Asian Outlook | Spring 2016 Issue#2

ASIAN OUTLOOK Vol. XXX, Issue 2

Volume XXX, Issue 2

contents ASIAN OUTLOOK 2

featured 4 | The Role of Stereotypes in Kings County v Jarred Ha | Calvin Chan

ASIAN OUTLOOK

6 | From American College to North Korean Prison| Leslie Park 8 | The Truth About the Phillipine-American War | Nina Ocampo

arts & entertainment 10 | Chit-Chat with Anthony Lee | Angeles Yeung & Catherine Cortes 15 | Winner-Exit:E : Album Review | Jenny Lu

conscience 17 | Danlei (Gladys) Xiang 19 | Kelly Zhang

year-in-review 20 | ASU Yearbook 22 | Asian Student Union 24 | Binghamton University Japanese Association 26 | Chinese American Student Union 28 | Korean American Student Association 30 | Philippine American League 32 | Taiwanese American Student Coalition 34 | Vietnamese Student Association 36 | Asian Outlook

letter from the editor...

ASIAN OUTLOOK EXECUTIVE BOARD SPRING 2016 editors-in-chief

To our wonderful readers,

conscience editor

I want to thank you for following the magazine, as we here at Asian Outlook wrap up our 30th volume. When I was first thinking of a theme for this issue, I was unsure what I wanted the magazine to look like. One of Asian Outlook’s goals has been and always will be to inform our readers on current events, especially those that impact the Asian American community. True to our mission, this issue does contain important articles that we hope will update you on global and domestic affairs. However, equally as important is the celebration and promotion of the talented members of the Asian and Asian American community here on campus. Thus I wanted to dedicate part of the issue to reflect this vibrant group.

The idea to do a “year-in-review” type of magazine came to me by accident. During one of the Board of Directors meetings for the Asian Student Union, I realized the best way to highlight the community is to profile all the ASU subgroup presidents while also using their event photos to capture the experience. I hope this magazine will genuinely reflect the amazing year put forth by the Asian Student Union and all of the subgroups, and I hope that you experienced part of the journey firsthand.

I want to thank ASU for all the support it has shown us throughout the year, as well as BUJA, CASU, KASA, PAL, VSA, and TASC. Without all the hard work you guys put into your events, the Asian American community here would lose an important source of creativity and guidance. Personally, I wanted to thank all the fellow presidents: Lily Kuong, Azusa Yokoyama, Belle Lai, Jess Yang, Claudine Biscocho, Kenny Blando, and Karen Lin. You guys made my year, and I am extremely grateful to know you all.

To all the seniors graduating, I want to congratulate you, and wish you all the best. Last but not least, I want to dedicate this magazine to my e-board. Without you, I do not know where this magazine would be.

copy editors

layout editors

secretary business manager publicity manager

Transitionals

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

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

Articles may be submitted as an e-mail attachment to ao.editor@gmail.com. All artistic and literary pieces may be submitted to aoconscience@gmail.com.

CONTACT POLICY

Alexander Ching Editor-in-Chief, Spring 2016

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

E-mail us at:

ao.editor@gmail.com

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

Vol. XXX, Issue 2 3

The Role of Stereotypes in

King’s County V. Ha

By Calvin Chan

J

Jarred Ha, a 22-year-old UW student found not guilty on assault charges, saying he used lawful force to defend himself .

Ha was expelled from the University of Washington and faced up to 12 years in prison after an altercation with a fellow student, Graham Harper, which resulted in Ha stabbing Harper.

On the night of January 25, 2015, Ha and a group of friends were out celebrating a friend’s birthday. One of their friends fell asleep at a bar so they decided to walk her home to a rental house shared by members of the UW women’s rugby team. After putting their friend to bed, Ha saw one of the rugby players who lived in the same apartment as him. According to Ha, the rugby player usually took up two spaces at their apartment building, which had become a contentious point between them. Ha told the woman that she needed to “park straighter,” and according to Ha, she was inebriated and started to punch him. Soon, she was joined by 4 other women who all began hitting him. He started to fight back and managed to walk away with his friend.

Soon afterwards, he was chased down by Graham Harper. According to Harper, he had come out of the rugby house, saw a girl crying, and inserted himself between Ha and the girl. He admits to slamming Ha’s head into a car, but only once. “I slammed him in the car one time – it’s arred

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not like I picked him up and repeatedly bashed his head.

He had no more than a black eye.” Harper claims that he never saw the knife afterwards. At the night of the attack, Harper had been at a party and had a blood alcohol level of 0.13, well above the legal limit of 0.02 for those under the age of 21. However, Ha said that his head was repeatedly slammed into a car. Fearing for his life, he showed Harper his knife and told him to back off, hoping that it would deter his attacker. Only after Harper refused to back down did Ha stab him in self-defense.

