GENERASIAN
THE REINCARNASIAN NYU’S PREMIER ASIAN AMERICAN PUBLICATION
FEATURED IN THIS ISSUE • FALL 2010 VOL. 9 NO. 1 1
What is “Asian”?
The Hyphenated Koreans: in Perpetual Orbital around North Korea 2
Behind These Eyes: Circle Lenses on the Rise 3 Muted Blight: Attack on Asian Students Ignored 4
Live Free, Be Wired: Far East Movement Finally Takes Asian Mainstream
Meet the Artist: Jennie Liu 5
6
Why We’re Rooting for Jeremy Lin 7
WHAT IS ”ASIAN” ? by Sondra Morishima
P
ossibly the most difficult part about reviving
often asked whether I identify more as Chinese
content and audience. We hope to serve NYU’s Asian
or Japanese. But to me it’s an unfair question. It’s
and Asian American community, but what does
like being asked whether I identify more with
that really mean? What does it mean to be Asian or
being female or being an only child—it’s impossible
Asian American? One dictionary definition of “Asia”
to isolate the two and preference them.
included a footnote in bold stating, “can be confused: Asia, East Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia.” Clearly, I’m not the only one having difficulty
When asking the question “what is Asian?”, we must reach into our own experiences and pull out what we know about ourselves. For some, it may be
understanding the full breadth of the term as
growing up Muslim or Buddhist; maybe you have six
well as defining its limits. “Asian” becomes an
siblings or speak three languages. The intersection of
increasingly slippery term to define as I try to make
these characteristics defines your own Asian identity,
sense of what separates Asia from the world—is it
and any variation in your life undoubtedly impacts
geography, culture, people’s physical appearances?
that identity. Because of this, we at Generasian seem
Or maybe it isn’t about what separates Asians
to have an endless list of relevant topics to discuss.
from other races, but what brings us together. Both of these directions lead to few answers and
Undoubtedly, each issue will bring something new and unique. We can begin to discuss what it
more questions, as Asians can trace their lineage
means to be Asian, an NYU student, and a part of the
back to places as varied as Japan, the Philippines,
Generasian community. We want your feedback and
Mongolia, Vietnam, Bangladesh, and Samoa. And
your voice, because we all deserve a say in defining
then we are faced with what distinguishes Asians
ourselves. With the revival of Generasian, I hope
from Asian Americans, and what issues and
that the Asian community at NYU will finally have a
histories overlap. The possibilities seem endless.
voice and forum to discuss the questions we face and
With all of these variables and more, how do
Generasian
fourth-generation Chinese-Japanese American, I’m
Generasian is the plethora of questions surrounding
the issues that are important to us. I look forward
we create a publication that represents NYU’s
to a future connecting the diverse individuals in our
community of Asians and Asian Americans? I’ve
community and transforming the role of Asians in
been wrestling with this question myself: As a
NYU, the country, and the world. G
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1
THE HYPHENATED KOREANS in Perpetual Orbit around North Korea by Harry Lee & Chris Shim Illustration by Kristina Lim
M
ore than anything else, our
backgrounds compelled the two of us into joining Freedoms 4 North Korea (F4NK), a student-run humanitarian organization at NYU. We both spent our childhood in South Korea for ten years before migrating west—I left for Oxford, UK, and Chris moved to the suburbs of Vancouver, Canada. There, we learned to speak, think and even feel in the English language. However, despite all the fish and chips and Tim Horton donuts in the boiling cauldron, the essential Korean spices will always be there.
While attempting to adapt to our respective environments, we had turned a blind eye to our origin
Despite living on separate continents,
decade was an identity crisis, that while attempting to adapt to our respective environments, we had turned a blind eye to our origin. We realized that this origin would remain within us to the
we were exposed to current events in
inscriptions on our tombstones, no matter
Korea through the occasional flash
depart from our Eastern acquaintances
how we desired to perceive ourselves.
coverages of the peninsula on CBC
in order to attune ourselves to alien
This sparked our desire to reclaim the
and BBC and through the frequent
surroundings. We were unconsciously
primordial melodies of our race.
parental bickering over the dinner table.
transforming ourselves into what “FOBs”
Although we were intrigued by what
have come to pronounce “bananas.”
of our concern for the humanitarian crisis,
was happening in our homeland, the
Such practice of categorization seems
but because it offered us a channel of
nature of our sources left us only loosely
hardly appropriate in this day and
active participation, a sense of belonging
updated—the historical handshake
coming age of globalization; even so,
to the Korean discourse. Whatever
between the leaders of South and North,
such a problem of identification started
diverse reasons there may have been for
the tear-jerking family reunions, the
to riddle us upon entering college.
