The PublicAsian
October 2011 | A Voice
for
Inside
the
Asian Pacific American Community
at
the
University
of
Maryland, College Park | Volume 18, Issue I
Cu
Arts & Entertainment
APA identity on display Exhibit at National Portrait Gallery explores the diversity of APA identity through art | Page 7 Opinions PHOTO BY CHAD SINCLAIR
The Friendship Archway, which signifies the start of Chinatown, sits next to an AT&T store that has been decorated with traditional Chinese architecture.
DC’s Chinatown lacks a cultural identity By Chad Sinclair Staff writer
Within the Great Wall Columnist Hyo Sung shares her experiences of the Mid-Autumn Festival in China | Page 11 Zoomed In
There has to be more than a parade. A once thriving D.C. neighborhood, Chinatown can quite readily be viewed as an unfinished portrait in a gallery desperate for an identity. Tourists have outsourced the Dynasties. Ethnic grocery stores now sell wireless Internet service. Ethnic housing projects are now home to Hooters. The only remaining cultural icon is the annual Chinese New Year’s Day parade held each February, where the fireworks constantly crack and the dragons always dance. More than four decades since the 1968
“
I’m...surprised by how few actual Chinese establishments actually exist. After I leave, it’s almost like, ‘that’s it?’” – Marshall Tan
Junior psychology major
Washington, D.C. riots devastated local neighborhoods, expediting the departure of ethnic
minorities to the surrounding suburbs, Chinatown has recovered as a result of gentrification and numerous tourism initiatives. But as the neighborhood focused its attention on travelers, it simultaneously ignored its own identity. Junior psychology major Marshall Tan has noticed the discrepancy between the name Chinatown and what lies within the neighborhood. “This isn’t a real Chinatown like in San Francisco, New York or Boston,” Tan said. “Yeah, there is a parade each year and there is the [Friendship Archway] that signifies where Chinatown starts, but every time I go there, I
APA models pose as the face of high fashion By Catherine Park Staff writer In the past, Asian Pacific American models in the fashion industry were a rare sight. Yet, in the last few years, they have increasingly appeared in one or more of these forums – fashion magazine editorials, runway shows, and ad campaigns. As more APA models are making their way onto the covers of Elle and Vogue, one can only wonder
about the sudden increase of diversity in the world of fashion. The 22-year-old Chinese model, Sui He, opened the show for Ralph Lauren’s fall 2011 line. Japanesenative Tao Okamoto, popular for her bowl haircut, was featured in The New York Times’ T Magazine blog, showing off this year’s latest maxi trend. South Korea’s So Young Kang debuted at Chanel’s couture show in July 2010 and has since then dominated editorials
and other couture runway shows. Liu Wen, the face for the traditionally American cosmetics line, Estée Lauder, was also the first Asian model to walk for Victoria’s Secret in 2009. Other surprises came from runway castings. In an unprecedented move, Riccardo Tisci for Givenchy used an entirely APA-cast show for the designer’s 2011 spring Haute
Kollaboration of talents Ban puts shark fin soup delicacy in danger Check out photos of performances from one of DC’s biggest APA events of the year | Page 12
Online Exclusive
Go online for an inside look at ABDC’s Poreotics’ visit to Maryland!
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CHINATOWN, Page 2
By Sarah Hogue Staff writer
The importation of shark fins, used to make shark fin soup, a Chinese delicacy, has been banned in a bill passed by the California state legislature. The ban is inciting opposition from those who feel culturally discriminated, but support from environmental activist groups. “Shark finning, the process where a shark is caught, its fins cut off and the carcass dumped back into the water, causes tens of millions of sharks to die each year,” stated the California bill. California will be the fourth state to pass this ban, after Hawaii, Oregon and Washington. According to the Washington Post, scientists estimate that the global shark fin trade kills be-
MODELS, Page 8
tween 26 million and 73 million sharks a year, an impact that if uncontrolled, would be detrimental to the oceans’ ecosystems. Oceana, an international organization that pledges to protect the world’s oceans, applauded the passing of the bill.
FINNING, Page 5
Meet Merz, the new Terp By Mike Gasper Staff writer
The topic simply could not be avoided. Within 10 minutes of talking to Merz Lim, Multicultural Involvement and Community Advocacy’s new Asian Pacific American coordinator, the subject of college basketball entered the conversation. “I’ll miss the fact that UConn wins basketball games,” joked Lim, who is a graduate student at the University of Connecticut. “So I guess I’ll need to find something here that gets me going.” As the new APA coordinator, he will certainly have enough to keep him busy until basketball season. The coordinator plays a large role in
Lim, Page 9
2
newsfeed CHINATOWN
am always surprised by how few actual Chinese establishments exist. After I leave, it’s almost like, ‘that’s it?’” One organization spearheading the attempt to return Chinatown to its ethnic roots is the Chinatown Community Cultural Center (CCCC). Director of Operations Linda Wang said, “CCCC has made banners, maps consisting of only Asian businesses, provided some cultural programming and is always looking for ways to preserve Chinatown. We would like to expand that eventually.” However, Tan, whose parents emigrated from China in the late 1980s, wants to see a more substantial effort. “Make sure the Asian American community knows that the leaders have their interest at heart, not the tourists’,” Tan said. “They need to actually build up the Chinese culture.” In 2008, the D.C. Office of Planning, in conjunction with the mayor’s office, established a 94-page Cultural Development Strategy (CCDS) for Chinatown. According to Office of Asian American Pacific Islander Affairs’ website, the report
PHOTO BY CHAD SINCLAIR
outlines potential areas for growth within the community, both culturally and economically. Recommendations include the utilization of vacant storefronts for art displays, the establishment of a culture-specific retirement care center and the implementation of bilingual pharmacists and doctors. Despite an obvious interest in improvement, current population
The PublicAsian | October 2011
figures provide overwhelming challenges. According to the CCDS, 3,000 residents of Asian descent lived in Chinatown in 1970. Today, fewer than 300 call it home. The CCDS acknowledged Chinatown’s dilapidated condition. “The area currently lacks the services, the concentration and diversity of Asian-themed businesses and cultural offerings necessary to create a growing cultural destination and neighborhood,” the report said. Senior government and politics major Zachary Crowley said cultural improvements would likely draw more people to Chinatown. “If there was a day where tourists could learn about Asian culture, I would be more inclined to visit,” Crowley said. “When I travel places, I want to know where the locals go.” No matter what plans are made to improve cultural diversity in Chinatown, Tan said his vision for the neighborhood must include transparency. “To really bring back the identity means to show that [civic leaders] authentically care about the Chinese culture and that they won’t be slaves to outside businesses or American perceptions.”
