Asian Outlook Spring 2016 Issue #1 by Asian Outlook

ASIAN OUTLOOK Vol. XXX, Issue 1

Volume XXX, Issue 1

contents ASIAN OUTLOOK 2

ASIAN OUTLOOK

conscience 30 | Angeles Yeung 32 | Jason Cruz 36 | Emily Lai 38 | Airi Kojima

letter from the editor...

ASIAN OUTLOOK EXECUTIVE BOARD SPRING 2016 editors-in-chief

i everybody! Spring is finally upon us and hopefully this bipolar weather of freezing colds and erratic warmth will be behind us. What better way to spend a nice spring afternoon than to curl up with your favorite magazine on a nice park bench? Spring break is coming up soon and I hope everyone has a wonderful, relaxing break, free from exams and homework. I for one have plans to go to California, which is something I’ve been looking forward to the entire year. There have been a lot of things going on in the Asian American community lately, most notably the conviction of Peter Liang. I have never seen our community so united and divided. Few issues in the past have resonated with Asian Americans as much as the death of Akai Gurley. It seemed to be the only topic of conversation among my family and my friends. Even my parents, who are normally reluctant to hold discussions on issues concerning politics and social justice, seemed to pay attention and asked me how I felt about the case. Incredibly, people in China also got involved, with links and posts concerning the high profile case all over WeChat, a popular Chinese messaging app. Over 10,000 people showed up at Cadman Plaza Park in Brooklyn in support of Peter Liang. In my neighborhood, many Chinese stores were closed down for the day so that its employees could attend the protest. Although thousands gathered in Brooklyn in solidarity for Peter Liang, there are just as many in the community who believe that Liang deserves to go to prison. We may not all agree on the issue, but it is very refreshing to see an open dialogue being encouraged in our community after years of political silence. There are many other fascinating articles and submissions in this issue and I hope you get a chance to read all of them. If you came to Asian Night, you don’t want to miss out on our exclusive interview with Clara C. Additionally, I want to thank everyone on my E-board for their hard work in making this issue. I hope you enjoy this issue, and be sure to look out for more from Asian Outlook in the future!

conscience editor copy editors

layout editors

secretary business manager publicity manager

Transitionals

Calvin Chan Alex Ching Airi Kojima Angela Wu Angeles Yeung Brian Kang Anita Wong Alicia Kam Fia Le Tram Duong Cat Cortes Leslie Park Carney Zeng Gladys Xiang Kelly Zheng Nina Ocampo

EDITORIAL POLICY Asian Outlook is the art, literary and news magazine of the Asian Student Union of SUNY’s Binghamton University. Originally conceived and created to challenge, redefine, re-imagine and revolutionize images and perceptions associated with Asians and Asian Americans, Asian Outlook also serves to protect the voice of those in the minority, whether by ethnicity, gender, and/or political orientation. All matter contained within these beautiful pages do not necessarily reflect the views of the editorial board. Asian Outlook reserves the right to edit submissions and publish work as deemed appropriate. Prospective contributors are encouraged to discuss their work with the editors prior to submissions. Articles may be submitted as an e-mail attachment to ao.editor@gmail.com. All artistic and literary pieces may be submitted to aoconscience@gmail.com.

CONTACT POLICY

Calvin Chan Editor-in-Chief, Fall 2015

Uninvited contact with writers and contributors is forbidden under punishment of pain. Please direct all questions, comments and complaints to ao.editor@gmail.com. interested in contributing?

E-mail us at:

ao.editor@gmail.com

Or come to our weekly meetings held in the Asian Student Union office (UUW-329) every Thursday at 8:00 p.m.

Vol. XXX, Issue 1 3

Peter Liang: Scapegoat or

Precedent

eter

Liang,

New York City

police officer, was

convicted of second-degree manslaughter for the

Akai Gurley by a Kings County jury on February 11. Liang, a rookie cop who had only been on the force for 18 months, faces up to 15 years in prison for the manslaughter charge. The presiding judge, Danny K. Chun, will pronounce his sentence on April 14. Officer Liang and his partner, Shaun Landau, were conducting a vertical patrol of the stairwell at the Louis H. Pink Houses when the incident occurred. To conduct a vertical patrol, police officers stop at every floor of the stairwell to watch out for any criminal activity. The Louis H. Pink Houses is considered one of the most dangerous housing developments in the city, with 2 murders and 4 shootings occurring there the previous year. In the middle of their patrol, Liang opened the door into an unlit stairwell and fired his gun. The bullet ricocheted off a wall and hit 28-year-old Akai Gurley, who was walking down the stairs with his girlfriend. In addition to the charge of manslaughter, Mr. Liang was also found guilty of two counts of official misconduct for failing to help Akai Gurley after he was shot. Melissa Butler, Gurley’s girlfriend, testified that while she was trying to resuscitate the victim, the officer stopped by Gurley’s side briefly but did not help him. Instead of performing CPR on Gurley, as officers are trained to do, Liang and his partner argued over who would call their supervisor to report the incident. In court, Liang claimed that he did not want to perform CPR on Gurley because he was not properly trained. With this conviction, Peter Liang became the first NYPD officer in ten years to be convicted for shooting someone killing of

ASIAN OUTLOOK

for Change By Calvin Chan in the line-of-duty. Many Asian Americans are outraged at this ruling and feel that there were racial motivations behind the decision. There is a history of killings of unarmed black men by police officers in New York City. They claim that many other police officers committed similar crimes and were not convicted. They argue that Peter Liang was unjustly convicted, while many white cops who have killed innocent black men walk away scot-free. Thirteen-year-old Nicholas Heyward was carrying a toy rifle and playing Cops and Robbers with his friends at Gowanus Houses in Brooklyn when Officer Brian George shot him dead. Officer George was also doing a vertical patrol of the building when he was startled by the boy and his toy gun. The case was not presented to a grand jury for the reason that the gun looked too authentic and could easily be confused for a real rifle, despite the fact that the toy gun was bright orange. Patrick Dorismond was a 26-year-old black security guard who was fatally shot down by undercover narcotics detective, Anthony Vasquez. The two men had gotten into a scuffle after Detective Vasquez asked Dorismond where he could find some marijuana. Eyewitness accounts state that the gun went off as Vasquez was beating the victim with his gun. The grand jury decided not to press charges against Officer Vasquez because the shooting was not intentional. The most recent case that captured the country’s attention was the death of Eric Garner, who died in police custody as a result of the chokehold that Officer Daniel Pantaleo had used on him. The chokehold had been banned by the NYPD for over 20 years. Garner’s death occurred

just four months before Gurley’s shooting, and the officer was not indicted. More than 10,000 people, most of them Chinese American, gathered in Brooklyn, and more than 100,000 people protested across the country in support of Peter Liang. They see Peter Liang as a victim of the increasing pressure from the Black Lives Matter movement in this country. He has been called a “scapegoat” for police brutality across the nation and a victim of selective prosecution. Many protestors ask, how is it fair that Pantaelo choked someone to death and walks away, while Peter Liang, who did not even see Akai Gurley, faces 15 years in prison for accidently firing his gun? Protesters carried signs with messages such as “Justice Not Politics,” “One Tragedy, Two Victims,” and “Equal Justice, No Scapegoating.” However, there are many Asian Americans on the other end of the spectrum who argue that Peter Liang was justly convicted. They think that protestors are losing sight of the bigger picture of police accountability. Peter Liang committed a crime and for that he should go to jail. All cops should be held accountable for their actions. When viewing this case, protesters compare Peter Liang to Vincent Chin, a victim of racial discrimination. Vincent Chin was a Chinese American man who lived in Detroit during the automotive industry crisis of the 70s and 80s. A group of white laid-off autoworkers mistook him for a Japanese man and, thinking that he cost them their jobs, beat him to death with a baseball bat. The two men responsible never served time for murder. However, it’s more appropriate to compare Akai Gurley to Vincent Chin. Like Vincent Chin, Akai Gurley was killed because

he was a person of color. Although Peter Liang might not have intentionally killed Gurley with a bullet, by not providing medical assistance or calling an ambulance, his negligence certainly did. Rather than thinking of Peter Liang’s conviction as scapegoating or sacrificing one minority to appease another, it should be seen as a potential for change in police-community relations. Peter Liang’s conviction should be a first step towards increased accountability and transparency within the police force. It will be a precedent for convicting all police officers who brutalize those they swear to serve and protect. All officers who kill anyone under these circumstances should be held responsible for their actions, just as Peter Liang will be held accountable, regardless of the race of the cop or the victim. One small silver lining in the midst of this tragedy is that it has opened up a dialogue between Asian Americans across the country. The last time Asian Americans mobilized together on a national scale was the death of Vincent Chin, nearly 35 years ago. This shows that Asian Americans are capable of organizing effective change when coming together as a single voice. Generally Asian Americans have always been apolitical, and they are especially apathetic towards social problems. Older Asian Americans, who are usually very reluctant to participate in politics, were at the forefront of this protest, spreading the message through word-of-mouth and social media. Asian Americans have been politically silent for too long. Hopefully this momentum will persist after this trial and help Asian Americans to become more actively involved with issues of race and justice.