Two witnesses at the scene backed up Ha’s story. Shane Colburn and Elena Helfand were both at the scene of the fight that night. They are both University of Washington students and had no involvement with any of the parties involved in the altercation. The two students alleged that they saw Ha desperately trying to get away, as “this other girl was punching and slapping him in the head.” “He wasn’t hitting her back, more like blocking her strikes,” said Colburn, 22, who testified at the trial. Colburn also stated that Harper sprinted out of the house, and the witness says that was when he became concerned that the situation was going to intensify.

Ha faced an extremely tough decision this past Christmas. He was offered a plea deal from the Kings

Graham Harper, a 20-year-old UW student and National Guard reservist.

County prosecutor’s office. If Ha accepted the deal, he would have a felony conviction on his record, and could potentially face up to 90 days in jail. The alternative was to take his chances at a trial, which could mean up to 12 years in jail. “I felt like I didn’t do anything wrong. I had to risk it.” Ha said afterwards.

After declining the deal from the Kings County prosecutor’s office, his second degree assault charge was bumped up to first degree assault with a deadly weapon.

After hearing testimonies from the witnesses and careful consideration, the jury found Ha not guilty because he had used lawful force in defending himself. He is also eligible for reimbursement for legal fees after successfully defending himself in court. The total reimbursement amounts to over 40,000 dollars. However, this amount is nowhere near the damage this ordeal has caused. In addition to the emotional trauma, Ha was suspended from UW, where he had junior standing, and was forced to take a year off of school. He has still not been readmitted to the Foster School of Business where he was studying accounting. Ha was acquitted in the criminal case; however, he is still being sued by Harper in a civil trial. “I believe there was a lot of legal manipulation. O.J. got off. I still believe I was right and he was so, so wrong in hitting those girls.” Harper said.

Ha claimed self-defense as his reason for using his knife against Harper. During his trial, the prosecution suggested to the jury that Ha had a martial arts background because he was Asian, and that this martial arts background increased

the severity of attacks on Harper. The prosecution pointed out that Ha used to be part of a Chinese Lion Dance troupe and that it involved martial arts. Ha was in fact part of the International School of Lion Dance and Martial Arts when he was in high school. Although lion dancing in the past was performed as a skilled part of Chinese martial arts, nowadays, it has evolved into a more artistic form. Because of his involvement in lion dancing, the prosecution attempted to leverage this information into a theme that depicted Ha as a skilled martial artist, and that his attack on Harper was committed with bad intentions. Harper was a National Guard reservist and received combat training, yet this was not brought up by the prosecution. Fortunately, the jury was not swayed by such blatant racist stereotyping and Ha was set free.

After the incident, Harper was hailed as a hero across campus. Many people sent Harper flowers, cards, and balloons while he was in the hospital; praising him for his chivalry that night, ignorant of the full story. Witnesses at the scene of the crime also testified that Harper was shouting racial slurs while chasing Ha that night. A woman that was with Harper immediately after the fight stated that Harper said, “Some Chink did this to me.” The female rugby player who instigated this incident escaped to Europe over the duration of the trial, and didn’t have to face the consequences of her actions. While Jarred Ha was agonizing over a life changing decision and almost had his life ruined, none of the other parties involved were charged with any crime.

http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/crime/cleared-after-stabbing-ex-uw-student-wants-his-life-back/ http://nwasianweekly.com/2016/03/after-acquittal-jarred-ha-just-wants-life-back/ http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/crime/ha-hearing/ http://www.dailyuw.com/news/article_d1619c56-dc48-11e5-83ea-c34b211565f5.html

Vol. XXX, Issue 2 5

From American College

To North Korean Prison

A

American college student was sentenced to fifteen years of prison and labor on March 1, 2016. The student, Otto F. Warmbier, is a 21-yearold undergraduate at the University of Virginia, who was visiting Pyongyang, the North Korean capital, in January. He was charged with committing “hostile acts” for attempting to steal a propaganda sign from Pyongyang’s Yanggakdo International Hotel during his visit.

North Korea was under the suspicion that Warmbier’s attempt was under the instruction of the Friendship United Methodist Church in Wyoming, Ohio. According to officials, the church had allegedly encouraged Warmbier to steal the political slogan in order to weaken the ideological unity and motivation of the North Koreans, promising him, in return, a used car. The church is said to be anti-communist and it describes North Korea as an anti-Christian communist state. Warmbier confirmed these suspicions with a tearful confession that both the church and the Z Society, a philanthropic organization at University of Virginia, had coerced him into this.

However, both institutions have claimed that Warmbier had never been a member.

There have been many responses to this conviction from the United States. The Obama administration has expressed its discontent with the sentencing and has n

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By Leslie Park demanded that Warmbier be released immediately. United States officials have denounced the sentencing as overly harsh. John Earnest, the White House press secretary, has accused North Korea of using “United States citizens as pawns to pursue a political agenda.” This incident with Warmbier is allegedly increasing the tension that already existed between the two countries after North Korea’s recent missile launchings. North Korea had executed their initial nuclear tests back in early January and February, causing immediate new sanctions from the United States.