1. Developing Chinatown as a cultural destination Promote Chinatown as THE
2. Creating a physical Chinatown experience Develop the buildings
place to experience
and public spaces of
Asian culture in the
Chinatown as the LIVE stage
Washington region
of Asian American culture
4. Living in Chinatown 3. Promoting Chinatown businesses Create a diverse and successful Asian-
Improving service and
quality in Chinatown to create a greater center city neighborhood
themed business district
5. Working together Support leaders, organizations,
SOURCE: CHINATOWN CULTURAL DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY SIDEBAR BY CHAD SINCLAIR DESIGN BY MARIEL BARTOLOME
and partnerships for Chinatown
Muslim ‘paranoia’ post 9/11 By Eric Garland Staff writer
Islamic instructor Yasir Qadhi spoke to students at this university on Sept. 9 about the “paranoia” that still exists 10 years after the Sept. 11 attacks due to misconceptions of the Muslim culture. This age of paranoia follows what the speaker described as “the golden years,” the era before the Islamic militant group, al-Qaeda, created the stereotypes that gave the religion a bad and inaccurate image. During these years, people did not fear that every Muslim was a terrorist planning to attack America, according to Qadhi, who is a Muslim American. Those who continue to misunderstand the religion and make false assumptions perpetuate a fear detrimental both to society and people’s sanity, said Qadhi. Qadhi said one of the biggest misconceptions about the religion is the belief that everyone who practices it believes in violence. However, he said, Muslims, like those from any other culture, treat violence as an evil that needs to be avoided. “We [Muslims] do not allow oppression to exist,” he said. “And we do not allow evil to exist at the
The PublicAsian A Voice for the Asian Pacific American Community at the University of Maryland, College Park Co-Editor-in-Chief ................................................................................ Linda Poon Co-Editor-in-Chief ..............................................................................Nancy Pham News Editor ............................................................................................Kate Yoon Features Editor..................................................................................Mary Tablante Copy Editor .................................................................................. Jonathan Reyes Web Editor .......................................................................................Tintin Nguyen Graphics Editor ...........................................................................Mariel Bartolome Photographer .................................................................................Ryan Alphonso Photographer .....................................................................................James Levin
greatest extent possible.” Words such as “jihad” have also been misunderstood, according to the speaker. Many presume the word means military violence when in reality it has a different connotation. “Jihad simply means a struggle for the better,” Qadhi said. “Jihad is not a bad word for us and we as Muslims need to clarify that.” Many do not realize Islam is not very different from Christianity, according to the speaker. “They share the same God, and yet people see Islam as ‘the other’ religion.” Qadhi said most non-Muslims see those who practice Islam as different and outside of the culture they are used to. “We need to get rid of the concept that we are ‘the other’ religion,” Muslim Student Association treasurer and senior civil engineering major Saad Rehman said. “We are human beings just like everyone else who try to do good things.” The media coverage after the Sept. 11 attacks only magnified the misconceptions about Muslims, but one has to look deeper to find the truth, according to Qadhi. “We need to look past the headlines and understand that news is a business, and business has to sell,” he said.
Fuad Saif, senior geography major, said that to find this “truth,” people must study the religion for themselves. “People need to do research. They need to learn,” Saif said. “Don’t take everything you hear literally. Misconceptions and animosity toward Muslims is nothing new.” Saif added that every misconception and case of animosity is an opportunity to bring Islam to everyone’s attention and show them what the religion is about. “We can show who we really are,” senior psychology major Nael Babaa said. “Once we look past the labels society puts on us, we can change [our image].” Babaa said these labels are hurtful and as a result, he and others who practice Islam feel “pushed in the corner and alone.” Although Qadhi said a decade of time has not yet remedied the stereotypes and misconceptions about Muslims and Islam, he still remains hopeful that people will realize Muslims are also a component of American culture. “I look at the Muslim community and say there is potential,” Qadhi said. “We need to take a stand. We are part of you.”
About: The PublicAsian is a student-run monthly newspaper sponsored by the Asian American Student Union (AASU) of the University of Maryland, College Park.
Printing Schedule: The PublicAsian is published the first Wednesday of each month,
with a circulation of 1,500. It is distributed at the University of Maryland, College Park and at the Library of Congress Asian American Reading Room.
Involvement: If you are interested in becoming a reporter, photographer, copy editor or layout editor with The PublicAsian, please contact publicasian@gmail.com.
Published with support from Campus Progress, a division of the Center for American Progress. Online at CampusProgress.org.
The PublicAsian | October 2011
News | 3
Blueprint for reconstruction of Japanese economy
Panel at George Washington University sets plan to lift Japan back on its feet
PHOTO CREDIT: TOKYOEZINE
North Japan is still recovering from an 8.9 magnitude earthquake that hit on March 11. The U.S.-Japan Research Institute gathered at George Washington University Sept. 9 to discuss post-earthquake reconstruction measures.
By May Wildman Staff writer As part of a biannual week of seminars on Japan’s post-earthquake reconstruction, the U.S.Japan Research Institute hosted a collaborated lecture at George Washington University Sept. 9. Keio University President Atsushi Seike presented an interesting look at what Japan must do to get its
SAVE Act Pending By Ethan Scholl Staff writer
Jeans are an essential part of the traditional American wardrobe, regardless of ethnicity, financial status or social clique. Everyone knows that the price of jeans depends on the brand and store from which they are purchased, but most students probably do not realize that where jeans are produced has a great influence as well. The Save Our Industries, or SAVE Act, a trade legislation bill currently pending before U.S. Congress, seeks to reduce or even eliminate some of the taxes on textiles being imported to the U.S. from the Philippines. This will allow U.S. manufacturers to export their denim and other fabrics to the Philippines, where Filipino garment workers can create the products that will then, at a cheaper rate, be shipped back into the states. If passed, proponents of the bill claim that it would have a number of positive effects for both Americans and Filipinos. “The SAVE Act is a trade legislation that is mutually beneficial to the U.S. textile industry and the Philippine garment manufacturing industry,” said Filipino-American community activist Mencie Hairston. “The SAVE Act would provide tens of millions of dollars in new exports for U.S. businesses,” said Jose Cuisia, Philippine Ambassador to the United States, in a letter to the Filipino-American community. “It would save hundreds of thousands
economy back on track. Seike is a member of an earthquake reconstruction council put together by former Prime Minister Naoto Kan. On March 11, Japan was greeted with a destructive and fatal 8.9 magnitude earthquake. An unprecedented tsunami followed, hitting northern Japan and damaging a nuclear power plant about 150 miles from Tokyo. Seike said that at present, of jobs in the Philippines.” While some detractors of the bill argue that U.S.’s poor economic conditions make this an ill-advised time to begin such a trade relationship, supporters point out that the bill would likely boost the economy. The bill would create jobs in the U.S., where there will be a greater need for workers in the textile industry. Given the state of the U.S.’s economy, this bill could actually be quite beneficial, supporters said. “In this time of economic hardship, the government needs to protect U.S. jobs while keeping goods affordable. This act is a rare chance when the government can do both,” said Tyler Babich, a sophomore government and politics major and the community service chair of the Filipino Cultural Association (FCA). The SAVE Act also would help strengthen the political and cultural bonds between U.S. and the Philippines. “The Save Our Industries Act is important as it is the first step towards a free trade agreement between the U.S. and the Philippines,” said Andrew Aggabao, FCA’s public relations officer and sophomore government and politics major. While the FCA points out they do not officially advocate for or against this bill, as they do not feel it is appropriate for a student organization to support or oppose political legislation, the group has been working with the Philippine Embassy and the Philippine Cultural Society at George Washington University to spread information about the SAVE Act. “I encourage everyone to study the provisions of the bill at www. saveourindustriesact.org and let your representatives know how you feel about it at www.opencongress. org,” added Hairston.
470,000 people have been affected by the events and 200,000 jobs have been lost. He said damages from the earthquake alone will cost Japan 16.9 trillion yen, or about $220 billion. Reconstruction will also take a while to be completed. “As far as full recovery is concerned, maybe we will have to take, say, approximately 10 years or so,” he said at the reception following the discussion.
Seike said Japan’s reconstruction consists of two phases: aiding the affected people and reconstructing infrastructure hit by the tsunami and rebuilding Japan’s economy. He stressed that damaged infrastructure should not only be destroyed and rebuilt, but also reconstructed more substantially to prevent the loss of future lives. To rebuild Japan’s economy, he advised that the country take advantage of the natural resources abundant in northern Japan. He also said manufacturing that occurred before the disaster should continue to play a role in the global supply chain. Interestingly, Seike tied together the country’s aging crisis with the disasters, as northern Japan has an unusually high number of elderly residents. He emphasized that Japan must be prepared for the influx of an increasingly aging population. Seike predicted more elder residents will have to keep working in order to keep the workforce up to current levels, and public expenditures for social security and insurance will have to increase. After Seike’s initial presentation, professor Naoyuki Agawa, a vice president at Keio University, and Dr. Edward Lincoln of New York University’s Stern School of Business, joined in the discussion. The commentators brought in
other developments that resulted from the March disasters. Agawa mentioned how the disasters ended up bringing young people together to create change. He discussed how Twitter became a soundboard for those affected by the earthquake throughout Japan and offered a place for them to tell various stories of good will and harmony on the day of the earthquake and following the disasters. He also spoke of young Japanese volunteers helping in the cleanup and reconstruction efforts. Lincoln mentioned the American media’s favorable impression of the Japanese people amidst the crisis, and how they were impressed at the order and calm that prevailed despite the magnitude of the disaster. Students’ responses to the seminar were mainly positive. “I thought it was really informative,” Mai Ichihara, a GWU senior international affairs major, said. “I think he could’ve gone even more indepth if he had spoken in Japanese.” Maryland senior Japanese major Maddy Deason, who studied abroad in Tokyo this summer, said she expected more of an emphasis on the parts of reconstruction other than the economy. “They were thinking really more in terms of money and economy instead of in terms of humanity,” Deason said.