joining F4NK, meeting fellow hyphenated
shooting of a South Korean tourist by
The matter at hand eventually
We joined F4NK not primarily because
Koreans led us to the realization that
a North Korean soldier, and the first
revealed itself to our consciousness
there are others for whom Korea is still
nuclear testing by this “axis of evil.”
as we arrived in New York. It only
an immutable element—it is a celestial
occurred to our minds then that what
body around which we revolve, no matter
we had been wrestling with for almost a
how far away we have wandered. G
Regardless of our concern for Korean affairs, we were required to
2
The Hyphenated Koreans: in Perpetual Orbit around North Korea
Behind These Eyes: Circle Lenses on the Rise
BEHIND THESE EYES Circle Lenses on the Rise by Joseph Lin
E
ven before Lady Gaga’s enormous
Tutorials about the use and purchase
his eyes, but rather society’s standards of
electronically-altered eyes in her “Bad
of circle lenses are all over YouTube, such
beauty and the internalization of shame.
Romance” video, celebrities and models
as makeup artist Michelle Phan’s video
in Asia have long been sporting circle
“Lady Gaga Bad Romance Look,” which
eyes are “ugly”? Online buyers have
lenses, colored contacts that cover not
currently has more than 15 million views.
described becoming “addicted” to
only the iris, but also a part of the whites
However, beyond the cute zebra print or
searching for lenses that are green,
of the eye. Though the sale of contact
pink bear contact case that comes with
blue, purple—any color that is different
lenses without a prescription (corrective
the lenses, we should think about this
from their typical Asian brown. They
or cosmetic) is illegal, online distributors
notion of beauty and its implications
suggest how to make the lenses look
from around the world have continued to
for Asian Americans. While searching
more “natural” when taking pictures, yet
circumvent this ban. Optometrists warn
through the circle lenses tutorials, I
why is there no talk about how to bring
that ill-fitting lenses could deprive the eye
found one from “KeiPham,” a teenager
out the natural color of their eyes?
of oxygen and lead to blindness. Moreover,
who says, “I don’t want to look like a
circle lenses reveal a dangerously
squinty eyed freak. Sorry if that offended
Sistah or Broken Ends Broken Promises,”
limited vision of what is beautiful.
anybody, just talking about my eyes.”
Afro-Puerto Rican artist Mariposa
In KeiPham’s example, it pains me to
Which eyes are “beautiful”? Which
In her “Poem for My Grifa-Rican
expresses similar shame she felt as a
think that Asian Americans are buying
child when her mother used to tame
this decorative eyewear as a way to
her hair with burning wax. She saw
mask the hate of their own “freakish”
the ritual of hair-taming as a broken
eyes. Many Asian Americans have been
promise of who she could never make
taunted at least once in their lives by
herself become. Eventually, Mariposa
ignorant people who pull up their eyes
lets her afro run wild and redefines
to create those so-called slanted eyes.
beauty as a means of celebrating organic
It seems to be a universal taunt – even
self-expression, exclaiming, “Black hair
while I was riding my bike while abroad
is beautiful./Let your hair be free!”
Michelle Phan demonstrates how to achieve
in Argentina, many children thought it
If we redefine beauty as embracing
Lady Gaga’s big-eyed look from her “Bad
would be funny to pull that same stunt
one’s roots and individuality, why emulate
Romance” music video using circle lenses.
while screaming “Chino, chino!” For
the look of Gaga? The world only needs
Video viewable at http://youtu.be/bHVOxhEpjp0
KeiPham, the stigma is not merely about
one person in a meat dress anyway. G
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3
L
MUTED BLIGHT Attack on Asian Students Ignored by Vicky Yau Illustration by Kristina Lim
A
no resolution for the victims. Instead, the
Asian students. This year, in addition to a
year for Asian students of South
t the first meeting of the
verdict completely ignores an entire year
new principal, SPHS began the school year
Philadelphia High School (SPHS), Otis
of randomized attacks on Asian students,
fully equipped with extensive security and
Hackney—the school’s fifth principal
some of which resulted in broken limbs
programming in the hopes of preventing
in six years—stared at the crowd of
and concussions. The investigators
further violence in the school. Students
students gazing back at him. “I am your
subsequently neglected to interview the
were also given a pamphlet by community
principal. I’m not asking you to trust
majority of the victims, witnesses, school
leaders where they could find resources
me from day one. But I am asking for
staff and community advocate members
and contacts if they fall victim to violence,
the opportunity to earn your trust.”