Nevertheless, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un continued with the firing of two short-range ballistic missiles only a month after violating numerous United Nations Security Council resolutions. This has caused concerns as to whether a proper negotiation for Warmbier’s release would be possible.

This incident, however, isn’t the first we have seen.

Numerous Americans have been detained in North Korea in the past, who have received the same ruling of a prison sentence with hard labor. A good example would be Kenneth Bae, a Korean-American Christian missionary, who was convicted on charges of planning to overthrow the North Korean government. He was sentenced to 15 years of imprisonment and hard labor back in April 2013.

Similar to Warmbier’s case, there were multiple responses from the United States calling for the immediate release

of Bae. Unfortunately, no results were seen until almost of trying to get Warmbier back to the country, many two years later, in November 2014. This, along with little American citizens are condemning Warmbier’s actions actual government intervention, makes a timely release of as foolish. Although the punishment does not match his Warmbier look doubtful. offense, I cannot help but agree with some of the allegations Although it may seem unlikely that Warmbier will be directed at Warmbier’s erred judgment. It is easy to see released any time soon, it would not be surprising if his his propaganda stunt as a senseless act in an attempt to full sentence becomes shortened. As mentioned, various amuse. North Korea’s relationship with the United States other Americans were detained in North Korea under was already openly hostile. Unless Warmbier had no severe charges. Most of them were released before the end knowledge of this beforehand, it looks quite thoughtless of their sentence. There is no exact answer as to why that to pull such a stunt as an American student on a visit to is, but there are several theories. Many of them surround North Korea. In addition, even if he was not from the a possible political stunt.

United States, he should Most can agree that it is have had an idea of the abnormal for the North rigidness of the North Korean government to Korean government. It do something simply for should be no surprise humanitarian reasons. that his sentence did not It would not be a shock change. if the early releases On the off chance that allowed North Korea he was unaware of the to gain something. For potential consequences instance, in the case of his actions, it only with Kenneth Bae, North illustrates the ignorance Korea’s relationship some Americans hold on with the United States the situation in North and the United Nations Korea.

Unfortunately, was already tense due to many perceptions of North Korea’s satellite North Korea are based launchings and threats off the many jokes and of nuclear strikes. In parodies we see in the addition, the United media about Kim Jong Un. Nation’s Commission Americans, especially the of Inquiry on Human younger generations, do Rights in North Korea not grasp the severity and had released a report danger that North Korea condemning North poses. If the government Korea’s government as a acts this way towards totalitarian state that had Warmbier sheds tears in North Korean court visiting tourists, one can no necessary position in only imagine how strict the world. Thus, the early release of Kenneth Bae was most they are towards their own citizens. Many Americans likely a performance to improve North Korea’s relations have the mentality that what they can get away with in with the West, while repairing their reputation in the the United States, they can get away with in the rest of world. The relationship between the United States and the world. Hopefully, despite Warmbier’s misfortune, this North Korea is currently, once again, strained. Perhaps, occurrence will hold significance and open the eyes of there will be similar results, with Warmbier being released other Americans. earlier than expected as a way of reconciliation.

While the United States administration is in the midst

Sources: http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2016/03/15/north-korea-american-tourist-sentenced/81846432/ http://www.bustle.com/articles/151441-why-do-people-blame-otto-warmbier-for-his-north-korea-sentence-privilege-can-sometimes-come-at http://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/17/world/asia/north-korea-otto-warmbier-sentenced.html http://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/north-korea-release-kenneth-bae-matthew-todd-miller

Vol. XXX, Issue 2 7

The Truth About The Philippine-American

War

By Nina Ocampo

T

HE PHILIPPINE-AMERICAN WAR (1899-1902) is an event that has been glossed over in U.S. history to the point where few people today know what actually took place. U.S. history textbooks lead many to believe that it is either just another name for the SpanishAmerican War or that it never occurred at all. In reality, the Philippine-American War was a result of the U.S. “winning” the Philippines from Spain, along with other areas like Guam, Puerto Rico, and Cuba in exchange for money. The word “winning” is a questionable way of describing what really took place. The transaction between Spain and the U.S. was invalid, as the U.S. took control of the Philippines by force The truth is, Filipino revolutionaries won their country’s independence from Spain in June 1896, about six months before Spain and the U.S. signed the Treaty of Paris. They set up their own government under President Emilio Aguinaldo and sent emissaries to various countries, including the U.S. , to ask for official recognition of the sovereign Republic of the Philippines. However, the U.S. rejected them every time. They did this because they wanted to control the Philippines. Spain provided them an easy cover for them to claim the right to do so.