CNN: Japan ranks 5th in lifespan By Mike Gasper Staff writer
CNN released a report in August ranking all of the countries in the world by their average life expectancy, with their average number of deaths per year. Japan ranked fifth in longest average life expectancy, but also had the highest average number of deaths per year of the top 10 countries, according to the report. Japan owned an impressive average lifespan of 82.25 years but also had 10.09 deaths per 1,000 citizens. It was the only country in the top 10 of life expectancy average with a double digit average number of deaths. Japan also finished well ahead of the U.S. in average life expectancy, which finished 49th. However, the U.S. also had a lower average death rate than Japan, with only 8.38 deaths per 1,000 people per year. Dr. Larry Shinagawa, director of the Asian American Studies program at the university, listed multiple factors that could explain Japan’s and the U.S.’s rankings. In regards to Japan, he pointed to the country’s “lifestyle, genes and diet” as major factors in what led to their high ranking. Dr. Shinagawa also noted that the Japanese diet
mainly consists of fish and vegetables, and few unhealthy oils. Senior public health major and president of the Japanese American Student Association (JASA), Jessica Liu, felt the way Japan deals with public health could be an explanation for their high life expectancy. “Japan is known to be a very clean and very environmentally friendly country,” Liu said. “Japan’s culture focuses a lot on an individual’s health so the people are very public health conscious. I know that some companies make everyone report their body temperature each morning. On the subway, you can see people wearing masks to prevent spreading of illnesses.” Dr. Shinagawa acknowledged that Japan’s elderly receive a great deal of respect and attention, both of which allow the people to live longer than they would elsewhere. He felt that this is not so in the U.S., which may explain the country’s low rank in longevity. “The U.S., for the most part, is a society that does not really respect aging,” he said. “Social support is crucial to longevity.” Dr. Shinagawa believed that the high rates of death in Japan can be, in part, credited to high rates of pancreatic, stomach and testicular cancer. These cancers can be caused by
both alcohol and the country’s consumption of pickled foods. He was quick to point out, however, that simply because U.S. had a lower death rate, it does not necessarily mean that it is a healthier country than Japan. In fact, he said, U.S. has a much higher obesity rate (roughly 34 percent of all Americans) than does Japan (roughly 5 percent). He added that U.S.’s lower average death rate can be attributed to better access to medicine and better disease prevention, not to a healthier lifestyle than Japan. JASA’s vice president, senior public health major Jasmine Vinh, weighed in on the life expectancy disparity between Japan and the U.S., citing a friend’s experience with American food. “My friend was an exchange student from Japan and in his 8-month stay here at this university, he told me he gained over 10 pounds,” Vinh said. “He mentioned that the quality and quantity of the food offered here in America was much different than back home for him. The food he was exposed to contained so much fat and salt that even with proper exercise, he gained more weight and felt more sluggish during his exercise routine.”
4 | News
The PublicAsian | October 2011
Growth in Md., Va. APA communities By Tess Yeh Staff writer
Freshman biology major LokMan Yeung and his family left Hong Kong when he was 6 years old and moved to Montgomery County. His parents moved to Maryland because his aunt and grandmother already lived there. His aunt and grandmother chose to live in Maryland because of its proximity to the district and its excellent job opportunities. Like Yeung and his family, many Asian immigrants have chosen the D.C.-Maryland-Virginia area as their new home. Studies show that the D.C. area is poised to become the next California with a recent boom in the Asian Pacific American population. The increasing amount of Asian immigrants creates more ethnically and culturally diverse communities in the district. “Lately, I noticed that Chinese, Korean and Vietnamese restaurants have mushroomed in this area,” said Paris Huang, a Taiwanese journalist from Voice of America in D.C. In 2006, Maryland established the Office of Asian Pacific American Affairs within the governor’s Office of Community Initiatives. “Even the police departments in Virginia and Maryland began to ask for Chinese police officers who can help deal with problems within Asian communities,” she said. “All of these evidence the gradual increase in Asian population in the two states.” Statistics provided by the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau indicated a higher concentration, compared to the national average, of APAs in counties like Fairfax, Montgomery, Loudoun and Howard. Among the four, Fairfax had the highest APA population, with a total of 189,661 APA residents, followed by Montgomery’s 135,451 residents, Loudoun’s 46,033 and Howard’s 41,221. Most people living in the district have been curious about this phenomenon and long for explanations. Sophomore physics major Eliot Bohr gave his observation on the trend. “These years, in some school
districts of Virginia and Maryland, [non-Asian] Americans are no longer the majority” he said. “Take my high school, Centennial High, as an example; about 40 percent of the students there were Asians, meaning Asians dominated almost one-half of the entire student body.” Bohr then surmised that a possible reason for this population growth is because the weather of the district area is very similar to that of Asian countries like China and Korea. “China and Korea both have four seasons all the year round, just like the D.C. area,” he said. “Therefore, Koreans and Chinese might find the weather here easier to adapt to than in other states, where the seasonal difference isn’t that obvious and the humidity is usually lower.” Thomas Fan, an attorney specializing in immigration and who has lived in Potomac, Md., for over 20 years, provided another opinion. “The Asians who came to the D.C. area in recent years are mostly from China and India,” Fan said. “China’s economic growth is amazing. Many Chinese have made so much money that they can go overseas to search for more opportunities, and of course these people’s top preferences are the big cities and well-developed regions in the country, including the D.C. area.”
“
Chinese, Korean and Vietnamese restaurants have mushroomed in this area.”
– Paris Huang
Voice of America journalist
Fan added that the area’s technological market appeals to those from India. “For Indian immigrants, most of them already have an information technology degree; they chose to stay in the two states because of Virginia’s thriving computer industry and Maryland’s good health care programs.”
PHOTO COURTESY OF UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND
President of Renmin University Ji Baocheng (seated left) and President Loh (seated center) sign the Memorandum of Understanding at Renmin University in Beijing with Gov. O’Malley (center) and other university officials.
Loh, O’Malley travel to China
UMD strengthens ties with Chinese universities By May Wildman Staff writer President Wallace Loh’s Chinese background came into play this summer, when he accompanied Gov. Martin O’Malley on his weeklong economic development mission to three cities in China. A delegation from the University of Maryland visited the cities of Shanghai, Nanjing and Beijing and seven surrounding universities for a week in May. The delegation’s mission was to strengthen ties with various Chinese schools, as well as to further the economic and research goals of the university. New Associate Provost for International Programs, Dr. Jonathan Wilkenfeld, his predecessor Saul Sosnowski and University of Maryland-China Joint Research Park Director Kai Duh joined Loh. The Maryland delegation met with China’s Minister of Education to discuss the possibility of creating new joint ventures between the university and Chinese schools. With the Vice Minister of Science and Technology, they talked about extending the scope of the research park at Maryland. Research parks harbor clusters of companies who, by renting space, can use the resources that a university can provide. The joint re-
search park is a component of the university’s International Incubator, a business incubator that supports companies from around the globe specializing in technology by giving them the tools to achieve growth. According to Duh, half of the incubator is composed of Chinese companies. The purpose of the research park is to connect companies from Maryland and from China. Benefits of the park include the creation of new jobs in Maryland and investments in the state by Chinese companies. As a result of the trip, President Loh signed licensing agreements with three new Chinese companies. According to Loh, research parks are extremely common for universities in China. “I think where [Chinese universities] are somewhat ahead of the United States is in commercialization of research,” he said. “They have huge research parks where they’re creating scores and scores of new companies, and we have the Maryland research park, so we have the same idea, but ours is relatively small compared to China.” At Nanjing Normal University, the delegation met and had lunch with about 10 to 12 Chinese graduates of the criminal justice program; most of whom Wilkenfeld said are now important figures in national
and local government. In Beijing, Loh and the Maryland delegation met with the officials of Hanban, the Office of Chinese Language Council International, which worked with former President Dan Mote to create the U.S.’s first Confucius Institute in 2004. Now there are over 300 Confucius Institutes across the U.S. promoting the study of Chinese language and culture. In addition to solidifying already existing ties, the trip also helped create bonds with Chinese universities with whom Maryland had no prior relations. For example, Maryland now has ties with Southeastern University in Nanjing as a result of the delegation’s efforts this summer. Wilkenfeld said, “We had had no relations to [Southeastern University] prior to this, but we had a very fruitful meeting and they’re actually sending their vice president… the vice president will be visiting Maryland at the end of September.” Loh said that during his visit, making an effort to establish not just business, but also personal connections with officials was key in his success, and his understanding of Chinese values helped him accomplish his goals. He said, “It’s about relationships… nothing is done in China without guangxi, establishing personal relationships.”
