late-capitalism-on-art-and-culture/

poem 1 her, an indian girl her eyes dark brown like chocolate pearls intoxicating and sweet her hands like soil fresh, pure and earthly her palms like sand smooth and soft but weathered by rain and tears her hair not silk straight or coiled in curls but messy, frizzy and as thick as rope massaged with coconut and amla oil her nose perched on a throne upon her face perfect as though it was meant to be right there her fingers dark and elegant with poise and strength she is the daughter of earth and stars graceful but messy strong and capable she is indeed a desi girl poem 2- her nature: breaking and healing the number of things which have fallen to my hands broken cracked and left without hope of resurrection i cannot count but there are some things which stay in my hands and heal from the creases on my palms using my skin and love as a balm poem 3- her, a constellation her eyes discs of floating stars her hair cascading like a waterfall her smile expanded showing her teeth her nose just so on top of her mouth why is she up there i ask gazing up into the jet black night she was too perfect grandpa says softly and she is a reminder that all of us on earth have our flaws those who are amongst the stars are infinite and perfection has no place on a fragmented land even the ground below are feet quakes sometimes These poetry pieces show my persona as an Indian girl growing up in the states , and my thoughts and feelings as a south Asian teen. Instagram: @aaryana.sharma Cover Photo Source: pakistanimartha on RedBubble

2. definitions. kiki smith’s yolk solid worked glass “yolk. (noun) -yellow or orange material stored in an animal ovum that supplies food to the developing embryo and consists chiefly of proteins, lecithin, and cholesterol. yellow. (noun) -of the color between green and orange in the spectrum; colored like ripe lemons or egg yolks. egg. (noun) -an oval or round object laid by a female bird, reptile, fish, or invertebrate, usually containing a developing embryo. female. (noun) - of, relating to, or being the sex that typically has the capacity to bear young or produce eggs. glass. (noun) -a hard, brittle substance, typically transparent or translucent. woman. (noun) -an adult female person. egg. (noun) -an animal reproductive body consisting of an ovum together with its nutritive and protective envelopes and having the capacity to develop into a new individual capable of independent existence. yellow. (noun) -an East or Southeast Asian person; in reference to those who have a yellowish skin color. [NO LONGER APPLICABLE.] filipinx. (noun) -of or relating to natives or inhabitants of the Philippines (used in place of the masculine form Filipino or the feminine form Filipina); born out of a movement to create space for and acknowledge genderqueer members of the Filipin* diaspora in the white-centric binary places their parents decide to move to. yoke. (noun) -a frame fitted to a person's shoulders to carry a load in two equal portions. nonbinary. (noun) -genders that don’t fall into one of the two categories, male or female. woman. (noun) -a woman who is a servant or personal attendant. glass. (adj) -easily broken. yellow. (noun) -cowardly. chicken (noun) -cowardly. yolk. (noun) -yellow or orange material stored in an animal ovum that supplies food to the developing embryo and consists chiefly of proteins, lecithin, and cholesterol.” - So Asiddao This poem reflects my experience of seeing Kiki Smith's work, "yolk," for the first time. In this stream-of-consciousness poem, I used dictionary definitions of terms this art evoked for me and reworked them to help readers understand how I define myself. In this artwork, I saw a reflection of not just myself and the way I perceive my body and mind but the way others perceive me as well. For all readers, this is a poem about self-reflection. For readers who have similar ethnic and gender experiences as me, I hope this poem provides a sense of familiarity, something to which they can relate and find meaning in. Biography: My name is So Asiddao and I am a second-year creative writing and music student at Oberlin College. I also spend much of my time creating visual art as well as musical and written fandom works, which you can find on my Instagram @corduroycyborg and on my Tumblr @acyborglostintimeandspace. As a second-generation Filipinx-American, I am constantly searching for ways to further highlight the voices of Asian youth and other marginalized groups in the predominantly white-centric perspective of Western society. Instagram: @corduroycyborg Cover Photo Source: https://www.coindesk.com/oxford-dictionaries-definitions-blockchain-miner