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/23/magazine/how-should-asian-americans-feel-about-the-peter-liang-protests.html?_r=0 https://medium.com/listen-to-my-story/peter-liang-was-justly-convicted-he-s-not-a-victim-says-this-niece-of-vincent-chin739168c9c944#.7o26ic8yg http://www.huffingtonpost.com/steph-yin/peter-liang-protests_b_9289990.html http://talkingpointsmemo.com/cafe/why-the-chinese-community-shouldnt-rally-around-peter-liang

Vol. XXX, Issue 1 5

Microbeads

From Face to Fish

By Fia Le

March 4, 2015, a new bill was created called the Microbead-Free Waters Act. It was officially signed by President Obama on December 28, 2015. The bill amends the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Acts to ban the manufacturing, selling and distributing of the interstate commercial cosmetics that contain added plastic microbeads. The bill will not only impact the manufacturing of these cosmetics starting on July 1, 2017, but also bans any microbead-added cosmetics starting on January 1, 2018. So why did the government decide on the ban? When I first started reading articles about the ban, I wondered what was so bad about the microbeads, since they were advertised as a gentle cleansing agent, and existed in many daily cleansing products. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Microbeadâ&#x20AC;? is a general term to describe tiny plastic spheres with dimensions ranging from 10 micrometers to one millimeter. These beads are made of polyethylene (PE), polypropene (PP), nylon and other substances which are common in plastic material. Since the introduction of these beads into the market as gentle exfoliating agents, more and more natural ingredients are replaced by them due to the lower cost of production and longer shelf life. Also, since the shapes and surface of these beads are smoother than natural exfoliated ingredients, there are fewer use restrictions. n

ASIAN OUTLOOK

This creates an incentive for consumers to buy more of the microbead products. Many daily products contain these beads such as face soaps, body washes, toothpastes, and even makeup products and nail polishes. Even though microbead products are not toxic when directly exposed to humans, they have a great effect on the environment and other living species. One study shows that every time one washes his or her face with this product, there are hundreds of these beads infiltrating the drainage system. There are on average eight trillion microbeads going down the drain in New York City per year. The beads continue through the water treatment plants without getting caught, due to its small size. Eventually, they end up in the ocean without being treated. Since plastics are non-biodegradable, they are accumulated on the surface of the water and get shrunk due to the sun and temperature, all while absorbing the pollutants. In other words, they get very toxic as time goes by. One might argue that there will be existing technology to remove these plastic beads out of the ocean eventually, and there are no direct health effects. However, there are high chances of human consumption of these beads. Microbeads usually end up in fish, shrimp, and other living organisms due to its small size, and they stay within the organismâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s body. Logically, we will consume such seafood,

and the beads will then accumulate in our bodies. Another study from East China Normal University also found a large amount of these microbeads (three to 165 particles/ lb) in both sea salt and commercial salt table that is sold in Chinese markets. The experiment suggests a huge amount of these plastic particles are floating out there leading to a higher chance of consuming them. As many issues face both the environment and human health, there are some positive takes on the problem. In 2009, the Dutch Minister

different kinds of plastic products for distribution. It is best for each consumer to be aware of what they are buying and consuming. Instead of buying commercial products, one can easily substitute those with natural homemade products such as sugar, salt, and baking soda, which can be added to products while still producing similar results. Also, there are ways to know if the products you are looking at contains microbeads or not. Simply check out the ingredient list to be free of PE, PET and PP. There is

Environmental Science & Technology reported that more than eight trillion microbeads are entering the country’s aquatic habitats everyday.

of Environment was one of the first people to address the problem. Presently, many countries have agreed on the ban including Netherlands, Belgium, Sweden, Luxembourg, Australia and Canada. Within the United States, there are seven states that introduced the 16 bills, including California, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. However, the bills only passed in Illinois and Minnesota. Hopefully, with the new signed bill there will be hope for a cleaner environment. However, many of these bills are not immediately effective in the industry. This means that microbead products are still being manufactured and distributed. Also, the personal care and makeup industry will still be taking advantage of the bill’s loopholes and creating

also a phone application called “Beat the Microbead” that anyone can download to scan the products’ bar code; after searching through its database, the app can determine if the product is free of these plastic particles. As more and more NGOs and countries join the ban, awareness will be spread. However, it is most important for each individual to be aware of all the damages to the environment these microbead products produce.

Sourcces: http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/plastic-contaminates-table-salt-in-china/ https://www.billtrack50.com/blog/uncategorized/2015-year-of-the-microbead/ http://storyofstuff.org/plastic-microbeads-ban-the-bead/

Vol. XXX, Issue 1 7

Uncertainty of the Bench’s Future By Amy Zhang

The presidents’ and their Supreme Court Justice nomination

Antonin Scalia, February 13, leaving many shocked and apprehensive about the future of the Supreme Court. President Reagan nominated Justice Scalia to the Supreme Court in 1986, and he was confirmed by the Senate with a 98-0 vote. That made Justice Scalia the longest serving member on the bench out of all the current justices. He was one of the most conservative justices on the bench, known for his caustic dissents and his commitment to the doctrine of originalism, which interpreted the Constitution in the way it was meant to be understood at the time of its implementation. The majority of his opinions and dissents have influenced many cases in the Supreme Court. The death of Justice Scalia leads many to wonder who will fill the vacancy and how it will alter the way the Court makes its decisions. His death means the Court will often be split 4-4 in decisions and the Court will uphold the lower court’s decision. President Obama will have upreme

Court

Justice,

unexpectedly passed away on

ASIAN OUTLOOK

to make a list of potential nominees who will undergo the Senate Judiciary confirmation hearings to become Justice Scalia’s successor. However, at a time when the Republicans control both the House and the Senate, that decision will be difficult task. Shortly after Justice Scalia’s death, U.S. Senate Majority Leader, Mitch McConnell said on the Senate floor: “Presidents have a right to nominate just as the Senate has its constitutional right to provide or withhold consent”. In this case, the Senate will withhold it.” The Senate Judiciary Committee also sent a letter to Senator McConnell citing Article II, Section 2 of the Constitution stating its “intention to exercise our constitutional authority to withhold consent on any nominee to the Supreme Court by this President to fill Justice Scalia’s vacancy.” Following the letter from the Judiciary Committee, Senator McConnell publicly stated that he agreed with the Judiciary Committee and that the nomination will be determined by the president who wins this year’s election.

This is not the first time the Senate Judiciary Committee has tried to block a judicial appointment. In 1992, Vice President, Joe Biden, then- the Senate Judiciary Committee chairman refused to hear numerous hearings to the federal court. As chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Biden killed over 32 of President George H.W. Bush’s nominations without even a hearing. Among one of the nominations that Biden killed is the nomination of the current Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, John Roberts. President Bush nominated Roberts to serve on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. When his record for killing judicial nominations was challenged, Biden claimed that they were left out because it was during an election year. Biden stated on the Senate floor in 1992 that, “It is my view that if the president goes the way of Presidents Fillmore and Johnson and presses an election year nomination, the Senate Judiciary Committee should seriously consider not scheduling confirmation hearings on the nomination until ever — until after the political campaign season is over.” Twenty-four years later, Biden’s words are used by the Senate Republicans for the

same purpose. The Republicans are able to use Biden’s words to protect themselves from critics and give them the argument that Democrats are hypocrites if they attack them for preventing the judicial hearings. The Senate’s acts of blocking judicial nominations are showing the partisan gridlock that characterizes modern- day politics. Instead of doing what is necessary, Congress is acting along party alliances and shirking off its responsibilities. Despite the Senate debacle, President Obama posted on SCOTUSblog that he will fulfill his duty as the president to appoint a justice to the Supreme Court. He gave some insight as to what qualities the next justice should have— that is someone who is eminently qualified, has a deep respect for the judiciary’s role, and an understanding of the way the world really works. Even though the White House has not released the list of potential nominees, many are turning to Sri Srinivasan as one of the top picks to fill the vacancy. Srinivasan was born in India and migrated to the United States in the late 1960s. He graduated from Stanford University in 1989, and Stanford Law School and Stanford Graduate School of Business in 1995. In May 2013, Srinivasan was confirmed as a judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit by a 97-0 vote. He is a favorite for the position and if he is confirmed as the next Supreme Court Justice, he will be the first Asian to fill one of the most important judicial positions in the country. The Supreme Court is one of the most important institutions in the country and there should be a new justice to replace Justice Scalia. If the Senate waits until the election is over, by the time the Senate conducts all the hearings and confirms a new justice, the Court will likely be vacant for over a year. That would hinder the Court’s ability to make decisions if the decisions are likely to be tied. There will be few precedents for future cases and important issues will not be decisively addressed. The potential nominee, Sri Srinivasan, could also be a step towards greater diversity in the Court. The Senate should act in the best interest of the nation. The nomination should not be delayed and should be immediately fulfilled.