UMD’s green efforts put to test at Solar Decathlon By Ethan Rosenberg Staff writer
PHOTO COURTESY OF WATERSHED
WaterShed members take a short break from building their solar energy-powered home.
Students from the university geared up last month to compete in the 10-day, bi-annual Solar Decathlon, hosted by the U.S. Department of Energy, where collegiate teams are challenged to design, build and operate energy-
efficient and affordable solar powered houses. Among the four international teams, this university competed against Tongji University from Shanghai, China, a country that is currently outdoing America as a whole on the front for green energy. Miriam Pemberton, a research fellow at the Institute for Policy Studies, reported this notion in a Guardian UK article earlier this year. Pemberton believes America will be able to catch up to China with an additional $100 billion to be spent towards green technology. This sum, however, would come out of the annual defense budget, a proposal which the Republican-majority House has opposed. This phenomenon may be because of shifted priorities. As of January, the Chinese spent double what the U.S. spends on clean energy and one-sixth as much as the U.S. spends on its military, according to Pemberton. “I think green energy is definitely something that is important to pour funds into, considering the damages our actions as a species have on the environment around us,” said
junior environmental science major Richard Paleczny. “[T]here really could be a bigger effort for green energy, but I don’t think there should have to be competition between countries over how much to spend.” Junior economics major Wes Furnback is weary over the trade-off for green technology over defense. “It depends on how the funding is allocated,” he said. “If it is allocated to subsidies to private companies then yeah, sure. But if it is going to government operated agencies, then I would not be supportive.” According to junior materials science and engineering double major Nick Weadock, who is a member of the university’s Solar Decathlon team, WaterShed, it has the most efficient solar thermals and very efficient solar panels to power the house. It also has the ability to produce more energy than it takes in. “You have to use systems that are commercially available because you are trying to show that these green houses are a viable way to go, and not just something rich people can afford,” Weadock said.. “The basic systems
are the same. You just have to find one that fits your efficiency requirements.” Though China spends double what the U.S. spends on green technology, Weadock was not worried that the Maryland team will be crushed by Tongji. “[The fact that] they spend more than us might only mean that they are... more forward thinking when it comes to green energy, not necessarily better than us,” Weadock said. Other Asian countries may not be competing in this year’s Solar Decathlon, but that does not mean that they have not been making progress in green technology. On Sept. 13, Viet Nam News reported that the Japan International Cooperation agency and Viet Nam National University signed a $5 million project to develop green technology for biodiesel production. WaterShed placed first in the competition, which ended Oct. 2. Purdue University and New Zealand ranked second and third, respectively. Tongji University stood at 15th place, according to the Department of Energy’s web site.
The PublicAsian | October 2011
News | 5
Needs of some APA students often overlooked Study shows Pacific Islanders and Southeast Asians tend to struggle in school By Jimmy Reed Staff writer A common stereotype in the academic world today is that Asian Pacific American students are the smart kids in school with every opportunity to succeed, but recent research show that this notion is not always true. A report released in 2010 from the National Commission on Asian American and Pacific Islander Research in Education, shows the reality behind the statistics. For the most part, APAs are succeeding in high school, but some students among the diverse APA ethnicities are finding it hard to advance into higher education. Some APAs show increased high school dropout rates and low college participation levels. Specifically, Pacific Islanders and Southeast Asians are two ethnic groups that tend to have
lower household income than other APAs and subsequently struggle to reach higher education, according to the 2010 report. Some believe the overwhelming stereotype prevails over the finding that some APAs are at a disadvantage. Huili Liu, a graduate student in the Human Development Quantitative Measurement program at the university, arrived in the U.S. one year ago from China. “I’m not very familiar with the Asian American community, but I know the stereotype,” said Liu, who is teaching a statistics course this semester. “Asians are good at math, very good. They are geeks.” Korey Wacker, a Japanese American senior family science major said, “I don’t think it’s fair. I don’t believe all Asian Americans are smarter than others.” History also contributes to the current disadvantage some APA students face, according
to C.N. Le, creator of the APA web site Asian Nation and director of Asian & Asian American Studies Certificate Program at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. Le said on his web site that due to the high amount of APAs on campuses around the country in the early 1970s, universities began to reject those who were more than qualified to attend their schools. But this led to an overemphasis on affirmative action and APAs were overlooked in favor of other races. The current disadvantage APAs face in reaching higher education could be attributed to the same concept. Additionally, APA groups are quickly becoming a large portion of the country’s population, according to a report released by the Asian American Advertising Federation. Based on the 2010 Census Redistricting Data, 27 states showed dramatic increases in APA
population, all boasting over double-digit percentage increases. Maryland’s APA population ranks eighth in the top ten. Not only are these states growing in APA population, they are outpacing Hispanic growth as well, giving the APA community a bigger presence in the large pool of minority groups in the U.S. Tomo Delp, a Japanese American senior family science major, is from Las Vegas, which he calls “the ninth island of Hawaii” because of the heavy Hawaiian population. According to the 2010 census report on increased APA population, Nevada is first on the list. The state has seen its APA population increase 116 percent in the past decade. Delp said, “You always see Hispanics and African Americans getting school benefits, never Asians. I’m half Asian so it hasn’t hurt me as much. I think people should have equal benefits; it shouldn’t depend on race.”
FINNING
--China-A gold-dispensing ATM was installed in Beijing on Oct. 1, China’s National Day. Customers can exchange Chinese yuan for gold bars or coins stamped with images. The market price of the gold is updated every 10 minutes. Zheng Ruixiang, a Beijing Gongmei Group board director, told CNN, “The Chinese people have become enthusiastic to purchase and invest in gold, so the traditional gold sales model can hardly meet demand.” Gold ATMs were first installed in Germany, and they are now in the United Arab Emirates, Italy and the United Kingdom in places with high security like banks, hotels, casinos and airports. The one U.S. ATM is located in Las Vegas.
--Pakistan-Dengue fever has killed 125 people in Pakistan over the past two months and over 12,000 have been infected. Around 10,000 infections and 116 deaths have been in the city of Lahore, near the India border, according to a health department spokesman in the Punjab province. According to the Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, dengue fever is spread by certain types of mosquitoes and can cause severe bleeding and death in extreme cases.
--Iran-Iranian pastor Youcef Nadarkhani is facing death after an Iranian court convicted him for abandoning the Islamic faith. Claiming to have been an agnostic before converting to Christianity, Nadarkhani was imprisoned in 2009, and will be executed if he does not renounce his faith. The White House “condemn[ed]” Nadarkhani’s imprisonment, and called Iran to “demonsrate a commitment to basic, universal human rights, including freedom of religion.”
--Philippines-Two typhoons hit the Philippines in one week, killing at least 59 people. Typhoons Nesat and Nalgae’s strongest winds were up to 80 mph, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Administration. Rain fell at a rate of up to one inch per hour, causing people to walk in chest-deep water and leaving homes flooded to the rooftops in some areas, according to Reuters. Landslides contributed to at least one death. The Philippines Department of Public Works and Highways released a photograph of three officials “assessing the damage” from Typhoon Nesat. A Filipino blogger later discovered that the officials had been photoshopped into the image. The department apologized, but it is still unclear why the photo was created.