The first breath a newborn takes starts a countdown towards their last, but My Girl, her breaths count upwards. She’s on a staircase to heaven, stops time; forget “counting” her blessings, because she is the gift from god, the tenth Muse among the nine: the forgotten, not the forsaken, but I will always remember her dark brown skin, dark brown curls, pinpricks on her fingers, and paint strokes on her arms. Eyes that glisten with pride, determination, confusion, desire to learn more, to seek more, to be more. And so she picks up her pencil, her paintbrush, her needle, and she writes, she paints, she embroiders her name into everything she touches including the hearts of strangers like myself. She doesn't know me or my love for mysteries like herself. My Girl is eternal, she shines, and yet she is so distant. And God knows how many times I curse myself every day for falling in love with the Renaissance. An alternate title for this poem could also be What Love does to You, as the narrator has fallen in love with My Girl, but they feel that she is so complex that they hardly know who she is at all (The term My Girl is not specific to a female entity, rather is just a name that I chose to define the concept of something that is so beautiful but ultimately unattainable. For the purpose of this summary however, My Girl will be referred to with she/her pronouns.). The narrator goes on to recap the many talents that My Girl has, how she fits the definition of a “Renaissance” girl, perfect at any endeavor she pursues. The poem, My Girl is supposed to convey the consequences of loving, what it does to you and how it can shake your world to the core; to the point where you notice the little details of the one you love and portray them as a deity in your perspective. Cover Photo Source: Medieval POC

TW// drowning You’re drowning. Mere minutes ago, you had been happily floating in the ocean, your back to the depths below. With the warmth from the sun caressing your suspended limbs, you had been at peace. Yet this bliss hadn’t lasted long; it was only the calm before the storm. Out of nowhere, you had felt yourself being pulled farther from the shore by a force far outmatching your own strength. You had opened your eyes, just in time for a colossal wave to strike you beneath the shallows. Now, each second feels like a lifetime without air. The salt stings your eyes, but your sole fixation is propelling yourself closer and closer to your next breath. And you make it! Your arm breaks the surface, and you manage to inhale a single time—before another wave beats you down. Thus, the cycle begins. As another wave hurls you once more into the watery depths, every fiber of your being fights to break the surface of the water. Your fingers stretch upwards, pointed towards a bright sun and the promise of a new day, and your muscles fight like they’ve never before—because you don’t want to give up. You want to grow old and live boldly and freely. You want to eat your favorite food a million more times and listen to your favorite song on repeat and live to see countless more sunrises. You still have so much life left to live. But there comes a point when your arms begin to tire. Your lungs burn, but your legs grow weary of propelling you towards the sky. What’s the point? You’ll never make it out. And even if you do, you’ll eventually find yourself back underneath the surf, buffeted by wave after unrelenting wave. While everyone else is swimming and paddling above the surface, you’ve sunk. You’ll die here, alone, unnoticed, in the depths of a bottomless ocean. Maybe it’s for the better. After all, you’ve never been a strong swimmer. “Mom, Dad...I’m drowning, and I need help.” The signs are all there: your hair is sopping wet, droplets of water have pooled onto the hardwood floor surrounding your feet, and there’s a peculiar look in your eye—the look of a person who knows firsthand what it’s like to lose a fight with an unforgiving sea. You’re tired of losing. You’ll do anything—don a life vest, or an inflatable floatie, or even take private swimming lessons with a licensed instructor. You will do whatever it takes to ensure that you will never end up beneath the surf again. But your cries are unheard. “You’re not drowning.” “Why can’t you swim on your own?” “I never drowned when I was your age.” In the end, you’re resigned to your fate. You give up, the salty sting of seawater interspersed with hot tears. Homo sapien. “Wise man.” Yes, there is no doubt that our collective intelligence and adaptability to any environment makes us superior to all other life forms on Earth. But as humans, we need sustenance, shelter, and sleep to survive. Even so, these things don’t matter if we can’t meet the need for air. Without the ability to breathe, we cannot live—we cannot run through the greenest of fields, hike up the highest of mountains, or swim in the deepest of seas. But how can a person fight the currents with aching limbs? How can someone breathe with water-filled lungs? How can an individual thrive if their mind is functioning at a limited capacity? Our brain is our most important organ. Yes, we are powered by our heart pumping blood through our veins, but the brain gives us the capability of sentient thought, revolutionary ideas, and strokes of genius. In fact, proper brain function is so essential to our way of living that even a person who has undergone cardiac arrest—whose heart has stopped—can ultimately survive, as long as brain activity remains. The brain gives us the ability to craft intricate stories and develop worlds that never before existed. It allows us the capacity to feel joy, store memories, and remember the faces of those we care for. Yet there is irony in the fact that the same organ that gives us the ability