By Jen Sorensen http://www.cnn.com/2016/02/26/politics/al-franken-mitch-mcconnell-supreme-court http://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/14/us/antonin-scalia-death.html?_r=0 http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/02/23/us/politics/document-Senate-SCOTUS-Letter.html https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/how-biden-killed-john-robertss-nomination-in-92/2016/02/25/c17841be-dbdf-11e5-81ae7491b9b9e7df_story.html http://www.inquisitr.com/2834515/joe-biden-opposes-supreme-court-nomination-in-an-election-year-video/ http://www.scotusblog.com/2016/02/a-responsibility-i-take-seriously/ http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/02/14/us/politics/potential-supreme-court-nominees.html?_r=0

Vol. XXX, Issue 1 9

Labor Trafficking in Queens By Angela Wu

Sook Yeong Park arrested and charged with labor trafficking and assault for holding two children captive inside her home

10 ASIAN OUTLOOK

N JANUARY 9, SOOK YEONG PARK, 42, WAS prosecuted on charges including labor trafficking and endangering the well-being of children. The two victims, aged 16 and 14, were taken from South Korea by Park’s relative and held as child slaves in a Queens, New York home. They were forced to abide by her rules for six years. During their captivity that began in January 2010, the children had no contact with their parents, and their passports were taken from them. They performed tedious and laborious chores, such as giving Park manicures, pedicures and back massages that would last for five hours. The 16-yearold female victim was forced to work at local grocery stores for nine-hour shifts, handing over all her wages to Park, and clean the house until early hours of the night, all while attending school at Francis Lewis High School. At night she would sleep on the floor without a mattress. Her 14-year-old brother did not fare any better; he was reportedly assaulted by Park when she broke a glass dish over his leg in May 2015. These events only show a portion of the immense suffering the children faced. Imagine the full scope of what happened for six years behind closed doors. One would expect to hear cases like this from horror movies or from more rural areas of the United States

“It is important to be aware that human trafficking happens even in areas you think are generally safe.” but not from the populated New York City borough of Queens, where many Binghamton University students are from. This incident was so disturbing to read about because my childhood home is a seven-minute drive from Park’s house. My brother had previously attended the same high school as the female victim, although well before the two children were in the United States. My parents drove past that neighborhood several times, with me in the car, and we had no clue what was going on. However, even neighbors who lived next door to Park were oblivious to the children’s depraved environment. One neighbor stated that she was unaware of any abuse happening behind closed doors,

and she thought the kids were “nice kids” who helped shovel her driveway after a snowstorm. I used to have such an ideal view of my childhood neighborhood and of the general area, but this news really opened my eyes to my own ignorance. No place is 100 percent safe. The main reason Sook Yeong Park was discovered for labor trafficking and third-degree assault was due to the vigilance of the assistant principal at Francis Lewis High School, who observed bruising on the female victim’s leg on January 6, which was caused by excessive kicking from Park. Before the school official discovered the bruises, the school had already noticed the female student’s poor attendance record and her inability to stay awake in class. After the 16-year-old confessed the assaults against her, the assistant principal took action and confronted Park at her house, retrieving the children’s passports and talking to the police. According to a recent article, “Park faces up to seven years in prison and was held on $10,000 bond.” More importantly, after years of being oppressed, the two victims were finally able to speak to their parents in Korea. It will not be an easy process for the children, but hopefully they can readjust to society whether they stay in the United States or return to Korea. This incident is not only disturbing but also exposes the public to child trafficking in the United States. Usually, trafficking crimes are associated with foreign or developing countries, but this incident occurred at home in the United States. Around 15,000 people are trafficked each year in the United States for purposes of labor exploitation or sexual exploitation. It is important to be aware that human trafficking happens even in areas you think are generally safe. Important signs to spot human trafficking include physical signs like the ones seen by the assistant principal of the victim’s high school, situations where a worker lives with an employer, or when someone is too afraid to speak unless in the presence of his or her employer and, even then, giving only scripted stories. Organizations like the National Human Trafficking Resource Center and Polaris Project encourage the public to be more aware of this issue, to take action to stop human trafficking in order to save lives, and to prevent childhood from being stolen from victims like the Queens children.

Sources: http://pix11.com/2016/01/12/queens-woman-accused-of-holding-children-as-slaves-for-6-years/ http://qns.com/story/2016/01/12/flushing-woman-busted-with-child-slaves-from-korea/ http://www.newsday.com/news/new-york/sook-yeong-park-held-teens-captive-as-slaves-queens-da-says-1.11317452 http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/nyc-crime/qns-woman-allegedly-teen-slaves-earlier-arrest-article-1.2496065 http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/15/human-trafficking-month_n_4590587.html

Vol. XXX, Issue 1 11

Embracing Abortion

young,

By Brian Kang

21-year

old student hesitates as

she stands in front of a door, unsure

not she should enter. She takes a seat, waiting in the drab receptionist area. Another woman gives her a reassuring smile as her name is called and is led to the operating table. For both these women, this is an operation that they must keep hidden for fear of being ostracized from society. Asian women have maintained their silence in the turbulent discourse that surrounds abortion for decades. Though there is evidence of growing support for the procedure, an open conversation is not encouraged; because for the Asian community, abortion is a word that elicits both fear and disgust. There is a certain stigma surrounding abortion. It is extensively performed on Asians, yet remains highly taboo. Equally as forbidden is the concept of sex. Asian culture is extremely conservative and thus has a tendency to shy away from such sensitive issues. Amongst the numerous ethnic groups, Asians are the least likely to be educated about sexual health. There are very few organized efforts to actively expose and teach the younger generation about secure sexual practices. The model minority myth also contributes to the lack of education regarding safe sex. For most Asian parents, it is unthinkable that their child, who follows their strict rules, should be having sex. However, it is this reluctance to accept an eventuality that breeds ignorance. So why is the rate of abortion so high? The lack of knowledge about safe sex, combined with more sexual freedom particularly for those born in the United States â&#x20AC;&#x201C; has led to early age pregnancies. Young women who do not take precautions during sex lead to a greater rate of teen pregnancy, which is a contributing factor to abortion. Additionally, the second generation children of Asian immigrants in the United States have more exposure to sex than those in Asian countries, and are motivated to engage in sex. The refusal of their parents to educate them about sex, however, often results in increased rates of pregnancies and teens who seek abortions. The physical effects of abortion can be painful, but of whether or

the psychological aspects of it can be devastating. Due to the unwillingness of Asian individuals to promote a discussion about the procedure, many women are left to cope with the mental anguish themselves. There are no open channels in which these women can communicate their sorrow, grief and pain, or find someone to relate to. Some are forced to hide it from their own families and assume a faĂ§ade of normality. Alarmingly, there has been a great push to pass sex-selective abortion bans in 2013 and 2014. At first glance, it appears to be fair in that it equally values both male and female lives. The reality of the situation is that these bans work to criminalize abortions sought after by Asian and Asian-American women. A lack of understanding about the changing cultural dynamics has instigated this movement. Oftentimes, the Asian culture is misrepresented as one that favors males and encourages infanticide and gender-based abortions. These laws that call for criminal liability for an abortion undermines the increasing awareness for abortion amongst Asian women, and instead rekindles the fear that has been culturally instilled within them. Abortion has always been and still is a highly difficult topic to discuss in many cultures. For Asians and Asian Americans, the struggle is even greater. The reluctance to discuss and acknowledge this topic must be destroyed in order to decrease the rate of abortions amongst these women. There must be a greater inclination to discuss safe sexual practices, to accept that oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s children are engaging in sex, to realize that having an abortion is acceptable, and to actively arrange support groups to aid women who have undergone the procedure. Additionally, the cultural misunderstanding must be corrected to prevent the bans on abortion that target the Asian community. Only then will abortion become socially acceptable.

Doonesbury https://www.washingtonpost.com/posteverything/wp/2015/11/04/ how-asian-american-women-became-the-target-of-anti-abortion-activism/http://nytlive.nytimes.com/womenintheworld/2015/11/05/asian-american-womens-reproductive-rights-are-being-targeted-says-advocate/ http://newamericamedia.org/2010/09/asian-american-womenwho-accept-abortion-as-a-way-out.php

12 ASIAN OUTLOOK

Vol. XXX, Issue 1 13

The Hard Life Athlete in T

his summer the Olympics are coming to a place not so near you! The Summer 2016 Olympics will be hosted in Rio de Janeiro, a seaside city in Brazil, from August 5 to August 21. Rio de Janeiro won the bid against Madrid, Tokyo, and our very own Chicago to host the Olympics. Hosting the Olympics is a huge deal; it brings millions of tourists to the country and brings about enormous changes to the host cities’ infrastructure. However, the main goal of the Olympics is to bring different countries together to participate in a friendly competition and to bring the spotlight to the thousands of athletes from around the world. Without the athletes’ hard work and dedication there would be no Olympics. Although most athletes compete out of love for their sport, some athletes are handpicked by governments, like China’s, and raised to be Olympians in the name of national pride. China is infamous for selecting Olympians from an early age, much like the Soviet-style sport system. If a child has the face of a winner, odds are China has already recruited them. Starting from as early as the age of four, athletes are isolated from their parents in intensive training camps where they hone their skills to become superb athletes, capable of winning gold medals. Gold medals are reflections of national success in the eyes of Chinese officials. This obsession with gold medals dates back to the Los Angeles Olympic games of 1984 when Zhu Juanhua did not meet the country’s high expectations of winning the gold medal. He won the bronze, and as a result, his home was destroyed by an angry mob. This mentality is still prevalent in Chinese society, not so much among the citizens, but the athletes themselves. For them, gold is everything, and it makes the grueling training and lost childhood worth it. A prime example of this is weightlifting competitor, Wu Jingbiao, who broke down