present at the scene on December 3. The
even if school staff members are unwilling
issue of a hate crime was essentially
to help. However, Principal Hackney seems
December 3, 2009 is still unclear, but
rendered irrelevant—there was barely any
adamant about keeping all of his students
since that day, news reports confirmed
note on the role of race in the incident.
safe and promises “to make sure nothing
that at least 26 Asians were attacked in
The long-awaited report was filed three
like [December 3] ever, ever happens again.”
and around SPHS campus, with at least
months after the attacks, but they
seven students hospitalized. Both Asian
seemed to provide no peace of mind to
What exactly happened at SPHS on
and non-Asian students have agreed that the spike in violence came after over a year of harassment and assaults of Asian students, in which the school administration had done little to end. While many accounts of the day
The new changes this school year have prompted gradual, but much needed changes. Hackney is not only devoted to
The verdict completely ignores an entire year of randomized attacks on Asian students
describe Asian students as victims
safety, but also to education. His goals for the school year include leading SPHS off the “persistently dangerous” list and being added to the list of schools with Adequate Yearly Progress. Similarly, there are several campaigns initiated by
of a mass hate crime outside of the
the victims or their families. When Judge
SPHS students in the hopes to further
school, one narrative speculates that
Giles was asked why so many areas were
enhance the safety of their school.
a group of Asian students initiated
left void in the report, his reply was less
the violence by attacking a disabled
than compassionate: he did not believe
that there will no longer be violence at
African American student.
in “Monday-morning quarter-backing.”
SPHS, students across the country can hope
But despite the validity of these
Despite the glaring ignorance of some
While it is a little unrealistic to hope
that there will never again be an incident
accounts, the report reviewed by U.S.
officials, there are a select few committed
like the one on December 3, 2009—not only
District Court Judge James Giles provided
to ending this apparent injustice towards
at SPHS, but also everywhere else. G
4
Muted Blight: Attack on Asian Students Ignored
Live Free, Be Wired: Far East Movement Finally Takes Asian Mainstream
LIVE FREE, BE WIRED Far East Movement Finally Takes Asian Mainstream by Tara Sarath
Illustration by Kristina Lim
E
THE BACKDROP by Alice Tsui
xploding out of Los Angeles’
A year ago no one would have imagined that an Asian American hip-hop group would be
underground Koreatown club scene,
topping the charts. Yet, Far East Movement (FM)—composed of Kev Nish, Prohgress,
Far East Movement already had a
J-Splif, and DJ Virman—did just that and became the first Asian American artist to not
number of credits to their name before
only appear on the Hot 100 but claim the #1 spot. Up to now, the most successful Asian
this summer’s explosion of “Like a G6”
Americans in the music industry were either DJs, e.g. Kid Koala and DJ Qbert, or members
—the YouTube video for “Like A G6”
of a multiracial group, e.g. Mike Shinoda (Linkin Park) and apl.de.ap (Black Eyed Peas).
had over a million views before it even
However, FM sought to create their own unique voice by combining underground party
aired once on the radio. Though their
records and mainstream hip-hop and pop while blending in electro and dance. Concerts
songs have played on the soundtracks
and collaborations with Wong Fu Productions and other Asian American artists, like Clara
for mainstream films and television
Chung and Dumbfoundead, helped expand the group’s fan base in both America and
shows—including Get Him to the Greek,
Asia. The group has constantly enjoyed the support of the Asian community, which is
Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift, CSI:
uncommon for contemporary Asian American artists. But for FM, their sound is meant to
Miami and Entourage—YouTube was the
be energetic and engaging with the audience, regardless of ethnic background. According
harbinger of their success. They even
to them, their work is beyond race—it’s all about connecting with the audience.
toured with Lady GaGa on her Japan leg in April 2010. FM cites the energy that the
because that was how they raised their
Secret Agents Concert Series in New York
dynamic diva brings to her back to back
profiles and built their fan bases, like
and LA to give Asian American artists, like
performances as a key part of their creed:
many Asian American artists today.
David Choi, Alyssa Bernal, and Jay Park, a
Free Wired, the title of their latest album.