The Spaniards knew that they were going to lose the Philippines, so rather than suffer the embarrassment of surrendering to their former colonials, they chose to stage a fake battle in Manila with U.S. troops so that they could

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ASIAN OUTLOOK

salvage some pride and “surrender” to another Western power instead. Spain did not actually have the right to hand the Philippines over to the U.S. , but the U.S. was one of the strongest military forces in the world, so it had the capability to overpower the Philippines into submission.

As for what happened in the actual PhilippineAmerican War, the armed conflict turned into a bloody conquest of people. At first, the U.S. troops tried to simply fight the revolutionaries head on. The public reason for taking the Philippines was so that they could civilize the “little brown brothers;” they involved the civilians as little as possible. However, the Filipino people did not want to be under another colonial power and overwhelmingly supported the fight against the American forces. Many of them pretended to be the Americans’ allies, or “amigos,” while they secretly passed resources and intelligence to the Filipino forces, who used guerilla tactics since they lacked the firepower to face their enemy head on. Highly frustrated by the Filipino fighters’ sneaky strategies, the U.S. military forces waged war on the civilians. They resorted to the very strategies that the U.S. publicly denounced Spain for using, including relocating people into concentration camps and slaughtering whole towns.

Millions of people died as a result of these atrocities. Of course, the U.S. hid the facts of the war from the American public. The average American at the time was only told that things were “going well” in the Philippines. The main

An unknown cartoon was published from the Minneapolis Tribune in 1898 that shows President McKinley was contemplating whether or not he should return the “savage child” (the Philippines) to Spain. The image of the savage child was a typical view from Americans projected onto groups deemed to be racial inferior at the time.

evidence of war crimes leaked out of private letters that American soldiers wrote to their loved ones at home.

The war officially ended after three years, but fighting continued for about another 10 years. During that time, the U.S. decided that it would give the Filipinos a colonial education, which would gradually erase the thought of rebellion from the Filipinos’ minds. To do so meant blurring over the memory of the PhilippineAmerican War so that history would not remember what happened. They were completely successful. American style education led Filipinos to look up to the U.S. as a model and a land of opportunity, rather than the colonizer it truly was. As U.S. style education took root in the Philippines, resistance against U.S. rule gradually waned until it completely disappeared. Instead, more and more impoverished Filipinos started to take advantage of their new status as U.S. nationals to immigrate to the U.S. , in hopes of earning money to help their families survive.

The Philippine-American War is an example of how

history is written by the victors. The U.S. started the war, tore the land to pieces, and then censored the events at its own convenience. Even today, the Philippine-American War is a relatively obscure topic that is not properly covered in American or Filipino history textbooks.

The greater significance is how U.S. history overlooks and censors similar unflattering episodes. This sort of censorship is dangerous because it means that the U.S. is failing to recognize its wrongdoings. A society cannot work to fix its flaws and mistakes if it does not first give them proper recognition. In a way, history is recognition of what happened in the past, but human biases naturally include certain events and exclude others. In America’s case, the Philippine-American War and other instances of America’s flaws are continually overlooked in favor of examples of America’s flattering points.

References: Luzviminda Francisco, “The First Vietnam: the U.S.-Philippine War of 1899,” in Bulletin of Concerned Asian Scholars, Vol. 5, 1973, pp. 2-16.

Paul Kramer, “The Water Cure: Debating torture and counterinsurgency-- a century ago,” The New Yorker, February 25, 2008.

Funie Hsu, “Colonial Lessons: Racial Politics of Comparison and the Development of American Education Policy in the Philippines,” in the “other” students: Filipino Americans, education, and power, ed. Dina C. Maramba (Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishing Inc. , 2012), 39-62.

Renato Constantino, “The Miseducation of the Filipino,” in Vestiges of War : the Philippine American War and the Aftermath of an Imperial Dream, 1899-1999, ed. Angel Velasco Shaw and Luis H. Francia (New York : New York University Press, c2002), 177-192.

Vol. XXX, Issue 2 9

C

at: How do you feel performing tonight?

Transcribed by Angeles Yeung & Catherine Cortes 10 ASIAN OUTLOOK

about

Anthony: I feel good. I love performing. It’s a blessing to be able to share your craft, and to share it at a place I never thought I’d be.

Binghamton is a cool campus and a cold campus. It’s at the very, very opposite end of the nation for me. It’s cool to be here.

Angeles: How are you enjoying the snow?

Anthony: It’s fun. I like the snow, only because I never get it.

Cat: Is there a ritual that you do before every performance?

Anthony: There’s the standard stretching and warming up, and there’s also the prayer. The prayer is usually the same thing. It’s always a matter of making sure that I’m here doing what I’m meant to do. Not just dancing, not just performing, not just putting on a good show, but I’m doing the work that is bestowed upon me

by God. I also pray for good health and make sure I’m not injured. It’s a nice little prep of mentality, versus physicality, and prep of soul. In order to make sure that you’re doing a holistic performance, not just how well you move, but how well you express how good your energy is.