14 ASIAN OUTLOOK

crying while apologizing for his performance even though he won the silver. Winning is all these athletes know because if they lose, they are easily replaced. Once they fail to secure the gold medal, new athletes take their place, leaving them with no future prospects. Many of them lack a proper education because they were expected to train year-round at a young age. The few who do love their sport cannot even publically say they do. This happened with tennis player Li Na, who was ranked second in the world according to the Tennis Association in 2014. In an interview, Li Na stated that she played for herself and not for her country. Given the time and money spent on Li Na, roughly $1.5 million USD, the Chinese government saw it as capricious behavior. However, she had already cut ties with the tennis training program. This allowed Li Na to make such comments without repercussions, at most only receiving media backlash. For many athletes, this is not the case because they stay with their respective training programs. Their hands are tied due to hope of providing for their families, who live in poverty stricken neighborhoods. This ultimately leads to injuries that they are forced to push through. If they can’t push through them, they will be eliminated, and the remaining athletes are the ones we see at the Olympics. Even if we see these athletes at the Olympics, many do not receive any form of compensation because of the way profits are divided by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). Up until the 1990s there was a ban, which prohibited athletes from making any money, even through sponsorships, unless they were amateurs. Instead of going to the Olympians, most of the money that comes from taxpayers goes to politicians, committee members, and contractors. The economics of the Olympics is quite fascinating. Corruption is common for these mega

of an Olympic China By Cathrine Cortes

projects because the budgets of these wide-scale events vary, allowing corrupt politicians to pocket money that is supposed to go towards the Olympics. Zhang Shangwu, a former gymnast champion, felt the hardship of insufficient earnings when he injured his Achilles tendon and was not able to recover. He was given a low pension, barely enough to eat and put clothes on his back. He even sold his two gold medals and was desperate enough to steal. Despite being a two-time gold winner, it was not enough to keep his career afloat. Luckily, a Chinese billionaire offered Zhang a job as a personal trainer. Not many are as fortunate as Zhang. Others live in poverty or die at an early age after they do not meet the standards they were meant to achieve. This situation is not exclusive to China; this happens with athletes from all over the world, including the US. Even now, top athletes in track and field in America make less than $15,000 a year, some of which comes from corporate sponsorship. The American Olympic Committee, as well as the IOC, pay Olympians $25,000 for Gold, $15,000 for Silver and $10,000 for Bronze, and nothing at all if they do not place in the top three. The Olympics promotes corruption and, in my opinion, does more harm than good. The vast majority of citizens only cheer for their countries’ colors, often forgetting about the athletes. Even if they are able to receive sponsorship and become iconic, you don’t hear about the athletes that live in poverty or the ones that struggle to make ends meet. If the Olympics were not corrupt, and the money actually went back to the athletes who train day in and day out, then it would be worth it. Their stories are important; they are still the world’s top athletes and shouldn’t waste away. If you are going to watch the Olympics, do not forget what goes on behind the scenes.

https://books.google.com/books?id=t2YOzxOBo5sC&lpg=PA270&ots=3d2hN3MBwZ&dq=who profits from the olympics http://www.marketplace.org/2012/08/02/world/london-2012/chinaolympics-are-more-game https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-OGKGmxSbw http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/russia/10469999/ The-film-Russia-tried-to-block-The-threats-and-corruption-behindSochi-Olympics.html http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/25/magazine/li-na-chinas-tennisrebel.html?pagewanted=all http://www.sheknows.com/health-and-wellness/articles/804894/ how-athletes-fund-their-olympic-experience http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/19/sports/chinese-athletes-begin-tochallenge-governments-tight-grip.htmzl

Vol. XXX, Issue 1 15

The Effect of Trump’s Campaign

ast summer, in a letter to a friend, I dismissed the impact of Donald Trump in the race for the Republican nomination. I thought he would be a sideshow, a fixture of the Republican circus, but not a serious contender. At first, media from both political spectrums ignored his significance as well. Given his political history, which included his friendship with the Clintons in the early 90’s, everyone believed that Trump would struggle to find support among conservatives. It was like Trump was only here to put on a show, to develop his “brand.” Everything about his demeanor, from his casual dismissal of Megyn Kelly’s questions, to his social media rants, made his initial bid for president a performance art at its finest. It was the ultimate satire, Trump masquerading as a politician. Perhaps that is why, nine months since Trump first announced his campaign, he remains the candidate most likely to win the Republican nomination. He wins by appearing to be the most vulnerable. He has outlasted four governors, two senators, a physician, and a CEO. Despite victory after victory, it seems that people, Democrats especially, continue to deny or downplay his existence. “Surely he can’t win,” is the common expression. Although the Democrats seem to disregard Trump entirely, believing that even if he wins the Republican nomination, he will still ultimately lose in November, Republicans have taken a different stance. Many Republicans fear Trump, which has led to the party frantically looking for a candidate to rally behind. Its support has gone from Jeb Bush, to Marco Rubio, and it may end with the establishment backing Ted Cruz, which would be the ultimate irony.

16 ASIAN OUTLOOK

/by Alexander Ching

All of this, from the Republicans desperately looking for an electable candidate for November, to Trump’s outsized personality, to the Democrat’s nonchalant indifference towards Trump’s campaign, creates a sense of confusion. How can we properly evaluate Trump, when we either dismiss the people who support him, or laugh at his “outlandish” behavior? I raise these points only because I made the same mistakes nine months ago, and since then, have realized Trump’s importance in the race. The first step to understanding why Trump is so popular is to remove all of our preexisting notions that depict Trump as a fool. While he may say some inane things, he has successfully groomed his political image to reflect his status as an elite businessman. While the media has constantly written that what Trump claims as successful business ventures lack a certain degree of authenticity, what matters is the “Trump” brand name that still holds a certain prestige to it. Yes, some people may think of his media presence in “The Apprentice,” but others, especially those who vote for him, will see him as the real-estate mogul. Consequently, when reporters interview Trump supporters, they typically say that they support Trump because he is a successful businessman. Of course, the Trump real-estate brand has had its setbacks, all of which are mentioned consistently by the media, but people are not keen on remembering the details. Trump’s successes, legitimate or not, works in this political environment, especially considering the rates of unemployment. To his supporters, his message is clear: he’s going to fix America, and make it successful again. The second step to understanding

Trump is to realize that he is a product of a weak and fractured Republican Party. Since 2010, the Republican Party has been split into different coalitions; the Tea Party, the evangelical conservatives, and the more traditional Republicans: those calling for less taxes and less government intrusion. While most of the Republican leadership falls under this last category, there is a constant movement that has destabilized the Republican establishment. For example, the rise of the Tea Party, for which Ted Cruz is associated with, has attacked the traditional Republicans for not being true conservatives. The acronym RINO, or Republicans In Name Only, was one of the most used catchphrases slung at leaders of the party. These grassroots movements have affected even the highestranking Republican officials. The former Republican Whip, Eric Cantor, lost his seat in the 2014 primaries, a seat which many pundits believed to be absolutely secure. Meanwhile John Boehner, the former Speaker of the House, announced his resignation last October, amidst a fight over the new budget between Tea Party Republicans and the conservative establishment. The hostile relationship between the Tea Party and the traditional Republicans, was never mended. To this day, there is still a huge discrepancy between the ideology of the Republican leadership and the Tea Party. As the Tea Party movement has grown increasingly popular, the traditional Republicans have demonstrated little willingness to listen to their demands. For example, Tea Party members want to fight the government over the budget, threatening to shut down the government if laws are not passed to repeal Obamacare. However, the Republican leadership has steadfastly

refused to take such dangerous measures, which the Tea Party then uses to rile up their voter base, claiming that Republican leaders are not working for the people. Trump has capitalized on this wave of anti-establishment right wing politics, because he serves as a litmus test for the Republican party. The Republican leadership has, thus far, refused to consider Trump as a potential presidential candidate. Trump has taken advantage of this by igniting the anger many voters have towards the party establishment, which has become more out of touch with the voting base. Furthermore, the establishment has continued to prevent Trump from winning, so much so that it seems less like a campaign to select an electable candidate for November, but more like a desperate attempt to prevent Trump from winning. Mitt Romney has come back under the spotlight to launch attacks at Donald Trump; Jeb Bush, despite dropping out, has continuously attacked the real estate mogul as well. Yet their attempts have done little, and considering that both Romney and Bush fit the image of the deeply troubled Republican establishment, their words may cause more harm than good. Going forward, I think Donald Trump represents a real weakness in American politics, and is a deep cause for concern for the Republicans. While I do not agree with his politics, I think that he is much smarter than most pundits give him credit for. By representing himself as a corporate leader and by capitalizing on the anger of many conservatives, he has built himself a voting base that will be influential in the coming months. If there is anything to take away from his campaign, it is that if you want to stop him, vote against him.