to love also allows us to feel immense, heart-wrenching pain. The topic of mental health is often glossed over in Asian communities, but it needs to be discussed more than ever. With such a singular focus on physical injury, the typical Asian household leaves no room for emotional maladies. If you break your arm, you wear a cast. If you have a heart attack, you’re given time to recover. It’s the same even when the injury is beneath the surface: victims of stroke are expected to take the time to recoup. But is the same care and consideration allocated when the injury doesn’t leave a mark? Is it given to the silent sufferers, those who bury their emotional turmoil in the deepest, darkest recesses of their minds? Does someone’s mental well-being only matter when they’ve already drowned, succumbing to the saltwater filling their lungs? According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA), Asian Americans are more likely to consider and attempt suicide than the white population. Given this information, one can assume that Asian individuals look for mental health services at a higher rate than any other demographic. However, this is far from true. While about 18% of the general United States population seek mental health services and resources, only approximately 8.6% of Asian Americans do so. Moreover, Asian Americans are three times less likely to utilize mental health services than their white counterparts. For most Asian Americans, a multitude of factors stand in the way, impeding one’s ability to get the help they need—and it all starts in the home. Picture yourself as a young child. At five years old, you already know the rules: be polite, humble, and respectful. As the years pass, these expectations only compound in nature. Each passing birthday is accompanied by a new set of familial pressures, a new three-ton weight on your weary shoulders. There’s no room for mediocrity—you learn to be the best, rather than do your best. If you’re not perfect, you’re nothing. Your accomplishments aren’t solely yours; they’re shared by your parents, and your siblings, and your aunts and uncles and grandparents—and so are your failures. If you stray from the fields of medicine, or business, or law—you’ve shamed the family name. At school, you’re expected to be the smartest person in the room—shamed if you aren’t, but also demeaned if you are. You’re seen as a “model minority,” a one-dimensional caricature rather than a real person. To admit you need help would be embarrassing. You must “save face”—preserve your own public appearance to maintain your family’s reputation. And even if you were to get past this emotional barrier, your parents would never understand. They grew up in a different world. You know success is a product of hard work. Your parents are the very people who taught you these values, and they know firsthand the meaning of sacrifice, tenacity, and determination. However, the struggles they faced at your age are completely unlike those of your own. They traversed the Pacific, braved the vast open waters to reach the land of opportunity. They came to America with no money in their pockets, building a new life for themselves, but also a better life for you. In your eyes, they conquered more than a voluntary culture shock and the uncomfortable feeling of being a fish out of water. Although their black hair and foreign lilt stuck out in the sea of light hair and English slang, one thing is certain—despite all of the barriers threatening to anchor them down, they didn’t drown. How could they? Your grandparents had raised them—your grandparents, who had endured the racially-charged tension of the Vietnam War, whose own parents had lived through horrific militaristic and political turmoil. How can you complain about your deteriorating mental health when the people of the past survived the Laotian and Cambodian Civil Wars? Why are you so weak when Japanese Americans not even a century ago perished in internment camps during World War 2? Your ancestors were subjugated to unspeakable trauma, but in spite of it all still kept their heads above water. They had it worse. Suck it up. The generation gap between adults and youth is larger than ever. It’s evident all around: the indisputable globalization of technology, the rise of social media, the words uttered by today’s youth. But for many Asian, Asian American, and Pacific Islander (AAPI) families, standard generational gap conflicts are exacerbated by the “acculturation gap”—the phenomenon where children of first-generation Americans and second-generation Americans adapt to a new culture faster and in a different way than their parents. Yes, when our parents and grandparents sailed the ocean blue to North America, they weren’t immune to incorporating elements of American culture into their daily lives. It was all-too-common to see accents fading, a new set of meals joining the rotation of what used to be solely cultural cuisine. Yet unquenched was the desire to remain connected to the country they were born and raised, the place they would never stop calling “home.” But for their children, it’s a different story. We’ve always been the fish out of water. Growing up, many Asian American youths constantly