Angeles: So we have some rapid fire questions for you.

Anthony: Favorite Animal: Tiger Favorite Person: First thing that comes to mind is my girlfriend, but I would probably have to say my dad.

Favorite Place: It’s more like favorite place for different reasons. I love home. I love LA. I love California.

Last thing you ate: Some sort of tomato bisque and grilled cheese. Delicious.

Last movie you watched: Spotlight. It’s the one about Catholic priests. But if you want a more fun answer, it was probably Batman vs. Superman in theaters.

Angeles: Which team are you for?

Anthony: In terms of DC versus Marvel? Oh, in terms of Batman versus Superman? That’s so tough.

I like Batman, in terms of being the underdog, being able to do what he does, and of course there’s a human relatability to it. I love Superman because there are such cool ideals about Superman growing up.

Angeles: Do you have any hobbies you’re into?

Anthony: I love filmmaking and cinematography. I was a film major

in college which I translate to our Youtube videos. I know that we aspire to make short films, maybe featurelength ones, theater shows, and all that sort of stuff anyway. I love seeing things come to life on video.

Cat: Because we know you like ping pong...

Anthony: I do love ping pong. I’m not good at it, but I enjoy it. I don’t know if they’re comparable, but I know that for cinematography and filmmaking, when we get a chance to put something out onto the interwebs and people watch it, number one, there’s a personal feeling of enjoyment of seeing somebody watch something.

And then there’s a secondary, more powerful, everlasting feeling of inspiration, on both ends, whether people are receiving inspiration, or whether they are giving it to do more.

Angeles: Would you ever move out of California?

Anthony: Yeah, absolutely. I would definitely move out of California, but I would do it for the experience of life. I wouldn’t do it because I don’t like living there. I would love to live in the City of New York for a year or two. I don’t know if I would raise kids there. I would love to live in Spain. I studied abroad there one summer and it was a phenomenal, beautiful, and wonderful place. I would love to live in Korea for a moment, or Japan to sink my feet into different understandings, different cultures, and different perspectives. One of the coolest things about being somewhere

else is not just how awesome it is, but how it changes your perception of your home. Everything is relative, right? The idea that like, for example, I exist here right now in this space, but if there were somebody next to me, then I would be to the right of them. But if they weren’t there, then I would only be here. It’s kind of like the concept of relativity.

The same thing goes for going somewhere else. The second you understand a different culture, whether it be the food, the language, or driving on the other side of the road, it makes you think about the things that you normally do in your daily life here that we, not that we take for granted, but we do it so daily that we don’t think about other people doing it differently. So that relativity makes it feel really, really cool.

Angeles: So your experience in Binghamton…

Anthony: Yeah, the easiest thing to compare is weather. I know it’s so simple and cliché. You guys might be sick of the snow, but I’d walk around and step on it and go, “Snow!” It’s really cool because we don’t have it.

I think it’s a really cool thing because it makes me feel small. When you go somewhere else and go, “Woah, world.”

Angeles: Where do you see yourself in five years?

Anthony: I see myself traveling a lot less. Right now, almost more than 50 percent of my year is like in the clouds, and somewhere else. I’m

like barely sleeping in my bed and [instead] sleeping in hotel beds all the time. I did a tour in Singapore and Australia for two and a half weeks.

I’m doing a Euro tour for eleven days next week. After that, I’m going to Canada for a week, and then China for three weeks. So, it’s like I’m never home. And it’s awesome, don’t get me wrong. It’s phenomenal to go places.

Cat: You get to go with people you care about.

Anthony: Absolutely, but then I’m also missing my best friends’, my mom’s, my parents’, and my sister’s birthday. Last year or two years ago, I missed my sister’s engagement party.

There’s a lot of other things that I miss as well. I want to move into a direction where I’m traveling not because I have to, but because I want to. I can stay home, that way I can settle down, get married, raise a family, stuff like that. I don’t want to be an absentee father, you know, for my future kid.

Oh that, and we just opened up our dance studio, the Kinjaz Dojo.

So I’d love for our curriculum to be strong and my involvement to be really powerful there in order to build relationships with the students that come in and really develop our community. I think in 5 years that can be a very, very powerful thing. The impact won’t really show until years down the line.

Cat: How did you begin your dance career?

Anthony: I think it’s probably more fruitful to share how I didn’t

Vol. XXX, Issue 2 11

begin. I loved Michael Jackson. I’d always be that kid, like a lot of others, who would imitate dance moves on the kitchen floor in his socks, moonwalking all over the place. I remember being in high school, and I was curious about dance because my older sister by two years was in dance production. I scoped it out one time and it was all girls and one guy.