Vol. XXX, Issue 1 17

The Blunt Truth in Master of None By Carney Zeng

ziz

Ansari’s

new

Netflix

series,

Master

None,

has been a critical hit

with its audience since its debut in 2015. The show follows Aziz Ansari as

18 ASIAN OUTLOOK

he plays Dev, a 30-year-old Indian-American, who attempts to make it on his own as an actor in New York City. On Rotten Tomatoes, the show boasts an impressive score of 100% out of 53 reviews and on IMDb, the show received a high 8.4 out of 10. The show has also been nominated for multiple awards and even won the Critic’s Choice Television Award for Best Comedy Series in 2015. Master of None is an unconventional show with a diverse cast; the cast consists of a token white friend, an Asian and a black lesbian. Written by both Aziz Ansari and Alan Yang, Master of None is the only show that features a minority as the lead. The show, with its diverse cast, offers a unique and funny perspective on several aspects of life. As a result, we’re faced with a refreshing truth about millennial life today. As Master of None is geared towards the millennial demographic, it proves to be a commentary on aspects in modern urban life. The show, embodied with its title, explores many issues such as romance in the 21st century, legacy of immigrants and the everyday struggles of a millennial. Master of None actually opens up with a sex scene; Dev is having sex with Rachel, a girl he met at the bar that very night. Unfortunately, the couple has to stop when Dev’s condom breaks and they have to figure out if Rachel can get pregnant from pre-cum. With much debate and consulting from Google, they decide to go to the pharmacy in the middle of the night to get Plan B. The situation Dev goes through exemplifies hookup culture and relationships today. Many young adults don’t want commitment and seek intimacy through one-night stands; the very aspect of becoming parents freaks out both Dev and Rachel because a baby is something they have to commit to –which is the very thing Dev and Rachel were avoiding. In surprising twists and turns, Dev and Rachel actually enter into a relationship that lasts for a year. Their relationship ends when they both can’t commit to each other because they’re not 100% sure they’ll be happy forever. As a result, Rachel chases her own dreams of moving to Tokyo, leaving Dev back in New York to figure out his own aspirations. Ansari and Yang also highlight the distance between immigrant parents and their first-generation American-born children through humor in order to gain insight on the special relationship. The episode starts off with Dev and his friend, Brian (played by Kelvin Yu) ignoring their fathers’ simple requests so they can watch the trailer before a movie. Their fathers don’t tell their sons how disappointed they are and instead, the show expresses their disappointment literally through the fathers’ eyes as they flashback to their past. The flashbacks allow the audience to experience the fathers’ upbringing in India and Taiwan which reveal to us their decision to move to America—to provide their children

Dev attempting to find New York City’s number one taco

“The title and show is representative of the countless amounts of possibilities young adults have and can choose from, and how one can’t be content with the option eventually chosen due to “what ifs” in the world.” with a better life. Both Dev and Brian eventually do realize the distance between their parents and their cultures and they attempt to learn more about their parents through dinners and gifts. This episode shows us the selfishness of the younger generation. These dinners and gifts are not only for their parents, but also for Dev and Brian’s selfish motive to feel less guilty about the disconnect. Both Dev and Brian are somewhat genuine in their attempt to connect with their parents more, but they refuse to take that extra step to actually understand them. The show still sends a sweet message through with a parent’s unconditional love as the episode ends with Dev’s father stating he’ll love and support Dev even if he fails or succeeds. As we can see, Master of None is a show about millennials and their troubles. The most important message of the show would be its title – Master of None. The title and show is representative of the countless amounts of possibilities young adults have and can choose from, and how one can’t be content with the option eventually chosen due to “what ifs” in the world. The tyranny of choice can be perfectly exemplified in an episode where Dev wants tacos yet he doesn’t know where to go. He enlists the help of everyday technology such as Google, Eater, and Yelp to find New York’s number one taco. After a tiring search, Dev settles on a food truck that claims to have the most delicious tacos in the city only to find them sold out. Instead of looking for an alternative, the aspiring actor ends the search instead, claiming that he can no longer eat tacos knowing he would be eating the second-best taco in the city. Dev can’t be happy eating a good taco when he knows there’s an even better taco out there. The what-ifs of the world haunts Dev continuously throughout this show from big decisions such as relationships and career to even small things like tacos. Master of None is a brilliantly written show that many young adults should watch; it is the blunt truth of many lives today – lack of commitment, selfishness and fear of missing out. The show opens the audience’s eyes through its portrayal of the modern world today making us reevaluate our own lives and what we truly want. In the end, we’re left with a refreshing outlook on life as we try to answer the existential questions Master of None presents in its show. The show not only explores Dev’s fears in life, but also invites us to explore our own fears and the decisions we make knowing that there is no 100% guarantee in life.

Vol. XXX, Issue 1 19

Yellow

think it’s a pretty common occurrence for

Asian

women

to feel like they are being fetishized for their race.

YouTubers have addressed these issues in their videos either by directly calling it out in examples like Anna Akana’s “Why Guys Like Asian Girls” or by a role reversal as in Joy Regullano’s video “White Fetish.” Both of these videos have over one million views, demonstrating how recognizable this is. The first time I had to deal with blatant demonstration of yellow fever was when I had a few of my club members over for dinner after a show. Everything was pretty normal and good until one guy in particular noticed the Asian snacks on my dining room table and said “Man, I love Korean food.” I laughed it off, fearing to venture further, and just say “Oh, yeah, those belong to my roommate.” “Roommates?” he says, with his eyebrows perking up, “Where are they?” “I think they’re at a Japanese event right now.” “Japanese? Do you know when they’ll come back? Because I have yellow fever.” I’m still getting over the fact that he actually said that to me, of his own volition, without any probing, and thought that it was okay. When I asked him about what he meant, he just continued to specify with his “favorites.” I asked him to leave early, and told my roommates what happened. We decided that it would be better for him never to come over again. To save you the trouble of dealing with my discomfort, I’ve compiled a list of telltale signs for this scourge on humanity so you can keep yourself at a safe distance from these people.

20 ASIAN OUTLOOK

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

He tells you he has yellow fever He refers to you as his “Asian girlfriend”

His go-to compliment is “You look just like Mikasa from Attack on Titan! You are familiar with being ~~~*****~**~**~ exotic~~~****~*~*~ He claims to love spicy food, but pussies out with kimchi He’ll play the “where are you from game” for hours because “I can totally tell you apart” He says things like “I know you’re Filipino, but can you say it in Japanese? It’s so much cuter.” His idea of foreplay is watching anime and asking you to dress up in a schoolgirl outfit and when you say “no,” he says “this is super not daijobu”

Fever 9

His mouse pad has 3 dimensional boobs on it His salad dressing is soy sauce

10 He thinks he can make Pad Thai better 11than actual Thais He loves to eat rice but refuses to 12learn how to make it He wants to have “authentic cuisine” 13but won’t even eat you out Whenever you have dinner together, 14he jokingly asks “is this dog?” It’s fucking Dominos. thinks he’s so good with 15HeChopsticks that he can use them to finger you He looks at your rice cooker like he 16wants to put his dick in it

By Lyla Cerulli

As you’ve probably noticed, most of these signs will not manifest in the first five minutes you meet a person. It took one of my ex-boyfriends months for his symptoms to show, when he didn’t think it was a problem when his family compared me to spicy tuna. I complied this list as a joke about my own experiences, but every good joke has a piece of harrowing truth in it. If you fit this profile, or even if you just quietly identify yourself as “someone who likes Asians,” I’m begging you to reassess your so-called “preferences.” Look at yourself critically, and ask yourself why you are actively profiling a group of people into your sexual fantasy. And if you know someone who is like this, you should call them out on it. Make them think about what they are saying, and how it’s harmful. However insignificant you may think these “preferences” are, yellow fever is a form of racism, and it’s dehumanizing. I’m tired of having to justify my identity if it does not fit into someone’s fanatical view of what Asian culture is. I’m not anyone’s fetish, nor are the inhabitants of the 48 Asian countries that so many people call home. Get off PornHub and educate yourself.