--China-Pet lovers in China caused the cancellation of a 600-year-old dog slaughtering festival. An online campaign showing photographs of dead animal bodies pressured Beijing officials to do away with the three-day temple event in which dogs are eaten. In recent years, more Chinese have kept cats and dogs as pets, and the country is in an “animal liberation movement,” Deborah Cao, a professor at Griffith University in Australia studying animal rights law, told the New York Times.
PHOTO CREDIT: PANGEASEED
Shark finning is the process of catching a shark and cutting off its fins before dumping the body back into the water. California is the latest state to ban the importation of shark fins, which are an ingredient in a traditional Chinese soup.
“Today is a landmark day for shark conservation around the globe as we are one step away from a sweeping West Coast ban on the trade of shark fins,” said Susan Murray, Oceana’s Senior Pacific Director, in reference to Washington, Oregon and Hawaii’s bills in a press release from Sept. 6. One of those who opposed the bill is Sen. Ted Lieu from California, who cites discrimination against Chinese Americans as his reasoning. “The problem, to me, with this bill is the effect of it falls massively and disproportionately on one subset of a minority group [Chinese Americans],” said Lieu in an interview with the Daily Breeze, a California newspaper. In Chinese culture, shark fins are traditionally used in a delicacy called “shark fin soup,” most often served at banquets or weddings. The fin is so highly valued because of its “slippery and glutinous texture that results in a thickened soup without the use of cornstarch,” according to Chinesefood-recipes.com. “It tastes great,” said university graduate Xiaojie Zhang, 22. “I had shark fin when I was little, when it was still very, very popular in the upper class.” But times have changed. It used to be that only the upper class could afford this delicacy, but
now it is becoming more common among the middle class. “It was popular only in Cantonese communities [before the 1980s],” said Minglang Zhou, an associate professor of the Chinese language department at this university. “But it became more popular, as a symbol of luxury, with the rising of wealth in China the last two decades.”
“
Making shark fin illegal would certainly increase the ‘face’ value of the food still further.” – David Branner
Lexicographer of Chinese culture at Columbia University
Unlike the American way of life, the appearance of luxury is vital to Chinese culture. The emphasis comes from a Chinese concept of “face,” or “showing respect for the public prestige of one’s guests,” according to David Branner,
a lexicographer of Chinese culture at Columbia University. “The intrinsic qualities of the food are much less important than the fact that the expense and distinctiveness of those qualities make it a good token for showing respect,” Branner said. While shark fin soup is traditionally valued for its texture, almost none of the soup’s flavor comes from the fin itself. “It’s mostly chicken now,” said Jonathon Lee, whose family owns the China Inn restaurant in Virginia. “There is some shark in it, but very little. Shark fin is extremely expensive – more than 10 bucks per bowl.” In a recipe found on Chinesefoodrecipes.com, nine cups of chicken broth, one inch of ginger root and nine other ingredients provide most of the soup’s flavor, compared to the four ounces of shark fin that are actually used in a recipe meant to serve six to eight. Although this ban intends to curtail the manufacturing and distribution of shark fins for soup, the demand may go higher. “Making shark fin illegal would certainly increase the ‘face’ value of the food still further,” said Branner – a statement that, if true, may foreshadow increased tensions resulting from the ban in the months to come.
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The PublicAsian | October 2011
Asian Appetite
Chipotle opens new Asian concept restaurant in D.C. By Katie Cheung Staff writer Located in Dupont Circle in Washington, D.C., the first of Chipotle’s new Asian restaurants, ShopHouse Southeast Asian Kitchen, is expected to find hungry people scrambling to its door. The ShopHouse features an industrial theme with minimal décor – somewhat similar to the original Chipotle’s. Wooden furniture and metal accents decorate the small restaurant. The walls are lined with Sriracha hot sauce bottles, which preview the spicy Asian food on the menu. Chipotle Mexican Grill has come up with its newest innovation: Asian food served Chipotle-style. Cuisine will feature foods from Thailand, Malaysia and Vietnam. The shophouse theme comes from traditional shophouses found in Southeast Asia, where owners live above the restaurants or markets they run. Approaching dinnertime one weekend, the space was filling up quickly. Some customers were even waiting with their food in hand for a table to empty. “I really like the food, and I think it is something different and unique,” said Tori Vallana, a customer at the ShopHouse. “It wasn’t what I expected from a chain restaurant.” The ShopHouse menu consists of flavors of Southeast Asia with meats, a variety of fresh vegetables, herbs and garnishes, explained founder, chairman and co-CEO of Chipotle, Steve Ells, in a Chipotle press release in April. Similar to the service format found in Chipotle, customers move down a service line customizing their meals to their preferences. Diners have the option of either rice or noodles as their base and will continue to choose from selections such as chicken satay,
tofu, pork meatballs, Chinese broccoli and eggplant. The restaurant also sells traditional banh mi Vietnamese/French sandwiches. The dishes cost between $6.50 and $7.50. “I have always believed that the Chipotle
according to Chipotle’s annual report. The popularity of Chipotle has increased dramatically within the past ten years, indicating a good outlook for ShopHouse’s success. “Because of the Chipotle name, I’d defi-
PHOTOS BY KATIE CHEUNG
Chipotle’s new ShopHouse Southeast Asian Kitchen opened its doors last month in Dupont Circle of Washington, D.C. The ShopHouse serves food from Thailand, Malaysia and Vietnam.
model would work well with a variety of different cuisines,” Ells said in the press release. “Chipotle’s success is not necessarily about burritos and tacos, but rather about serving great, sustainably raised food that is delicious, affordable and convenient.” There were 1,084 Chipotle restaurants as of Dec. 31, 2010, and between 135 and 145 new restaurants are expected to open in 2011,
nitely try it out,” said freshman undecided major Chris Eng. The district is known for having a wide base of Asian restaurants, and some say that the opening of ShopHouse will affect sales of other Asian restaurants in the area. “If it becomes as popular as most would expect it to be, then ShopHouse will hurt the small Asian businesses,” said freshman engi-
neering major Brian Thornton. “ShopHouse will cost less; it will be faster and it is more well-known.” Whether or not ShopHouse serves authentic Southeast Asian cuisine also comes into play here. “In order to appeal to the public, who, most likely has not been exposed to authentic Asian food, the restaurant probably didn’t choose authenticity over Americanized and more appealing flavors,” said Eng, who is Chinese American. While the opening of ShopHouse is an appetizing prospect to some, others see it as another unauthentic representation of Asian food and its unique flavors. “I think Chipotle is trying to capitalize and reach a wider audience based on the fact that many people are ignorant to what authentic cuisine really is,” said freshman business major Brandon Tillman. “It’s a shame because authentic Asian food can be so delicious, but few are exposed to it.” However, Thornton argues that ShopHouse is bringing something different to the table because not many restaurants cater specifically to Southeast Asian food. “Chipotle has a reputation for using great quality food, and they definitely have the money and resources to create a restaurant that serves authentic dishes and ingredients,” he said. “Even if it were not authentic, people wouldn’t typically go to a Chipotle to find authentic Mexican food. They go there because it tastes good; it’s a different market.” Since the restaurant opened this past month, it is uncertain if the customers are coming to try Chipotle’s newest innovation or for the food itself. It will soon become clear whether ShopHouse will be a booming success like its big brother Chipotle, or just another inauthentic bust.