Entertainment in the twenty-first
According to the band, Free Wired
century has become an oddly egalitarian
promotions and YouTube antics to their
means “constantly staying interactive
and often anonymous place. With the
shot into stardom, Far East Movement
and living the lifestyle it promotes.”
advent of the internet and social media
has proven that Asian Americans have
This means not only being a part of the
platforms, dissemination of new music
the ability to shatter stereotypes and
club scene that raised them as artists
has grown exponentially easier. Ted Fu
break into mainstream culture. Now
but also keeping up with their weekly
of Wong Fu Productions said that the
think about you, sitting at your laptop,
radio music show, their blogging, and
internet had really given their crew a huge
tapping away at your phone, or shooting
their road “webisodes” shot a la spycam.
boost leading to their nation-wide tour.
with your camera, which could catapult
The band “lives free to geek” in part
Wong Fu and FM created the International
you into the limelight. Geek Hard! G
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stage to perform. From their underground
5
MEET THE ARTIST: JENNIE LIU by Rachel Lin It’s two hours before Jennie MaryTai Liu’s interdisciplinary dance theater piece titled “Soul Leaves Her Body” will receive its official opening at the HERE Arts Center, where Liu is currently an artist-in-residence. For someone who is about to premiere at a downtown institution, Liu is extremely relaxed—and with good reason. The Hong Kong transplant has been making and creating generative work since she graduated from NYU Tisch’s Experimental Theater Wing eight years ago, garnering the recognition and admiration of her peers. An artist whose latest work dwells on opposite sides of the world, Liu offers her thoughts on “making it.”
Generasian: Can you tell us where you
can meet on the stage space to explore
exploring whiteness in some way—in some
were emotionally, socially, etc. with
cross cultural encounter and engagement.
way if there’s not a recognition that there’s
your work after graduating from NYU?
It’s not necessarily completely on the
no ethnic diversity on the stage, then I
Liu: I think it’s pretty common for
surface—the representation of different
feel like it’s absolutely not relevant to this
undergraduates in the arts to graduate
cultural identities is not always what the
culture, to this moment that we live in. As
and feel all at once really overwhelmed
piece is about—but I feel that through the
artists that use human bodies, speaking,
by the seeming immensity of the struggle
abstract, through the merging of different
and the human being on stage as opposed
before them and also feel really full of
forms, I’m able to make a conversation
to plastic objects, we have to in some way
themselves, in a good way. I feel like I
about felt cultural experience.
reconcile with our individual cultural,
was sort of in between those two places. I was lucky, in that I had teachers that
ethnic, historical, familial identities.
One thing I’ve figured out over the past eight years since graduating from NYU is how to use my cultural identity as an advantage
really gave me a lot of encouragement about making work, creating original performance. So I kind of believed that I had a process—which was kind of a huge step forward, I think.
G: So what is it that you’ve been doing?
G: Is that label a crucial part of your work or does it just happen to be attached to you?
L: One thing I’ve figured out over the past eight years since graduating from NYU is how to use my cultural identity as an advantage, as a way to set myself
L: What I do is use different forms—I
G: Do you feel like the label “Asian
a part from the many hundreds, if not
use movement, non-representational
American” theater maker applies to you?
thousands, of people my age working
movement, movement that is about
L: I am a half-Chinese artist, and I will
in my field in New York City right now.
movement not about anything else. I also
always be a half-Chinese artist, and when
To figure out what is really individual
use theatrical devices—character, text,
I don’t see an exploration of cultural
to me: who I am and how it relates to
story, and design—to create a conversation
identity on the stage I completely
where I come form—so that I can be
on stage that is about cultural friction.
disengage. When I see a play or a dance
more of an individual, you know? It’s
I’m interested in how very distinct ideas
that is all white people and is not
just about figuring out my personal
6
Meet the Artist: Jennie Liu
Why We’re Rooting for Jeremy Lin
perspective that has to be completely linked to
from acting school. I knew that would be spending
where I come from, what languages were spoken
a lot of time in audition rooms being looked at as
in my household, what languages weren’t, and
an Asian first and foremost. I knew that I would
the whole crazy history of colonialism and…it
be auditioning for limited categories of roles.
has to be related to how I perceive the world.
There’s a lack of visibility in the general culture at large. So I deliberately did not pursue acting in
G: Have you ever felt like your cultural identity
commercial media because of that. And also because
was a disadvantage? Nowadays there seems to
I wanted to dance and experiment with dance, and
be a greater proliferation of Asians on the media
in that field I never felt like I was discriminated
stage. How do you feel about that change?
against in any way because dance is about a live,
L: Like Young Jean Lee? Yeah, there has been a greater
interesting bodily presence—a presence that goes
increase of Asian faces in the media—I guess, the first
beyond a racial/ ethnic frame or a gender frame…
time I thought about it was Sandra Oh. Sideways was
dance is about tapping into something deeper.
the first time I saw an Asian face in a film where that character didn’t have to be Asian you know—she just
G: What do you know now that you
was—because we’re human and people. (Laughs)
wish you knew eight years ago?