Vol. XXX, Issue 1 21

n Sunday, February 28, Chris Rock hosted the 88th annual Academy Awards show, a two-hour broadcast that should not have been missed. From the Oscar-nominated performance and the LGBT shout out given by Sam Smith to Leonardo DiCaprio’s acceptance speech about climate change as he won the best leading actor award for The Revenant, there were many noteworthy moments in the Oscars. The most prevalent topic throughout the Academy Awards show was Chris Rock’s constant comedic poke at the misrepresentation of all people from different racial backgrounds in the film industry emphasized with his hashtag, #OscarSoWhite. In Rock’s opening monologue, it was not surprising that he continuously poked fun at the predominantly white nominees in the Oscars that represent what we claim to be one of the most diverse countries in the world. He started the show noting that he was at the “Academy Awards, otherwise known as the “White People’s Choice Awards.” Throughout his monologue, he explains that African Americans were continuously misrepresented; however, no one protested against that then because there were more pressing issues to worry about such as equal rights. He also playfully offered a solution to this problem, which was creating a category for Black actors only. Rock concluded his monologue by asking for equal opportunity as white actors, and that “everything’s not about race.” His stance on equal representation of African Americans on entertainment was clear; however his fight for racial equality was shaken when he welcomed on stage accountants from PricewaterhouseCoopers, an accounting firm that tallies up the Oscar votes. Rock brought on stage three young kids who were of Asian heritage. Rock named them Ming Zu, Bao Ling, and David Moskowitz. The kids stood on stage, without any lines, at the center of a classic Asian/Jewish stereotype about being good at math. “As an accounting major, I reinforce this stereotype: an Asian female who is good at math and plans on working at a Big 4 firm. However, this hard work stereotype is flawed because what Chris Rock fails to mention is that most top executives and partners at accounting firms are not Asian,” explains Jeany Zhao, junior in SOM. Chris Rock added “If anybody’s upset about that joke, just tweet about it on your phone that was also made by these kids.” And, tweets people did. “Fresh off the Boat” actress, Constance Wu, tweeted, “To parade little kids on stage w/no speaking lines merely to be the butt of a racist joke is reductive & gross.” Charlotte Hornets basketball player, Jeremy Lin, tweeted: “Seriously though, when is this going to change?!? Tired of it being ‘cool’ and ‘ok’ to bash Asians smh #Oscars.” Many Asian Americans on Twitter were also attacking Chris Rock because of his joke. Grace Hwang Lynch (@ HapaMamaGrace) tweeted: “Umm, no @chrisrock. Using little Asian kids to joke about math stereotypes and child labor isn’t funny.”

22 ASIAN OUTLOOK

#OscarSoWhite is not a Black

Illustration by Michelle Xia http://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/01/movies/chris-rocks-asian-joke-atoscars-provokes-backlash.html?_r=0 https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2016/03/16/ academy-sorry-for-offensive-chris-rock-asian-joke-no-word-fromchris-rock/

and White Solution By Michelle Xia

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/asian-america/child-labor-isn-t-funnytwitter-reacts-oscars-asian-joke-n527731

Chris Rock is not against Asian Americans or any other race. Rock’s comedic style consists of popular culture and race, especially African American culture. His intentions were never to insult any Asian Americans, as many American comedians have poked fun at the different cultural races and stereotypes in the past. However, because he has been addressing the lack of cultural diversity in Hollywood and the Oscars, the Asian joke contradicted his argument and left behind many races out of consideration for his movement #OscarSoWhite. Many Asians, Latinos, and Native Americans felt left out of the conversation as Chris Rock urged for equal representation in the film industry. Chairman and co-founder of the National Hispanic Foundation for the Arts, Felix Sanchez, told the Associated Press, “They have this idea that the paradigm is still blackwhite and they need to expand the conversation. That it is so narrow is indefensible.” According to the US Census in 2015, only 62 percent of the population is White. The other 38 percent are a made up of all the other races (5 percent is Asian and 13 percent African American). According to Gracenote, in Hollywood, 80 percent of the people involved in the film industry are White, only 7 percent Asian, and 9 percent African American. For the 2016 Oscar Nominees, there were 95 percent White, 2 percent Asian, and 0 percent African American. Victoria Tam, senior at Harpur, said, “I would like to imagine that seeing the use of these young kids as the butt of a joke will help unite the Asian American community into understanding how important representation is in the entertainment industry and being more vocal about it.” In America, equal racial inclusion has been and still is an ongoing issue. Minorities and African Americans are misrepresented in the entertainment industry and offensive stereotypical slurs are still used. With social network outlets, such as Twitter and Facebook, people are able to voice and share their concerns publicly. Many changes to programs such as the Oscar are due to complaints via social networks. On March 16, the Academy apologized for all the Asian related jokes during the Oscars and ensured to be more culturally sensitive in future award shows. Chris Rock has yet to comment. By 2020, Oscars would like to double their representation of non-White Americans. As it is apparent that progress is being made slowly, one of the reasons for the lag in equal racial acceptance could be because everyone only fights for their own acceptance. Chris Rock advocated for the lack of African American presence in film industry. Asians Americans expressed their offense through their tweets due to feelings of ridicule. There was recent news relating to racial discrimination in the states. Moving forward, if races can support each other instead of demanding rights for select groups, perhaps racial inequality will die like all the Leonardo DiCaprio memes.

Vol. XXX, Issue 1 23

C Chit-Chat with Clara C Interviewed and Transcribed By Carney Zeng

24 ASIAN OUTLOOK

Chung, known by her Clara C, is an Asian American singer and songwriter. Although she has had a lifelong passion for music, she first rose to prominence by winning a series of singing competitions, such as KAC Media Creative Juice Night, ISA 09: Los Angeles, and finally Kollaboration 10. She won by performing the song “Offbeat”, which she wrote herself. Winning Kollaboration 10 at the University of Southern California gave her the confidence to start a career in music. Chung was born in October 31, 1987 to South Korean parents who immigrated to America. Her parents settled down in Northridge, California where she was raised. Chung graduated from the University of California, Irvine with a degree in psychology and a minor in education. Although she is pursuing music as a fulltime career, she has a huge passion for education and promoting education in others. She spends her free time teaching autistic children and has even participated in a Department of Education panel. Her music style is a combination of pop, rock, and folk all fused together seamlessly. Shortly after winning Kollaboration 10, she released her debut album “Art in My Heart,” which featured “Offbeat”, as the lead single. The music video for the single was a huge hit on Youtube, skyrocketing her to stardom. Since then she has performed at many large venues around the country, including the Hollywood Bowl and Shrine Auditorium. She has also released two other albums “Esc” and “Organika,” with plans for a new album to come out sometime this year. Carney: Hi. We’re AO, the literary magazine of ASU. You actually had an interview with us two years ago. Clara: So I’ve heard. I thought it’d be funny to like compare answers. (laughs) Carney: The first question is how have your last two years been? Clara: The past 2 years has been a lot of life – living. A lot of identity searching and I’m close; I’m really lara

stage name

close. It’s also been a lot of writing new songs and a new direction is probably going to emerge soon. Yeah, but it feels like the real me. It feels right. Carney: That’s really exciting. It’s like you found out who you really are. Clara: I mean it’s not to discredit what I was before, because it was definitely where I was, but now I realize, okay, this is where I wanted to be this whole time. So the music is a little more mature and has some gravitas. Sometimes it’s just really party jam-y and loose. Other times, it’s about real stuff – not just bubbly, happy, uplifting – which I think is what most of my music was. Carney: How did you first get started with music? Clara: I didn’t actually believe in myself much when I started. I never thought music was possible, but I had some friends who encouraged me and put me in competitions and surprisingly, I would win. I won about three competitions in front of varied groups of people – 500 people up to the biggest one which was like 5,000 or 6,000 people. Carney: Wow! Clara: Yeah, I won and it drove some traffic to this one video I had on Youtube. The next thing I knew, I was in the Youtube biz. (laughs) Carney: Yeah, it’s like you end up in places you don’t expect and sometimes it’s really rewarding. Another question I have is, how did you first get started with other content creators, such as David So and Joseph Vincent? Were you friends before or did you meet them through Youtube? Clara: I just played a show with Joseph two days ago in Chicago. (laughs) Carney: How was that? Clara: It was so fun. So fun! I mean I think we all recognize that we’re in this new frontier together. So all we have, naturally, is each other. We just sort of gravitated to each other and we’d get booked for the same shows, meet backstage, and hit it off, so slowly, everyone became a family. Pretty much every Youtuber knows

every Youtuber. I don’t know about this day and age because there are so many people, but back then at least a couple years ago, everyone knew everyone. And David – at one point, we were all living under a roof. Carney: You two were roommates? Clara: Yeah, because my now husband was his roommate, so I would always be there too. Carney: Oh, that’s so cool! (laughs) Clara: It’s so much fun! We had so much fun together. We still do. Carney: David So was here last semester for Korean Night and Joseph Vincent was here for Asian Night. Clara: Oh, were they? Yeah see, we’re all one big family. Carney: Seems like you guys also reach out to the same audience and communities. Clara: I feel like we do. There’s definitely some overlap. Carney: What are some of your other hobbies besides singing and music? Clara: Oh I have so many hobbies; it’s like to a fault. I can pretty much enjoy most things because if someone else is enjoying it, there’s something to enjoy in that hobby. Currently, I’m still in love with scuba diving, motorcycling, and cooking. I really like cooking and going to shows. I used to like hiking, but now I’m kind of over it. (laughs) Like “Ahhhh trees. I’m tired; let’s go home.” But pretty much most things. Carney: So where are some of the most amazing places you’ve dived in? Clara: So for wildlife – the Maldives – and I suggest people go there faster than later because it’s going be underwater soon. (laughs) Carney: It looks so pretty from the pictures. So, what does your current playlist consist of? Clara: Ah, good question. Let me pull it up. I listen to a lot of stuff that people don’t listen to, like hidden gems – I pride myself on finding those. But I definitely obviously know what’s in the mainstream. You know, I know all of Drake’s songs and more and I enjoy them. Let’s see a hidden gem is. . . there’s this Snakehips song, “Days with You.” I really like that one. Then there’s Tiffany Gouche and a