interact with individuals hailing from different backgrounds, making us especially susceptible to adopting a culture separate from the ones of our predecessors—but this poses a unique list of consequences. Being a young Asian American in the twenty-first century presents a whole new set of challenges: the struggle to accept oneself in a world inundated with Eurocentric standards, the pressure from family and peers to academically perform, and ever since 2020, the increased frequency of racially motivated tension stemming from COVID-19. Yes, the struggles of Asian youth are vastly different than those of our parents, but that doesn’t make them any less real. And just because someone’s “yesterday” was full of gentle waves, blue skies, and sunshine doesn’t mean that tomorrow won’t bring torrential rain and an unforgiving sea. For those who are unfamiliar with the Internet sensation that is Eugene Lee Yang, here’s a condensed history: Eugene attended the University of Southern California, from whence he graduated with a B.A. in cinema production in 2008. In 2013, he started working for the internet media company Buzzfeed, which was then only in its fledgling stages. At Buzzfeed, Eugene wrote and directed several viral videos, including “If Disney Princes Were Real,” currently with over 76 million videos, “Women’s Ideal Body Types Throughout History,” with 49 million views and counting, and “Wedding Dresses Across Asia,” which has amassed over 10 million views. With co-stars Ned Fulmer, Keith Habersberger, and Zach Kornfeld, Eugene established The Try Guys in 2014, producing content that is both lighthearted (e.g. “The Try Guys Try Wedding Dresses”) but also informative (e.g. “The Try Guys Try Immigrating To America”). In 2018, he and the rest of the Try Guys left Buzzfeed and established 2nd Try LLC, where they continue to this day to make content touching the hearts of millions of people across the globe. Out of the Try Guys cast, Eugene is not only the sole person of color (Korean American), but also the only openly gay man from the group. Viewers of the Try Guys channel are aware that today, he is proud of both his heritage and his queerness—but the road to self-acceptance was far from easy. As a closeted Korean American in the South, Eugene struggled with his multifaceted identity for his entire adolescence and the majority of his early adult life. Already “otherized” for being Asian, Lee Yang’s inner turmoil only compounded once he realized that he was gay. The parts of himself that were most central to his identity were also the things that he hated most. After openly coming out to the world in a poignant and deeply moving music video titled “I’m Gay - Eugene Lee Yang” (which he wrote, directed, and choreographed), the Try Guys channel released a follow-up video titled “Why I’m Coming Out As Gay”, giving viewers a more introspective glimpse into Eugene’s journey of self-acceptance. In this video, he relates, “I was never in a position where I had enough support, or education, or confidence in any area, that when someone ridiculed me for being Asian, when people thought I could be gay, I was never at the point where I thought they were wrong. I had a strong belief that I was not only bad, but I was wrong, there was something wrong with me. A lot of my journey was kind of figuring out that I was never inherently a bad person.” The beautiful thing about Eugene’s journey is that we can walk alongside him throughout the years, watching the gradual progression of his self-acceptance. In the earlier stages of the Try Guys, Eugene acted as a “hard” and “unfeeling” character. To many, his seemingly-natural aptitude for practically any task only emphasized his emulation as a haughty and aloof caricature. Yet fans loved him—idolized him, even, placing him on a pedestal that was miles-high. As the Try Guys grew in popularity, being nominated for (and even winning) several Streamy awards, so did Eugene, even being awarded the Unforgettable 2015 Male Breakout Star of the Year. From a purely success-related standpoint, Eugene was conquering wave after indomitable wave in an insurmountable sea. Yet he was still bogged down, anchored by the weight of hiding integral parts of his identity from the world. When the Try Guys established their independent channel in 2018, fans began to notice a change in Eugene. While still guarded in many regards, he was more prone to genuine smiles and fully-fledged laughter. Even his fashion style evolved, as he interspersed typical masculine attire with androgynous and more feminine items of clothing. Fashion, the truest form of self-expression, showcased more than anything how far Eugene had come. Moreover, he began to refer to himself as “queer” on camera, not yet specifying his sexual orientation but slowly but surely revealing his vulnerable side. In an Instagram post back in July of 2018, he writes, Dear Eugene, I’m sorry. I’m sorry you were so depressed, angry, and confused all the time. I’m sorry that your race and sexuality were never perceived as strengths. I’m sorry you thought the bullies were right. I’m sorry you didn’t believe people could ever love you. I’m sorry you’ll never experience even an ounce of the confidence I have now. I