Needless to say, the guy happened to be gay and at the time, in the early 2000s, that was not socially accepted in Orange County. It would have been, in my mind at the time, social suicide to be like “Oh, I can’t join that because people are going to think I’m gay.”

I’m only transparent with that now because I realized how ignorant it is to not be accepting.

When I got to college and suddenly saw all these guys dancing everywhere with these girls on hip hop teams, I wanted to start, but for all the wrong reasons. That’s important to note, because I feel like I’m trying to adjust my mentality for why I dance, not just what I dance, but why. I wanted to impress girls, I wanted to be cool, and have something to identify with.

Just as much as I guess people look at me now and they’re like “Hey, you’re a dancer.” I think that’s really cool because even though I started for those reasons, it is a kind of an identity thing now. It is a little bit of a self-esteem thing. But, why I started was because I didn’t have something that was like “yo, I’m good at this.”

You know, I’m cool for this reason.

As a young adolescent, I wanted those things. I wanted to feel confident, so I tried to pick something up and practice as hard as I could and went

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from there.

Now, I realize that dance is a platform. It’s a vehicle for me to get places, to make a positive impact on people that are influenced by what I do. I want to make sure that my social influence is a reflection of my social responsibility to use those things for the right reasons. And now, I’m trying my best to make sure that, as I go places and share my craft, to share my philosophy on things. I’m doing it in a way to empower other people, or to bring about the best positive impact that they can have in the short amount of time that I’m there.

Angeles: This kind of explains your involvement with the nonprofit group Culture Shock.

Anthony: Absolutely, Culture Shock is an amazing non-profit organization that bridges the gap between hip hop culture and a lot of underserved communities and the

youth in general. When you’re a kid, you can get into different things.

You’re either going to get really into one thing or another. It could be video games at home, and being able to get up and dance, and like, give you some sort of physical activity or social circle, which is a good thing for you. Or it could be like gang-related things. I mean, it’s L.A. There’s a lot of options is all I’m saying, good and bad. It’s giving people a thing to be a part of. So when I joined that, I became the director for the last three years. I did my part to artistically represent Culture Shock so that people could pay attention. First, raise awareness to who we were, and second, once people are aware, that’s when we can educate them on what we do and who we are.

I’m also part of a non-profit called Eayikes, which we did a recent video with. It is a youth outreach program out in Long Beach for selfempowerment through the arts. So there’s a lot of underserved kids out there as well. Some are not, some are regular kids. Not everybody is at-risk, but at the same time, some are. We go out there, and we do little workshops, whether it’s group activities, cooking, dancing, turn-tableism, or graffiti art, things that will get them to realize their fullest potential. There are outlets for them to find themselves, in order to maximize what they’re meant to do. I think it’s really important to reciprocate what the craft has done for me. It’s made me a more confident person. It’s given me something that I can identify with and share. It’s given me something that isn’t just a “me” thing. It’s a connection. Through this culture and art, I’ve gotten a chance to connect with people. I’m here now in

an interview because of what I’ve been able to do with dance. I think that’s an astoundingly powerful thing.

And to recognize, acknowledge, and appreciate what that is, to respect it, is to do my best, to put my best foot forward in order to make use of it.

Angeles: We admire the things that you do.

Anthony: I appreciate it. I’m humbled by the idea that I’m in random places and being interviewed.

I really think that at the end of the day, I’m a student all day, everyday. I will never be that much more than that.

To be in a constant state of learning and growth is a great thing. It means there’s so much more to life that I’m always going to be able to receive. So I’m happy, humbled, and honored to do what I do, be where I am, speak to whom I speak to.

Cat: How did you and your friend Mike Song form Kinjaz?

Anthony: Mike Song is my brother for life. He’s my best friend that I met him in college in a little dance circle.

It’s a really funny story, which I won’t get into. Another time.

We became best friends throughout college. We joined separate dance teams. I was on a team called CADC, which was the Chinese Association Dance Crew and he was on a team called Kaba Modern, and we would compete against each other, almost like cross-town rivals, if you will.

Even though we lived with each other we never really got the chance to dance with each other. After I graduated in 2008, I went into a sales job for a year and a half until 2010. I eventually got promoted and I was supposed to move out to Arizona to open up my own office out there. So, I was going to hang up my dancing shoes. I thought to myself, “Oh God, I have one last performance.” It was the last hurrah, not to necessarily wow the crowd, but for me to do all the things that I always wanted to do onstage.