song called “My Level,” and that song is dope. There are some oldies on here like N.O.R.E’s “Nothin.” You know “Homeboy, I Came to Party.” People think I listen to like bubblegum-y stuff all the time and I’m like “nah.” I got some really hood songs in my playlist. (laughs) I grew up with a lot of “gangster” friends and stuff so I have a lot of that music like “Naughty by Nature” by Jamboree. Carney: Do you have any current or upcoming projects that we should look forward to seeing to? Clara: Yeah, a new album. It’s taking a while. It was announced to be at the end of this year, but it’s the end of this year and it’s nowhere near done. But, it’s because I want it to be perfect. It’s going be more crafted and artful than ever before, because before, we just ran with it, but this time it’s very thought out. I’m working with people and I’m really excited to showcase what they can do. So for the new album, I’m projecting it to come out next March. It’s one of those things – you truly can’t rush art. I could poop out a song for you right now, but I want it to be authentic and I want it to have a real message, have some depth. That takes living life. That takes time. Carney: What have been some of the difficulties of your success and how have you managed to stay grounded. Clara: That’s a good one. Luckily I have people who keep me in check if I start floating away. I have a pretty rock solid support system. I have a husband, who’s perfect in every way. I tell him this all the time, “I don’t know what I did right to get you.” All my girlfriends and my sisters are like, “You did good.” My sister has a lot of the new art direction for this new album. Good people will keep you in a good life. Carney: Thank you for taking the time to have this interview with us!

Vol. XXX, Issue 1 25

Korean Drama Review/

REPLY 1988 By Leslie Park

“R

EPLY 1988” is a 20-episode South Korean drama that is the third installment of the Reply series. This drama was a great success, receiving both critical and audience acclaim. The show is now recognized as the highest rated drama in Korean cable television history. This is no surprise due to its refreshing storyline and strong character developments, making it almost impossible for one not to enjoy. As can be guessed from the title, most of the series takes place in the late 1980s. The plot is centered on a group of five teenagers and their families who all live in the same neighborhood. They easily visit one another because they are all within walking distance. The friends have known one another ever since they were young children and continue to maintain the strong bond in

26 ASIAN OUTLOOK

adulthood. The drama portrays the various difficulties people experience, such as the struggles of young love, college entrance, and family disputes. One aspect of this drama that sets it apart from most Korean dramas is its focus on nonromantic themes. The majority of Korean drama plots nowadays concentrate on the love connection between main characters, leaving almost no room for secondary character developments. However, “Reply 1988” does an excellent job of giving the audience a look into all the characters. As the episodes progress, more of each character is revealed, allowing viewers to grow an attachment to them. The drama does so much more than tell a story about a romance; it also brings attention to family bonds. It illustrates the connections between siblings, between husbands and wives, and between parents and children.

In addition, the other feature that makes “Reply 1988” so unique is its portrayal of reality. The writer is not afraid to illustrate parents as flawed human beings. The parents in this show struggle with many issues that people today experience, from showing affection to their children to bringing a new member into the family. This realistic representation is one of the reasons that the drama was able to attract not only a young teenage crowd but also an older audience. It’s also a bonus that the show revolves around the late ‘80s, allowing parents to relate to many of the aspects of the drama. “Reply 1988’s” storyline and writing definitely had me head over heels, but a good plot does not always equate to a drama’s success. The cast’s skills, of course, play a great factor in the success. Again, my expectations were exceeded. Even in previous dramas I’ve watched, I had

never before encountered the actors and actresses in “Reply 1988.” At first, I did not know what to expect of their acting. The biggest concern of mine was the main lead, Hyeri, who is not a full-time actress. However, all my concerns were obliterated, and my expectations were much exceeded once I started the drama. The cast did an outstanding job of bringing their characters to life. I cannot pinpoint any members of the cast who demonstrated mediocre acting. With its distinctive storyline and superb acting, I can’t say why I wouldn’t recommend this drama. I was most definitely satisfied, and I would add this to my list of must-watch Korean dramas.

Vol. XXX, Issue 1 27

The Legend of Zhen Huan By Anita Wong

Shanghai this past summer, I wanted to continue improving my Chinese outside of taking classes at Binghamton. I’ve tried everything from language partners to listening to Chinese music; but when my friend suggested that I watch a Chinese drama with him, I soon became hooked. The series is called “The Legend of Zhen Huan” or, “Empresses in the Palace” in English. It stars Chinese actress Betty Sun and Hong Kong actress Ada Choi in an epic story about a young concubine’s rise to power in the Qing Dynasty palace. The drama focuses on the action, mischief and romance in the imperial harem of Emperor Yongzheng. The Forbidden City offers a life of luxury and honor that is vied for by eligible young woman across the country. Oblivious to the cruel environment in the palace, the new concubines must adapt, scheme to protect themselves, and win the Emperor’s love. Ancient Chinese history dramas don’t usually cater to younger viewers. I personally thought that I wouldn’t enjoy it, but I found the plot, filled with murderous scandals and betrayals, to be addicting. At times I found myself infuriated with the antagonists, but at the very end I could see why they did it from their perspective, and how tragic everything really was. The show also goes into great detail in developing the points of views of the characters, as well as the characters themselves, which made the show interesting to watch. Additionally, the intricately ornate costumes, head dresses and accessories and beautiful makeup were all magnificent. The series has been very successful in mainland China, having been praised as one of the best historical dramas broadcasted in recent years and has won several awards. fter studying abroad in

28 ASIAN OUTLOOK

Its popularity has also spread to other countries such as Taiwan and Japan. Taka Tsukazaki, the CEO of Asia Republic Entertainment, called the show “an immortal masterpiece that will still give rise to discussion even after five or ten years.” Considering that it consists of 76-episodes, devoting 57 hours to this series can seem a little daunting, but I assure you it’s worth it. Some episodes might seem dragged on, but you get really get pulled into the suspense and intricacies of the plot. If you’re interested in watching the series but don’t want to commit to the full 76-episodes, there is an abridged six episode version available on Netflix. You will get the gist of the story, but there is an obvious lack of plot and character development. However, I am glad that the abridged version is available to a wider audience and can potentially capture the attention of viewers who might not have been interested. Although Chinese dramas are not as popular as Korean dramas nowadays, I enjoy them because I fondly remember my parents watching them on TV while growing up (I never understood them though). My Chinese is not good enough to watch the episodes without English subtitles, which is unfortunate because the meanings behind certain characters and phrases are lost in translation. However, I still enjoy learning about ancient Chinese customs, traditions, and sayings that are showcased in this series. Overall, I highly recommend this show if you want try out an ancient Chinese history drama, or are interested in the life in the Imperial Palace through a feminine perspective.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empresses_in_the_Palace http://www.jaynestars.com/tv-dramas/legend-of-zhen-huan-becomes-smash-hit-in-japan/

Vol. XXX, Issue 1 29

Don’t Forget to Love

By Angeles Yeung

Miller had curly blond tendrils for hair and bright green eyes. He was the poster child for Got Milk? ads on television, wholesome and sturdy. Sylvia Ryan was slender and tall, with bright red hair. She had a long face and eyes as wide as an owl’s. They lived on the same block in a middle-class suburban neighborhood, and were best friends that knew each other since they were in diapers. Every morning, George waited in front of Sylvia’s house at the end of the street so that they could make the long trek to James Madison High School together. Sylvia’s house was much larger than George’s. He didn’t normally notice these things, but when she told him that her family slept in a fancy hotel for a few nights while their whole house was repainted, he couldn’t help but think about the peeling paint on his much smaller house. On crisp autumn days like this , all of that didn’t matter. George was excited and talkative. “Do you think the leaves feel pain when they hit the ground? Or when we step on them like this?” He proceeded to stomp on them with glee, howling with laughter like a hyena. Kids at school made fun of George for his inability to stay still or quiet, but it didn’t bother Sylvia, who was used to it by now. “Don’t be silly! Of course they can’t feel anything, but just in case they do, we shouldn’t stomp on them,” she said. George halted his stomping and squatted down to gather piles of leaves in his arms. He flung them up into the blue sky and Sylvia laughed gleefully as they fell around her. She scooped them up in her arms and threw them up in the air. Soon, it was raining leaves. After their bouts of giggles died down, they remembered that they were on their way to school. They ran the rest of the way there and made it just before the bell. They didn’t know then how much friendship would save them. That afternoon, George and Sylvia were sitting on the stools in Sylvia’s kitchen. Milk dribbled down their chins as they hungrily gobbled down their cereal. Sylvia’s mother, Mrs. Ryan, spoke excitedly into the phone to her sister, recounting the family’s recent trip to the Caribbean. “Oh, it was just lovely, Sarah! The weather was just gorgeous, all sun and no clouds. I think I might have turned at least 3 shades darker. I’m telling you, you have to come with us the next time we go down…” Her voice trailed off as she wandered into the den. Reluctantly, Sylvia and George got out their homework. Sylvia sat shaking her head side to side in confusion. “If I had x amount of oranges…” she repeated over and over again. George was no longer interested in homework after a few minutes and had begun doodling and singing to himself. It was getting dark outside, and soon it was time for dinner. George’s mother had agreed to pick him up to go grocery shopping, but she eorge the