promise to make up for all the lost time and be a strong example for other kids like you. You’re MY inspiration. You’re my life’s work. When Eugene officially came out almost a year later, just in time for Pride Month, it was like a breath of fresh air. He was finally free, no longer held back or inhibited by the weight of the past. Yet I found myself equally as touched by another aspect of Eugene’s journey to acceptance, something that’s less discussed—Eugene’s relationship with his father. Back in the year 2017, when the Try Guys were still at Buzzfeed, the corporation released a five-part video series called “Fatherhood.” The audience encountered Jae-Hong Yang for the first time in the video “The Try Guys Re-create Photos Of Their Dads”. From the very first second of screentime, it was blatantly clear that Eugene and Jae had a strained relationship. As Jae recounted the context behind the photo Eugene had recreated, we learned about the father alongside the son. Throughout the series, we learned more about the factors that had led to the strange dynamic between the two, leading to years of misunderstandings: Jae’s father had died when he was only three months old, and his mother had abandoned him when he was in high school. Without a father of his own, Jae had to raise Eugene and his siblings in a country foreign to the one where he had grown. Working at a job hours away from the rest of his family, he had cared for Eugene in the only way he knew how: providing for him through monetary means. It was clear as day: underneath their respective reserved exteriors, Eugene and Jae loved each other—even if they didn’t know how to express it. The Fatherhood series opened the door for honest communication between father and son. Although awkward to watch, the initial relationship between the two is something many Asian viewers had found relatable—the stilted interactions between Eugene and Jae are indicative of many Asian parent/child relationships. In the Asian realm, individuals are expected to adhere to specified roles within their families, submitting to the larger needs as a whole. Yet, despite this great emphasis on the family unit, open conversation between members is often lacking. I’m thankful to Eugene and his father for helping me realize that while vulnerability is terrifying, it can open the door for mutual growth. And—hidden from the cameras—their relationship not only grew, but flourished, to the point where the video “My Dad’s First Drag Show (Featuring Kim Chi)” was released on the Try Guys channel on October 31, 2018. The premise of the video is self-explanatory: Eugene taking his father to a drag show. But this simple outing holds immense significance. Eugene is finally at a place where he feels comfortable sharing his queer identity freely with the world. He’s finally free from the chains that have dragged him beneath the surf: he’s finally accepted the part of himself he once thought was foul, and shameful, and wrong. Furthermore, he’s able to celebrate his identity with his dad, without any inhibitions. Some say it takes twenty-one days to break a habit. Others argue much longer. Regardless, Eugene and his father show that it’s possible to break down barriers you once thought were invulnerable, so long as you’re willing to try. The human brain is remarkably complex; it shouldn’t be expected to run perfectly every single second of every single day of a person’s life. You only have one, so take care of it. Prioritizing your mental health isn’t shameful. Putting yourself first isn’t selfish. To those struggling with your mental health, please don’t suffer in silence. If you can, open up to your close friends and family. Let them in: tell them what you’re going through. Moreover, don’t be afraid to seek out professional help if you truly need it. Taking initiative to ensure your mental well-being is not a sign of weakness. It signifies your strength. I know you might not be at a time in your life when displaying vulnerability won’t be met with scorn or derision, but remember that the pain in your head is just as real as any bodily pain you might have ever experienced. Whether you’re happily swimming with your head above the surface, struggling to stay afloat, or can’t find your way out of the eye of the worst hurricane, remember that no storm lasts forever. And the next time a wave tosses you under, know that one day, you’ll finally be able to keep your head above the tumultuous waters, all on your own. - Justine Torres Links used: https://adaa.org/finding-help/asian-americans https://www.mcleanhospital.org/essential/why-asian-americans-dont-seek-help-mental-illness https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1071736/ https://psychologybenefits.org/2013/05/23/mind-the-gap-how-generational-differences-affect-the-mental-health-of-asian-american-families/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QruHsyt8paY&feature=youtu.be https://www.instagram.com/p/BlOLT1egDRt/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link Cover Photo Source: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/341992165458245732/