So, we brought up our colleagues who don’t even dance, our friends that we were homies with through college, and we brought them on stage. We drank alcohol on stage in front of like three thousand people because we wanted to. We wanted to do a bunch of stupid things. At the time we were heavy into Naruto, and we were watching Nigahiga, anime, and stuff. I called up my boy Mike and I’m like, “Yo dude, I got this spot at Vibe, this huge West Coast dance competition. You’re either going to

embarrass me by letting me go out there by myself, or you’re going to get down with me. This is my last show.” So, he’s like, “Alright, cool.” He cancelled all his jobs for that month, and we pulled all our friends together, literally just the homies. And we were like let’s have some fun onstage. That ended up being 2010 at Vibe, a show we called “Anbu Black Ops.” And it got a standing ovation. We did this twelve-minute show that was so unapologetically who we were that people loved it so much that it was the greatest performance, the greatest feeling, I’ve ever gotten in my entire life, even until now. That Thursday, I quit my job because I didn’t know why I was leaving. It’s not that I wanted to dance for my life. I knew that there’s something more than just chasing paper, than just work, than just trying to find money and success.

Cat: That surreal feeling that you felt, did you think, am I ever going to experience this again?

Anthony: Yeah, I would rather have that feeling a dozen times than make a ton of money. I know when I pass, that money doesn’t mean anything to me, but that feeling, that impact, that moment, oh man, that’s the truest version of life.

Cat: You can never recreate moments like that.

Anthony: Absolutely, so we had that group, and we were like, “Yo, let’s keep kicking it.” It was never supposed to be a dance crew, it was like a brotherhood. We pulled the people we loved kicking it with, the people we had a great time being around. It wasn’t about who’s super talented, it was about who we vibed with. On the daily “Who am I going to kick it with?

Who am I going to kick it with outside of rehearsal?”

Cat: Your family?

Anthony: Yeah exactly, that’s who it was, and then we just stayed together!

Cat: Since you didn’t originally plan to become an official dance crew, how did being invited to ABDC change that, did it change anything?

Anthony: Mike and I focused more on our solo careers for a couple of years. We went around the world, worked on choreo, learned and taught different things. As gratifying and awesome as it was, when you go out somewhere and you only push your own name, it only goes so far. The idea of an everlasting legacy isn’t as potent. If I go around the world and tell everyone my own name is Anthony Lee, the second I’m dead or I can’t go somewhere is the second that push stops. Very few people will go around saying “No, we have to push Anthony Lee,” but Kinjaz is different.

It’s a brotherhood. It’s a philosophy.

It’s a mentality, an idea. It’s a brand, something people can believe in and ultimately be a part of.

Our mission is to innovate and entertain, to positively impact the world through movement, media and mentality, and that’s really important because it gives us the why. Anytime we are in question of what or why or how we are doing something, we revert back to our mission. To understand that we are here not to necessarily change the world, but to do what we can for it in the time we are given.

Once we realized that people coming together can do something so much more powerful than a single person could was when we took everything seriously, and then when we started taking it seriously, suddenly ABDC comes back. I guess timing plays an interesting part.

We started saying “let’s do this thing for real” in late 2014. Mike and I said we were gonna stop traveling for a while and take this giant road trip across America to help us get on the same page of life and reevaluate what we wanted to do with our lives. Then a bird started chirping in our ear and we heard these things about ABDC coming back. We had no intention of doing it. They kept asking us to over and over. We asked, “Who else is doing it?” They mentioned only that all past champions are participating. Our reaction was “why are you inviting us? To have all these dance crews who’ve won the season before go against each other and this new crew out of the blue? Yeah, we do things in our dance community, but nobody in

Vol. XXX, Issue 2 13

the world really knows who we are so to speak, unless you’re a fan of dance.”

We thought, however, it’s time to stop questioning whether we should do it or not and question why is it being presented to us.

So we went on the show in a sense, not in a conniving way, but with our own agenda: it was a means to an end.

We didn’t care for the win ‘til the last week, we didn’t know we were going to make it to the finals. All we wanted to do was to get on there and best represent ourselves, to help accelerate what we were trying to do in life in order to use it as a platform to get a little bit more notoriety so we could do things we really, really wanted to do with our mission statement a lot easier, and it worked out. I’m so thankful we got to stay on the show all the way until the very end with Quest, who are great friends of ours and we were also, in turn, challenged to do things we’ve never done before and push ourselves to extreme ends. After the show, it wasn’t like “that was it, we kept that run.” We kept doing things we wanted to do, we opened up the studio regardless. We are continually pushing our artistry in hopes of doing our part in positively impacting the world.

Cat: So you feel like ABDC just helped Kinjaz push forward what you were already planning to do?

14 ASIAN OUTLOOK

Anthony: If you really pay attention to us and what we’ve done in the last two years, you’ll see the spark that happened in 2014 with Kinjaz before ABDC even came back.

Then you’ll realize that when we did it, and if you watch the show now, and if you literally pay attention to every episode, it’s an arc reflection of our artistry. We didn’t always come out and do the same thing.

We went to every extent that we could, whether it was beatboxing to different styles of music, whether it be expressive contemporary art like in our last episode to dancing in our first episode, to using different props, we just showcase the things we could do. More importantly, one of our performances was to Troyboi’s O.G. We did a whole dojo panel concept.