30 ASIAN OUTLOOK

still hadn’t shown up. Concerned, George called the house several times, but every time he called, it went to voicemail. This had happened a few times before when she was caught up at work. Sylvia walked George to his house. As they neared, they saw that lights were on. “Did you say your father is working late?” she asked. “That’s what he told me and Mom this morning,” George answered. They climbed the stoop and he pulled out his keys. Seeing the door was slightly ajar, they sensed that something was amiss. Telling Sylvia to wait outside, he entered cautiously. In the living room, he found his mother lying on the floor with pill bottles strewn around her. He tried to find a pulse but didn’t feel one. George let out a loud gasp and staggered backwards out of the house. He grabbed Sylvia by the shoulders and in a hoarse whisper, told her that his mother was dead. All George could think about were the delicate leaves he saw that morning, falling to the ground and getting crunched beneath his feet. Life was as fragile as those leaves. Just this morning, he kissed his mother on the cheek as he left the house. Nothing was making sense. Then, he heard sirens getting louder. The blaring red and blue sirens came to take his mother away for the last time. George wasn’t at school the following weeks. When Sylvia finally caught sight of him a month later, he was thinner and his clothes looked unwashed. The exuberance that he exuded before was gone. She couldn’t get him to talk, or even laugh. The guidance counselor at school would whisk George away in the middle of class, and he would come back with tear-stained cheeks. No one made fun of him anymore for being the loud kid who got scolded by the teacher. Now, they whispered loudly about him when they thought he couldn’t hear. “Why do you think his mother committed suicide?” “Do you think she did it because of him?” George never had much, nor did he ask for much; but at that moment, he yearned for someone to reach out to him. He had never felt so alone. Sylvia tried to be compassionate. She wasn’t cruel like the other kids. She was his pillar, the one thing he could count on always being there. When everyone in their small neighborhood gossiped and pitied him, she did her best to shield him from it. Never once did she press him to talk when he was quiet, but when she hadn’t heard him speak in 2 months, she grew worried. Sylvia realized that she needed her friend as much as he needed her. The silence seemed to last forever, but one day many months later, his familiar cackle rebounded across the classroom. It sounded rusty but,bright and full of life. She breathed a long sigh of relief. He was finally, finally back.

Vol. XXX, Issue 1 31

“Be the change you want to see in the world.” Jason Cruz, a senior majoring in Biological Sciences, is a firm believer in inspiring others by being proactive and taking initiative. The aspiring Physician’s Assistant is a young FilipinoAmerican who serves as the National Director of FIND (THE Filipino Intercollegiate Networking Dialogue) of Upstate New York and is an active member and participant in PAL (the Philippine-American League) on campus. Leaving the Homeland is a project which utilizes both Cruz’s passion for photography and love for his culture as it explores the untold stories of first generation American’s parents and the motivations behind their immigrations. The photographer hopes to capture the unique relationship between firstgeneration Americans and their parents in order to evoke communication between the two. His own personal story about his parent’s immigration includes the political revolution and corruption of the Philippines in the 1980s and their choice to leave their home in order to provide a better future for their children. Besides Leaving the Homeland, Cruz pursues other passions and interests on campus such as volunteering, cooking and singing. As a volunteer EMT for the VVES (Vestal Volunteer Emergency Squad), Cruz provides the local Binghamton community with first-response aid and assistance in times of need. He is also the Social Media Manager for Spoon University on Binghamton and he showcases his singing by performing and uploading videos to his YouTube channel, jasoncruzmusic. If you wish to participate in his project and share your story, please contact Jason Cruz at jcruz13@gmail.com

32 ASIAN OUTLOOK

My mother was fortunate to originally come to America from South Korea with the intention of studying abroad. After her studies at the University of Minnesota and the University of Michigan had concluded, she found herself attracted to the idea of staying. Even though she grew up in Korea, she had few things to complain about. My mother realized the flexibility in the education system in America would benefit her more in the long run – rather than staying in Korea where she was not fully qualified to continue an anticipated educational path. There was mild pressure to return for the American Dream because it seemed as if it were a tradition passed down from uncles and cousins, but she was driven by a sense of adventure and risk. After applying to numerous internships, my mother took the opportunity to return to the States. But unexpectedly, my mother began to encounter more obstacles such as marriage, taking care of children while having multiple jobs, and attending school at NYU for her Master’s in Business. It was close to fifteen years in a new country and she had already been married, divorced, and a new business owner of a translating company. Not to mention, she was also a single mother with two children living on Long Island after living in Queens, New York -- a location more concentrated with Asian culture. My mother left comfort, abundance, and leisure for racism and struggle, but never allowed all of the problems in her life to be apparent to my sister and me. To this day, she still works about 15 + hour days and sometimes regrets leaving her family in Korea, but I know that she is grateful for the opportunities here. The struggle isn’t always in leaving your homeland – it’s about surviving in a land that’s not your home. (South Korea) Maddy Stoopack

Vol. XXX, Issue 1 33

My parents came to the U.S. for jobs and money. In China, if there were a cent to be earned, they’d work to death to earn it. My mom used to get up at 7 a.m. , walk a half hour to the factory where she seamed clothes, buttons on fabric, thread after thread. She’d work long hours until 10 p.m. normally. Her back would ache uncontrollably from the long hours of sitting. Sometimes during holiday times, she didn’t finish until 2-3 a.m. My mom tells me that my brother and I don’t know the hardships, how fortunate we are to have a roof over our head and food on the table. My mom used to be so poor, she could hardly spare to eat her potatoes, they were for good days. That’s why she says it’s important to eat well and sleep early--health is of high importance. (China) Christina Huang

34 ASIAN OUTLOOK

My mom grew up during the Chinese Cultural Revolution. Schools were forced to shut down and intellectuals (teachers, doctors, lawyers) were attacked because their educational background threatened Chairman Mao Zedongâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s politics. My mom needed to escape to a place where education was a priority and it just so happened that the United States was the land where she could make a month's worth of salary in China in one day. (China) Karen Lin

Vol. XXX, Issue 1 35

not sure if dead or alive By Emily Lai

It’s still hard to think of you so I might abandon writing this halfway like the way you abandoned the rest of us but I think you’re still there, a two-hour drive away from Brooklyn in Little Neck, Queens, bickering with Grandma, but still there. Although realistically speaking, your skin must have rotted away in your underground prison, Must look nothing like it did last year on May 13th, or was it the 15th? stretched, taut, unnatural Realistically speaking, you must have dirt and nasty things eating away at your flesh, ruining the nice suit you were wearing when they closed the lid and laid bunches and bunches of flowers over the glossy top. You probably can’t breathe under there. Then again, you died because you couldn’t breathe when you were alive. I haven’t seen your grave in four years. I’m further away from the pretty green hills in New Jersey we buried you, even further from two days after you died when the rain fell so hard and fast that we

36 ASIAN OUTLOOK

couldn’t light the incense sticks and we had to hold a giant black umbrella over it, even though the wind was harsh and took away every weak fiery breath, blew it out like how you tried to breathe when your face wasn’t strapped to an oxygen tank. I don’t know if I’ve said it before but it still feels like you’re here, alive, maybe not well, but alive and on the worn out yellow couch the color of expired mustard probably dead asleep and snoring with the Chinese drama still on, but Grandma watches TV alone now. The last time I saw you was about a week or two before you were sent to the hospital again and I was afraid but I should have been even more afraid because I didn’t think you would actually die this time. A phone call came Wednesday afternoon around 2:45 and I ignored it. I listened to the voice message, daddy’s voice, say you left not sure what else I needed to hear after that, I called back but daddy picked up and said the same thing to which I answered in an unintentional wail, “I know” and my throat must have been as tight and painful then as it is now.

Vol. XXX, Issue 1 37

Free.

Photography by Airi Kojima

38 ASIAN OUTLOOK

Photography by Airi Kojima

Vol. XXX, Issue 1 39

Do you see me?

ASIAN OUTLOOK needs

artists, writers, journalists, photographers,

graphic designers, articles, opinions, interviews, stories, photographs, recipes, poems, drawings, comics,

glow sticks, a projector, bubble tea, mad caffeine, a secret base, Chinese New Year holiday, a time machine, a disco ball, power, respect, etc.

maybe you can help? Thursday, 8:00pm, UUW 329

ao.editor@gmail.com