New 251 North Diner offers student a taste of the East By Matthew McNab Staff writer When The Washington Post comes to tour a college dining hall, you know you’re in for a good dining experience. At the 251 North Diner in the Denton Community on campus, it’s exactly what the campus Dining Services and Senior Executive Chef John Gray have tried. An all-you-can-eat buffet, 251 North Diner was built in the same building that housed the former North Woods Diner. The university’s newest dining hall takes a different approach than the other two dining halls on campus, splitting up food into several stations that are connected by similar kinds of cuisine. Several Italian dishes are available under a sign reading “Ciao,” and salad fixings are united under the banner, “Harvest.” Together, they represent two of the more popular, traditional food choices for a student dining at 251 North. However, directly across from the double-door entrance to the diner sits a more ambitious station, one that Gray and Dining Services have tried to incorporate at both of its other dining halls: an Asian station. “Students like Asian food,”
Gray said before describing how the line for the Asian station was nearly threequarters of the way across the dining hall on a busy Thursday night last month. “It is so popular here.” Gray formerly worked at Harrah’s Casino in Tunica, Miss., where he supervised the opening of the Paula Deen Buffet before leaving for his position in College Park. Since arriving at the university twoand-a-half years ago, he has tried to incorporate more Asian Pacific American cuisine into the dining halls. “There was the Mongolian Grill before I came, and the South Campus Diner has the Noodle Bar, but since I’ve been here, we’ve opened the Korean Grill in the North Campus Diner.” His biggest accomplishment on campus, though, is 251 North. “These are all of my concepts, my ideas,” Gray said. The chance to build the dining hall from scratch with all of his own choices of foods was more than enough to lure Gray away from Harrah’s. The Asian station is divided into two sections, comprising of a noodle bar and a station serving traditional VietnameseFrench baguette sandwiches, known as a banh mi. The popular Noodle Bar features a number of different options, starting with udon noodles or vegetable lo mein. From there, several types of meat are available, including beef brisket, Korean marinated char-grilled beef and chicken. The station has three different broths, with beef, hot, and sour styles; beef broth
PHOTO BY MATTHEW MCNAB
Students wait in line at the new Asian station to get a taste of the university’s Asian cuisine.
is most popular, according to Gray. From there, several types of fixings are set out to add to the meal, including fresh basil, limes, fish sauce, and Sriracha chili sauce. Pork pot stickers, shrimp dumplings, and spring rolls are also available at the station. The Asian station is one of the few places on campus to get Asian food, although it is an Americanized version of the dishes. It was designed to reflect the taste preference of its non-APA customers. Sophomore undecided majors Michen Zou and Andrew Wang were two of just a handful of APA students to get food from the station. “I like it,” Zou said, “but it isn’t really true Asian food.” She offered sushi and steamed eggs as suggestions to be added to the station before emphatically added
bubble tea to her list. “It’s not exactly like home, but it’s definitely better than it was before,” Wang said, explaining that the North Campus wontons he had last year were horrible. The thoughts of non-APA students were mainly positive, reasoning that it was something both new and different. Maribeth Landfield, a sophomore kinesiology major, said the food was “really good, very high quality,” and Michael Liebler, a sophomore mechanical engineering major, called the station “a nice change from the old diner.” Gray said the best days to go to 251 North are Mondays and Tuesdays, as the traffic swells from several hundred early in the week to nearly 1,300 by Thursday. The North 251 Diner is open Mondays to Fridays, from 5:30 to 8:30 pm.
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The PublicAsian | October 2011
FRONT PAGE ART BY ROGER SHIMOMURA; BACKGROUND ART BY SHIZU SALDAMANDO COURTESY OF NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY
Portrait Gallery explores APA identity with art By Chad Sinclair Staff writer When Malco Kim arrived in America, he had two pieces of luggage. Seen dressed in a Navy jacket and gray jeans cuffed at the ankles, with his wiry hair dangling out of a white sailor hat, his portrait tells the story of the difficulty of starting a new life in a foreign land. Kim’s portrait, along with hundreds of others, is now on display at the National Portrait Gallery’s “Portraiture Now: Asian American Portraits of Encounter” exhibition. Stories of survival, exploration, assimilation, tolerance and gratitude give life to the otherwise one-dimensional images. “I was a delivery man and took any jobs that paid me money,” Kim said in a selfreflective description under his portrait. “I had tuberculosis in 2000, was hospitalized for one year and was living off of McDonald’s coupons. I didn’t want to bother my parents and so they didn’t know. I didn’t ask for money from anybody.” The exhibition features the work of seven Asian Pacific American visual artists, including university alum CYJO, whose KYOPO Project is displayed at the center of the exhibit. CYJO, whose official name is Cindy Hwang, said the inspiration for the KYOPO Project came from what she perceived to be a void in the art world. “In November 2004, I didn’t see any photography, books or projects that covered the Korean culture and modern contemporary issues,” CYJO said. “There was an absence that needed to be filled. I was also curious to see how many people PORTRAIT BY CYJO , COURTESY OF NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY who shared the same ancestry contextualA photo of Korean-American actor Daniel Dae Kim is displayed in the exhibit “Portraiture Now: Asian American ized themselves in their societies and rePortraits of Encounter” at the National Portrait Gallery lated with their heritage.”
According to the museum’s website, the artists “demonstrate, in microcosm, the nuances inherent to the Asian American experience. Their portraits of encounter offer representations against and beyond the stereotypes that have long obscured the complexity of being Asian in America and reveal the threads of contemporary life in novel ways.” Portrait Gallery docent Ann Bass said the scope of the project reaches more than just the APA community. “Overall, visitors learn about the people in the portraits, which makes it almost an experience. It’s not just oil on canvas,” Bass said. “Personally, I don’t know many Asian Americans, so it’s a unique opportunity for me and everyone else to learn about the culture.” Perhaps the most eclectic display of artwork was that of Roger Shimomura. His painted portraiture represented an Asian influence on iconic American symbols. In “Shimomura Crossing the Delaware,” an Asian face is painted onto the legendary image of George Wa s h ington crossi n g the Del-
aware River. Another of Shimomura’s paintings shows an Asian-inspired image of “Pikachu.” Junior journalism and finance double major Angela Wong was surprised at the gallery’s effective representation of APA culture. “It broadened my perspective of being Asian American because I thought it would be stereotypical,” said Wong, whose mother emigrated from Hong Kong and whose father emigrated from Guangzhou, China. “The typical culture is a mix between American culture and Asian culture. There are more complexities than I thought about.” The free exhibition, located in the Smithsonian museum in Washington, D.C., ends October 14, 2012.
Exhibit at Smithsonian examines race, culture By Mary Tablante Features editor Race plays an active role in the everyday lives of people in the U.S. and all over the world. Social views about it can unify people and provide personal identity, but race can also divide people and be the base for discrimination. “RACE: Are We So Different?” is an exhibit that examines race through historical, biological and cultural perspectives through videos, photos, and other mediums. The traveling exhibit, on display at Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History until Jan. 2, is a project of the American Anthropological Association in collaboration with the Science Museum of Minnesota. Trained volunteers help guide visitors throughout the exhibit, as well as answer questions and engage people in conversation. One volunteer, Cassie G., who asked to withhold her last name, provided her point of view about the importance of the exhibit. “What the exhibit is trying to say is that there are differences between people, but it’s all cultural; culturally we’re all very different, but biologically we’re just one human
race. Those are the issues that make people really upset with each other,” she said. Selected photos from “The HAPA Project”, a project that features photographs of people of mixed ethnic heritage with partial roots in APA ancestry, are also on display. Under-
“
have to match each voice to photos of people of different races, and a camera where participants can scan their skin and see it appear among other skin tones in a mosaic called, “The Colors We Are.” The changing classifications of U.S. Census data are explored in a
Race only means something when we attach meaning to it.” – Julie Park
Sociology and Asian American studies assistant professor
neath each photograph is each individual’s response to the question, “What are you?” One woman wrote, “I am millions of particles fused together making up a far less than perfect masterpiece. I am the big bang.” One man wrote, “I am 100% Black and 100% Asian,” and a young boy simply wrote, “I am me.” Interactive features of the exhibit include a video station where the viewers hear different voices and
section of the exhibit as well. Cassie explained that some visitors expressed confusion about the changing census throughout the years. “One man came up to me and he couldn’t understand why an Asian woman was categorized Japanese in 1890, yet Korean in 1850… I said that’s why it’s up here, because it doesn’t make sense. In another time in history, they’re called something else, so it’s all a social construct,” she said.
