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Sinophobia to Aesthetic: My Complicated Hope
Written by Jodie Li Growing up, I always stood my ground, proud to be Asian, proud to be Chinese. Even in elementary school, a time when many Asian American kids felt embarrassed by their lunches, their backgrounds, or their features, I had a strong joy associated with my background. I thank my parents for that. They filled my childhood with stories, traditions, and explanations of all the amazing things about my Chinese heritage. They planted a pride in me that no one or any comment could make me feel ashamed. That pride followed me through middle school, through high school, and even in a time where people were scared to…
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Playground Politics: The Small Things That Shape What we Care About Today
Written by Paulina Tep It’s second grade, and I’m with my friends at recess. They’re all wearing their fluffy pink and teal North Face jackets, and I’m probably just wearing some basic Costco-brand jacket, my parents got me for Christmas. Whatever. Rainbow Loom is all the craze, so we all pull up our sleeves and show the bracelet we made the night before. We compliment each other in awe of our colorful, curated patterns. It’s all beautiful, then I hear one of my friends go, “Ew, you have a C-clip!” Everyone else notices, and I’m told, “Sorry, you can’t be here anymore.” They were still my friends, but I just…
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The Extra Trip
Written by Sophia Kim Grocery shopping with my mom has always been a memorable experience, often taking a lot out of the day because of the lack of accessibility for Asian produce and ingredients. Our weekly decision was between driving all the way to PA to the nearest H Mart and just going to Acme. This choice between comfort and convenience shouldn’t have to weigh on anyone’s mind and is a prevalent issue for people across many races. Personally, we would want to go to Hmart to be able to make and enjoy dishes that my parents grew up with, but most times we would just cave and get food…
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What Advocacy Looks Like to Me
Written by Zoe Pecson The Oxford English Dictionary defines advocacy as the following: “public support that somebody gives to an idea, a course of action or a belief,” or “support, advice and help given to people, often with special needs or aims, who are unable to speak for themselves.” At its core, advocacy is about providing support to others who may need it. To me, advocacy means using the platforms and opportunities available to you to educate, support, and uplift others in meaningful ways that improve their lives. One thing I have learned in college is that as Asian Americans, we have a certain privilege that often goes unnoticed: we…
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Asian Festivals & Spring Traditions
Written by Will Chen and Steven Pham Seasons in Asian culture each have their own meanings and representations. With the Spring season underway, a time of renewal and hope begins. In East Asian culture, spring directly relates to the Confucian framework of family and ancestor veneration. Holidays such as Seollal and Qingming honor family lineage. In Southeast Asian culture, key themes revolving around Spring tend to be more expressive and focus on community. For example, water is a key symbol for joy, purification, and celebration, becoming prominent in festivals such as Songkran and Thingyan. One of the most significant spring festivals in Asia is Lunar New Year, widely celebrated in…
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Fresh Flavors, Fresh Starts
Written by Sophia Kim With the seasons becoming warmer and the cold leaving, spring brings many opportunities to explore new habits and reset before summer comes. I have found that approaching these new beginnings with cold dishes is refreshing and helps keep the productive momentum going. Here are a few dishes I keep as staples when the weather turns warm. Soba noodles are quite easy to prepare and taste amazing. It only takes a few ingredients to make. I typically have them with fresh shredded radish and strips of roasted seaweed. You first have to prepare the noodles according to package directions, rinse them, and then add them to a…
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How Godzilla: Minus One Encapsulates Perseverance
Written by Sydney Nguyen October 25th, 1944, marked the first organized kamikaze attack that took place during the Battle of Leyte Gulf. The success of the kamikaze tactic (a suicide attack that involves a pilot flying their aircraft directly into enemy ships) was exaggerated greatly through Japanese military propaganda, as it was rooted in the Japanese ideals of honor, sacrifice, and religion. Therefore, in post-war Japan, the kamikaze pilots who returned alive were perceived by citizens as cowards who failed to serve their nation and were viewed as physical representations of Japan’s defeat. Fear is a prominent motif that drives the plot of Godzilla: Minus One. Kamikaze pilot Kōichi Shikishima…
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“I Love You” in a Language My Parents Could Speak
Written by Jodie Li “I love you.” Three words that, for many Asian Americans, aren’t a daily reassurance but almost a shock to hear. If I heard those words from my parents, I’d honestly be worried something bad had happened. But not hearing “I love you” doesn’t mean love isn’t there. Many Asian immigrants grew up in cultures where words of affirmation weren’t the norm. Love was shown, not said. It’s like speaking different languages; you wouldn’t expect someone to understand you if you only spoke yours and never tried to learn theirs. The same goes for love. I’ve learned to listen for “I love you” in the language my…
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A Reflection On Asian Americans’ Political Resistance
Written by Paulina Tep When I started my freshman year at UD in Fall ‘24, I was beyond excited to join the APIDA (Asian Pacific Islander Desi American) community here. Planning for college in high school, I was eager to finally escape the predominantly white community I was surrounded by. Despite UD’s PWI status, I knew that anyone of any background could find community here. So when it came time for the Involvement Fair, I ran to all of the Asian RSOs I could find. Since then, participating in these RSOs has been an amazing experience for me – the clubs are phenomenal at cultivating fun and cultural events. While…
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The ABG: A Label Built On Struggle
Written by Paulina Tep When you hear the term “ABG,” you think of the Asian Baby Girl: she’s got bleached hair, wears heavy lashes, is obsessed with raves, and is a certified bobaholic. The ABG is the antithesis of Western society’s expectations of women: bold and sexy, not passive and dainty. While this is the widely accepted definition of an ABG, I have noticed a shift in how it is presented in recent years. Several other youth subcultures of the past decades have transitioned into a social media “aesthetic,” including the ABG. The ABG style is about visuals now and not culture. My observation is that while the standard ABG…