That she loved me, that things were okay, That sometimes, when the skies thundered, and even when The clouds were conscious of my existence, The days could be worse than others. “And that”, she whispered close to my ear, tickling the back Of my neck, “Is okay.” Fireworks and sunsets rose to the sky As I wondered about how the days could fly This fast, so fast, that I was never able to Catch up. In my bed, drowning my pillowcase with tears, I’ve left my soul for another to pick it up, In hopes of reincarnating into something Less hateful and more lovely. An angel had to stop me, though, before I could Go any further, before I could manage to leave entirely. Fingers thin, she stroked my cheek and held my hands in hers, And for the first time In a long time, my heart beat warmth and not ice. I already knew she was an angel, just by the way she carried herself And me within the tips of her skin, But I couldn’t see her wings. Where were her wings? She needs her Wings to fly, doesn’t she? Where are her wings? A tear swam down my cheek, kissing me until it dropped into the midst Of nothing and everything. The angel wiped it away. Take the narrow path, she murmured. Think of the stars above, waiting for you To fly as high as they. You can do it, can’t you? I shook my head, biting my lips So hard that they bled, blood dripping down onto my chin thicker than water. Your wings, I wanted to cry out. What happened to your wings? No, no, no, she put a finger to my lips. We aren’t here for my Wings, after all. They are long gone. I needed to hear the answers, but her hair, A majestic brown, trickled down her back and swayed with her white Dress. I wished to touch it so much that I became distracted. Wake up, darling, she whispered to me. Take one step, even if that’s the only step you take All day. And don’t thank me. Thank yourself when you do. I smiled and stumbled as her being became blurred and touch became Nothing. But I closed my eyes again to dream, And then wake to a world of many suns and moons. She was right to stop me, I laughed at myself, lopsidedly, and face tilted to the left. I have more to offer, don’t I? - Hannah Chen Cover Photo Source: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/476607573041801695/

Dear Asian Youth, “I’m so tired today, I went to bed at 2 A.M. last night.” “You’re so lucky! I wish I got that many hours of sleep, I was up till 3.” These are typical conversations I often find myself a part of, and I only recently realised how detrimental these words can be. When my friends talk about their struggles— a lack of sleep or an upcoming event they are dreading—I'm often compelled to interject with my own struggles and share how I get even less sleep, or if I have something even worse happening as if it is a competition. Empathy is understanding and feeling what someone else is going through. But these aforementioned exchanges differ from empathy in that it dismisses the other person’s feelings and is ultimately counterproductive. That’s not being relatable or empathetic—that’s treating their struggles with disdain because you don’t think it is a significant enough problem. With the transition to a new year, many people have been reflecting on the hardships of this past year, leading many people, including celebrities, to speak out about how they have been affected by the pandemic. However, a lot of them have received backlash because surely they don’t deserve to complain when they don’t understand what it’s like to be on the front lines of the pandemic, lose their only source of income, or not have a safe place to live. But when we do that, we are telling them they aren’t allowed to acknowledge how this pandemic has hurt them. While not everyone has been hurt to the same degree, everyone has lost something or someone, and we are all entitled to feel dejected and grieve. We shouldn’t require someone to experience the worst this pandemic has to offer to allow them to speak on it. This kind of invalidation is particularly prevalent in mental health issues as it often contributes to them. It tells a person that their experience is insignificant, and over time deters people from reaching out and getting help because they don’t have a right to complain and are being too sensitive or dramatic. This cultivates self-doubt and is particularly harmful to those with mental illnesses like depression or anxiety as when people are ashamed of their feelings, they believe they can’t be emotionally authentic to be accepted. When we deny people the ability to feel a certain way or tell them how they should feel, we are also denying them the rich, honest, vulnerable, complex emotional range that makes us human. You don’t need to feel guilty for being discontent by something, even if you are generally more well-off. Your feelings are valid simply because they are your feelings—that’s all it is. If you are experiencing something, you are allowed to feel a certain way about it. You don’t need to experience the absolute worst of something to be qualified to talk about your experience with it, and the fact that “other people have it worse” does not mean your feelings are any less real. Your feelings are not insignificant; they’re valid and they matter and the things you care about shape who you are. It’s what makes you human—don’t stifle them. - Erika Cover Photo Source: Medium