In a section of the exhibit, stacks of cash are displayed to compare the wealth gap between races. According to the exhibit, APAs are the wealthiest minority. Julie Park, a sociology and Asian American studies assistant professor, said this wealth gap could be partly attributed to U.S. immigration policies in the past when the U.S. sought skilled Asian immigrants. But she also acknowledged that there are some APA groups who have higher poverty rates, and these groups are invisible due to generalizations that most APAs are well off. “Race only means something when we attach meaning to it,” Park said. “We should continue to have these discussions and address inequalities.” One of the last sections of the exhibit examines the topic of education in America, and a blackboard
display shows differing opinions about affirmative action. Justin Moy, a freshman physiology and neurobiology major, said hecould relate to topics explored in the exhibit. “I feel that Asian Americans lose their advantage when applying for college and missing out on affirmative action,” he said. We should be compared on the same footing as every other race, and stereotype of ‘Asians always get high test scores’ should be disregarded.” Because race is cultural, not biological, as shown in contemporary science and anthropological research, Moy feels that race will continue to be a problem. “I don’t think race issues will go away anytime soon. As long as there’s disagreement, we can most likely expect there to be issues with race,” Moy said.
ONLINE EXCLUSIVE Visit publicasian.com for an exclusive look into APA artist Kris Chau’s exhibit
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MODELS
PHOTO CREDIT: WANTCHINATIMES.COM
Chinese model Sui He became the first Asian Pacific American to open for a Ralph Lauren show. More APAs are entering the fashion industry.
Jessica Kang, a junior economics major, said she welcomes the diversity of models in magazines and editorials. “It’s definitely a step into progress,” said Kang, who is KoreanAmerican. “We’re so used to seeing the typical white model, [but] Asian people have a different look in general. It’s good to see changes and new faces.” The presence of APA models in the media and runway shows perked the interests of fashion media houses. Vogue’s Dec. 2010 piece titled, “Asia Major,” featured an editorial showcasing the top APA models in the industry. The models of Japanese, South Korean, and Chinese descent were “redrawing the front lines of beauty,” Samantha V. Chang wrote in an article accompanying the Vogue feature. However, junior economics major, Maggie Wong, disagrees with this notion. “Maybe it’s more [of an] appreciation for the [East Asian] look,” Wong said. “Asian models look different with different facial features – some have button noses, smaller eyes.” In the fashion design industry, APA representation is throughout. Powerhouses filled with Asian names have been established for some time. Designers such as Vera Wang, Alexander Wang, Phillip Lim, Prabal Gurung, Jason Wu and
Derek Lam maintained both their presences and abilities to produce fresh collections each season. Wu’s claim to fame can be credited to the inaugural chiffon gown he designed for Michelle Obama. The New York Times picked up on the new breed of fashion talent and wrote in Sept. 2010 that these players were the “future of fashion.” The article also explained that for the first time, the Council of Fashion Designers of America awarded all three of their prizes to designers
“
We’re so used to seeing the typical white model...It’s good to see changes and new faces.” – Jessica Kang
Junior economics major
who were APA. There may be a technical explanation for growth in popularity of APA models. Using spokespersons and models who can relate more closely with the wealthy Asian population in countries such as China, South Korea and Japan, may also produce higher revenues for advertisers and
The PublicAsian | October 2011
brands. “Advertisers have a huge amount of power,” said sociology professor Melissa Milkie. “It may not be true that, in fact, putting more Asian models into these ads would directly translate into, say the Chinese buying more of this particular clothing style, but it’s possible and even likely that it would occur.” In 2010, Asia accounted for 25 percent of the revenue for luxury brand Louis Vuitton. Burberry opened a flagship store in Beijing and reported a 30 percent increase in the second half of this year in retail and wholesale revenues. Hermès, an ultra-luxury brand, reported that sales were exceptionally high in Asian countries excluding Japan, which increased by 30 percent in the first half of 2011, according to revenue reports posted on the brands’ websites. The representation of diversity in the fashion industry is a moment of pride for APAs, yet whether this is merely a trend or an economical, profit-driven ploy is still questionable. Wong doesn’t doubt that APA models will be represented in the modeling industry in the future. She hopes to continue to see more diversity. “I hope to see models from other Asian countries like Cambodia, Vietnam, and Malaysia,” said Wong. “But I think it might take a little longer for that to happen.”
APAs in ads: stereotypical, but not offensive By Matthew McNab Staff writer An August article in The Washington Post pointed to a seemingly unsettling trend in the world of advertising: the Asian “tech geek” by highlighting commercials by Verizon, Staples, CVS, Best Buy, and IBM which feature Asian Pacific Americans as technical experts. The article’s title calls the ads stereotypical and the author, Paul Farhi, compares the ads to offensive and racist ads from the past. One particular example is a 1970s Calgon detergent commercial featuring a laundromat-owning Asian couple telling a white woman their “ancient Chinese secrets” to cleaning clothes. Two of the sources in the article, researcher Jinnie Yoo of the University of Texas and IW Group CEO Bill Imada, both concede the tech expert ads are stereotypical, but argue the exposure APAs now have is worth the stereotype perpetuating. Their counter-position to the author’s stance that the ads are offensive begs the question: are ads featuring APAs as technical experts or “tech geeks” offensive or stereotypical and are they worth it for the exposure? Many students responded, saying the ads are stereotypical, but not offensive. Junior education and mathematics double major Dan Sung called the tech geek generalization stereotypical, but added it isn’t a “big deal” because it’s worth it for the diversity factor.
Sung said he did not have a preference on whether or not APAs were portrayed as tech geeks, as long as it stayed away from common offensive depictions from the past, much like the opinion Imada held in the article. Imada, the CEO of an agency that specializes in APA advertising, said in the Post article it was better to perpetuate the tech geek stereotype than more harmful ones perpetuated in the past. Junior psychology major Justin Hahn felt the same way, calling the
tech expert portrayal stereotypical but “not offensive.” “It’s a step towards diversity,” Hahn said, “but there needs to be different races for it to be really diverse.” Freshman kinesiology major Catherine Park also did not find the ads offensive because she does not fit the stereotype. “I’m not too good with computers,” she said, “but I do think featuring Asians in ads is good for diversity.” Yoo’s research seems to corroborate the position university students
held; in her research, Asian American consumers were more likely to buy products featuring APAs in commercials. Junior marketing and psychology major Stephanie Chow disagreed with Verizon’s reasoning. “Choosing one race doesn’t make it diverse,” she said. “It’s definitely playing to a stereotype. If they didn’t want to be stereotypical, they could’ve picked another race.” The Washington Post article pointed out that historically, APAs have long been the target of racist
or stereotypical portrayals in ads. The Post referenced a Jell-O advertisement from 1958 that featured an Asian woman and baby, with voiceovers in a stereotypical, L’s instead of R’s accent. A more recent example would be the Six Flags ads featuring a loud APA man as a talking head, employing the same clichéd accent from the Jell-O ads nearly fifty years prior. Sung called ads like these offensive to because of the racist generalization they make for APAs.