I don’t think I ever felt like it was a disadvantage,
L: That’s a good question…I don’t know. It’s about
but then I made an absolutely conscious choice
letting go, I think. Allow there to be mystery in
not to pursue commercial acting when I graduated
what you’re making. Don’t be freaked out by not knowing everything about what your making—
To learn more about Jennie Liu and HERE visit here.org
that is something that I still try to tell myself. G
Photo courtesy of Benjamin Heller (HERE Arts)
WHY WE’RE ROOTING FOR
JEREMY LIN by Kenny Hsu
I
first read about Jeremy Lin, then a little-known basketball star at Harvard,
in an online scouting report that noted his lack of ball control was the most noticeable “chink” in his armor. Although the author has since corrected the language (ball control is now merely “his biggest weakness”) the miscue made it clear that at least some sportswriters were not accustomed to seeing Asian Americans in basketball. No one could blame them—only this did October, Lin became just the first Asian American to wear an NBA uniform since 1947. Of course, the 6’3” Taiwanese American is only one of several contemporary Asian athletes to flourish in professional sports. But while others like Lin have become some of the best within their respective sports, the backup NBA point guard has quickly developed a cultlike following among basketball fans of all racial backgrounds. Lin first made national headlines in December 2009 when he scored 30 points, including two spectacular slam dunks against Connecticut, then
Illustration courtesy of Noah Dempewolf (KoreaAm)
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one of the best teams in the country. Although Harvard lost, highlights
7
of Lin’s performance circulated across
their sport much more so than Lin. The
to study economics at Harvard. His
the internet. As he literally soared
Oakland Athletics’ catcher Kurt Suzuki
father, an immigrant from Taiwan, is
past athletes much larger than him,
is one of the best in baseball, and the
a computer engineer. This is probably
bloggers asked the seemingly inevitable
Korean-American Pittsburgh Steeler Hines
a biography we are all familiar with.
question: “this guy’s Asian?”
Ward has won two Super Bowls. Why
This fascination only grew after Lin,
then has Lin become such an icon for us?
The one deviation from the Asian archetype is his NBA-worthy talent. We
although not selected during the 2010
cannot sympathize with a childhood
NBA Draft, still outperformed John
of intense athletic training, years of
Wall, the Draft’s best player, in an NBA exhibition game. This time, Lin caught national attention: the Golden State Warriors offered him a contract, and even
It’s not difficult to insert ourselves into Lin’s story—apart from his basketball career
Olympic competitions, or the college experience of an athletic scholarship that many athletes have had. But we can identify with Lin, the
ESPN jumped on the Lin bandwagon.
22-year-old Harvard grad who has
Reflecting on the large Asian American
devoted much of his life to academics,
crowd in Madison Square Garden when
The answer does not necessarily lie
almost to the fault of conforming to a
the Warriors visited, writer Matt Wong
in Lin’s athletic ability or his professional
racial stereotype. But unlike ourselves,
remarked, “This isn’t like watching Yao
basketball player status, but more
Lin can soar past seven-foot men and
[Ming]…Asian Americans can more
in our perceptions of ourselves. For
faces the likes of LeBron James and Kobe
easily relate to the path Lin had to take
Asian American students today, it’s not
Bryant everyday. He is almost a comic
to get to the NBA…I couldn’t help but
difficult to insert ourselves into Lin’s
book version of Asian American youth—
get the feeling that I knew him.”
story—apart from his basketball career.
studious and hardworking student by
In many ways but one, he complies with
day, professional athlete by night.
I share these exact sentiments when watching Lin play amongst the best
the Asian stereotype so many of us are
athletes in the world. But in these past
familiar with: he was born and raised as a
feeling that we know Lin when we watch
Like Wong, we cannot help the
years, sports fans have seen several
devout Christian in northern California,
him play. It is an inescapable feeling
other Asian American athletes dominate
where he excelled academically enough
that we ourselves know too well. G
Contribute to our next issue or blog! We want your writing, art, and ideas! Email nyu.generasian@gmail.com
EXECUTIVE STAFF
CONTRIBUTORS
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
OPERATIONS MANAGERS
WRITERS
ARTISTS
Sondra Morishima
Vicky Yau
Kenny Hsu
Kristina Lim
Han Yu
Harry Lee
Patrick Yan
Joseph Lin
ART DIRECTOR Patrick Yan
ONLINE EDITOR
Rachel Lin
All content copyright ©
Patrick Yan
Sondra Morishima
their respective owners.
Tara Sarath
COPY EDITOR Kenny Hsu
STAFF COLLABORATORS
Chris Shim
Sarah Chen
Alice Tsui
ASSOCIATE EDITORS
Rachel Lin
Vicky Yau
Joseph Lin
Soomi Rho
Patrick Yan
8
Why We’re Rooting for Jeremy Lin