THE PUBLICASIAN | OCTOBER 2011
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT | 9
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Community Soccer Tournament Cole Fieldhouse
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Asian American Student Union Community Event
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10
op inions
PHOTO BY RYAN ALPHONSO
The PublicAsian | October 2011
AASU Unedited To all the freshmen and transfer students - welcome! I hope you’ve had a chance to settle in, meet new people and check out all the different student orgs on campus. To all returning students - welcome back! I hope you all enjoyed your time off and that you are all ready to begin a new year at Maryland. Ah, senior year. Wait, make that super-senior year. It is hard to imagine that four years have passed since I started my freshman year at the this university. It has been a long, uphill battle the usual college student challenges and struggles scattered throughout - but I don’t regret any choices I made or where those choices led me. I’ve met many talented people and have had many life-changing opportunities and experiences. Although this is only my second semester being involved with AASU and being on the executive board, I am still very committed to serving all of you and providing the support, events and resources that you may want or need. It has been a tough struggle stepping into a big role on the AASU executive board, but it has
Andy Len, President
definitely had its rewards. Being a part of AASU is more than just socializing, having meetings or just having something to put on your resume. It’s about being a part of a network; a family of coalition groups that support each other and build the community around them. This year, I am pushing for AASU to rekindle its founding roots in promoting advocacy by extending its support to newer and underrepresented student organizations, reviving the involvement of previously inactive coalition groups, and once again, promoting the DREAM Act initiative. Whether by deciding to lead or follow, all of you should consider getting involved on campus. Within the AASU coalition alone, there are more than 20 active student groups that participate in advocacy, philanthropy and cultural awareness, to name a few. All of these groups offer various leadership positions and experiences. Programs and events, such as the F.U.E.L. (Forging, Understanding, Empowering, Leading) Conference, held annually by AASU, allow students to increase their involvement on campus through
learning about the advancement of the APA community, facilitating active discussions on issues being faced and giving students an opportunity to discover their own potential through resourceful workshops. AASU is here to support you, and I am here to ensure that it does. If you ever need advice on school, have suggestions for new events or have concerns about anything at all, please don’t ever hesitate to get in touch with me. I’m very approachable and always open to new ideas. Looking back on my college career, AASU is something I will never forget. All of the events that led me to meet many friends and important public figures, all of the experiences I’ve had the opportunity to share with everyone and all of the opportunities that are now available to me because of AASU. I’m looking forward to having a great final year at Maryland and certainly hoping to see all of you come out to AASU events this year! Andy Len serves as president of the Asian American Student Union. He is a Communication major and Asian American Studies minor.
Organization Spotlight LiNK
Matt Parsons, Vice President
“Liberty in North Korea” – when people hear those words, they usually aren’t surprised by the actual lack of liberty in the closed-off state. What does catch them off guard is the plethora of human rights atrocities and economic woes that encapsulate life in North Korea. In the late 1990’s, over a tenth of the population was wiped out due to famine. Over 200,000 remain imprisoned in labor camps. While 33 percent of the people are malnourished, the government instead chooses to invest in its military. And it’s hard to stop there. Frustratingly enough, nobody is allowed – legally – to emigrate from the country, and border
guards are ordered to shoot defectors on sight. As a chapter of the greater LiNK headquarters, our club works to foster awareness of these issues on campus, as well as raise money to support North Korean refugees in their perilous journey to free nations. It costs $2,500 to rescue a refugee, and while we have yet to reach that target, we have been staunch in our efforts. In previous years, we have held movie screenings highlighting the plight of North Korean refugees and have had representatives from LiNK, called LiNK Nomads, visit and speak to the campus community on behalf of human rights in
the country. This semester, we plan to kick things up a notch. On Oct. 12, we are hosting “Drop Dead,” a flash mob on Hornbake Plaza, cohosted with The Love Movement. On Oct. 17, the Nomads will once again return to promote LiNK’s “Reliance” Tour. We urge all of you to join us in trying to defend a people without a voice. Our numbers are small, and nobody said bringing freedom to North Koreans was easy. But as activists, we dream big; at this point, it’s all we can do. Matt Parsons serves as vice president of Liberty in North Korea (LiNK). He is a junior government and politics major.
Letter I from the Editors
PHOTO BY RYAN ALPHONSO
Dear Terps, t’s hard to believe that a month has already passed since school started. The once hot and humid temperature has now been replaced with a chilly breeze and, unfortunately, constant downpour. But we’re not letting that get to us. It’s a new semester and that means it’s time for us editors to get busy and think of new ways to improve The PublicAsian. As you have probably noticed, we’ve tweaked the layouts here and there, and we’ve added some new columns. Our graphic editor and photographers have been hard at work making the pages more visually appealing while the section editors have been searching everywhere for interesting stories to share. With that said, we chief editors would just like to say a quick “thank you.” As for our readers, we hope you enjoy all the efforts we’ve up into this year’s publication! Sincerely,
Linda & Nancy
10
The PublicAsian | October 2011
hyo’s corner Hi all, I’m a senior traveling and studying in China during this academic year. I embarked on this journey to expose myself to the unknowns of one of the biggest and more diverse country that we know. Prior to my departure, I was a normal college student enjoying the life at UMD with my closest friends and surrounded by my comfortable environment. Gratefully, government and politics being my field of study, I naturally began to gain more interest and curiosity about how the rest of the world (developing) are doing. So I set forth this journey to explore not just China, but the many provinces and neighboring countries East & Southeast Asia has to offer. I thank The PublicAsian for this great opportunity to be able to share my experience with my fellow Terps & I hope you guys stay tuned. I promise to deliver some of my most intriguing and absurd stories! See you soon. -h
small but profound moments Three weeks into my adventure in China, I was called into my program direct- or’s office to receive a gift from my school—Southwest University for Nationalities. With the Mid-Autumn Festival approaching, the university wanted to kindly shower their international students with a box of China’s premium mooncakes. With my box of mooncakes on tow, I wondered how and who I would spend one of China’s most important holidays with. When I was preparing to come to China, it never occurred to me that I would spend many holidays without family or familiar faces – small but profound.
Although I could not spend this special holiday with family or Chinese friends, I was able to gather a crowd of my cohorts to explore the city and check out what the city had to offer. After hours of exploring and getting lost a handful of times, we found ourselves at a Chinese style Korean BBQ. Oh, how I missed Ilmee!!! They too offer a buffet style dining with legit grills and ice cream to finish a major “pig-out” session. Bummed that we didn’t get to stumble upon anything interesting, we looked up to the sky in despair, only to find glowing lanterns all over the city. Excited that we finally found
something that we can be a part of to celebrate the holiday, we quickly made our way over to the bridge where these red lanterns were being flown away to spread good luck. We found kids, lovers, and families sending these lanterns over the water up to the night sky. No, I didn’t get to gaze at the moon and worship the greatness of it. I’m in Chengdu where the city gets fewer sunny days than London. But I did get to gaze at the hundreds of red lanterns that have special stories of love, hopes and dreams. I quickly flagged down a girl selling these lanterns, bargained a good price and got a hold of a candle to light it up. After a few minutes of
burning the centerpiece, my lantern was blown up and ready to set sail. I whispered, “3, 2, 1” and let go of my lantern to escape into the smoggy night sky. I found myself smiling, excited that I got to be a part of this holiday. At that moment, I realized how small moments like lighting up a lantern or sharing mooncakes with family and friends are the profound moments in life. It’s the simple acts of kindness and being in a community of family and friends that make any day a holiday. I later opened up the case of China’s premium ham mooncakes and secretly wished for a good slice of a pumpkin pie. PHOTOS PROVIDED AND TAKEN BY HYOBIN SUNG
Visit Hyo’s blog at: www.evergreenhyo.wordpress.com
ZOnstage and in the Spotlight
12 | Events Recap
oomed In :
Maryland students added competition and cultural diversity to the Sept. 16 Kollaboration DC event, a talent show designed as a platform for young Asian Pacific American entertainers in the DC-Maryland-Virginia area to show off their skills.
Clockwise: Maryland graduate Emily Barnes and senior Alec Zhang won second place with their powerful and moving ballroom dance routine; South Asian dance team Moksha from this university brought diversity to the stage with their classical Indian dance; The winners pose with guest judges, host and the event organizers after receiving their awards; Lead singer Sean Mahon of Fallworth sent chills down the aisle with his unique and unforgettable vocals, landing the band in third place.
Poreotics
The PublicAsian | October 2011
Kollaboration Photos by Ryan Alphonso
Visit www.publicasian.com for more photos and exclusive coverage of both events!
Photos by James Levin
“America’s Best Dance Crew” season five champions, Poreotics, made a special visit to the university Sept. 22nd for a free performance. It didn’t take long for all the seats in the Hoff Theater to fill up. On the following morning, the members of the Asian Pacific American dance crew shared some of their best tricks with students during two workshop lessons.
Clockwise: Lawrence “Law” Devera shows off his freestyles during the dance workshop; Matt “Dumbo” Nguyen signs a student’s shirt during the group’s meet and greet after the show; A playful Can Nguyen performs one of Poreotics’ dance routine in a hockey mask; Chad Mayate leads a roomful of university students during the dance workshop.