We did that knowing that it was going to be a giant commercial for our dojo.

Even before we opened Kinjaz Dojo, we had ten thousand Instagram followers on that account. We knew we were going to open the studio anyway, we just wanted to use TV as a platform. MTV basically paid for our commercial.

Cat: That’s amazing, now that I look back on it.

Anthony: Yeah, nobody thinks of it like that.

Cat: Do you have any upcoming projects besides the Euro tour for the Kinjaz?

Anthony: One of the biggest things for sure is that we want to continue pushing our artistry via social platforms. We have a showcase that we want to put together that is going to grow into an international hub or magnet for different dances from all over the world to come to California to showcase who they are. The Dojo, once we open up its curriculum and open up youth programs and kid classes years down the line, will probably have kid groups and different things that can shape our community and will give an outlet for the future, we have lots of plans.

Cat: I know you said promoting yourself only goes so far, but do you have any solo projects in mind?

Anthony: Everything for me is to push Kinjaz. To me, Kinjaz is who I am, not what I do. It’s nourishment enough. To see people go out there and be a fan of what we do or wear our clothes, it’s an extremely humbling and honoring feeling, so I’m going to keep on pushing, it’s who I am until the end of days.

Cat: Any special shout outszzz?

Anthony: Special shout out to CASU & AO, the people who brought me out here. It’s a privilege.

Winner Y Exit: E

(Album Review)

By Jenny Lu

G Entertainment’s five-member boy group, Winner, made a comeback on February 1, 2016, after more than a year from their debut, with their first extended play, “Exit: E.” YG Entertainment, home of popular South Korean groups and artists such as 2NE1, Big Bang, and Psy, debuted Winner in August 2014 with their first album, “24 S/S.” Members of Winner, a group created from the winners of YG Entertainment’s own reality survival program, “Who is Next: WIN,” participated in most of the songs’ production, including writing lyrics and composing the music for their latest album.

“Exit: E” consists of five songs with a mix of genres including ballad, dance and rock. Showing their musical colors through their mostly self- produced album, Winner strives to prove that they are not simply another South Korean boy group that can sing and dance. With members from different musical backgrounds, such as Song Minho (main rapper) who made a name for himself as an underground rapper, and Kang Seungyoon (leader and lead vocalist) who was placed fourth in “Superstar K,” a Korean version of “American Idol,” the extended play shows a different side of the members that has not been seen before. To simply pick one title song from the EP will not do justice to the other songs, thus prompting two title songs, “Baby Baby” and “Sentimental” along with a pre-released single, “Pricked.” In the end, “Exit: E” contains four singles, each with its own music video for separate promotional purposes.

One of the title songs, “Baby Baby,” proves worthy of being a title song and the opening song of the EP as the different vocal colors of the members are being

Vol. XXX, Issue 2 15

presented throughout the entirety of the song. The unique baritone vocal of Seungyoon, the tenor vocals of Nam Taehyun (main vocalist) and Kim Jinwoo (vocalist), and lastly the light raps of Minho and Lee Seunghoon (lead rapper) pairs well with the light guitar chords and percussions. All these elements bring out the ballad-like ambience of the song. Calling out to a potential lover to hopefully pass the night with her instead of staying in and being lonely for the night, the song is used as the mood-maker and helps solidify the significance of each of the following songs in the EP. The second title song, “Sentimental,” shows a more dance-like side of Winner. A considerably more upbeatsounding song, the lyrics actually prove otherwise.

Following the first title song, “Sentimental” portrays the feeling of sentiment and the longing for a previous lover for the night. The song certainly gives a nice twist to the mood of the EP by masking the deep longing for someone with the happy beats from the percussion.

Proving itself as a title song, “Sentimental” sure does bring out the listener’s sympathy towards the yearning from a past relationship.

“Immature,” the only song that was not promoted as a single, brings the rock n’ roll out of Winner.

The comparatively heavier elements of background percussion sounds paired well along with each of the member’s voice. Showing the fun side of Winner, the song denotes what youth is: immaturity. “Immature” perhaps rings a bell in many of the listeners’ minds: the wanting of staying young. It is a relatable song to the mass of youth; Winner manages to capture the listener’s heart with this colorful song.

Bringing out the calm vocals of Taehyun, his solo song

16 ASIAN OUTLOOK

“I’m Young” shows an emotional side of any relationship that is at its end. This ballad depicts a youngster who is still in love with a person he broke up with already. With a mostly quiet background music that pairs quite well with Taehyun’s vocals, the feeling of still liking an exlover is well portrayed throughout the song. This song is a nice change of genre from the previous songs, which further proves the colorfulness of Winner.

The pre-released single, “Pricked,” sung by Minho and Taehyun, brings out the ballad side of Winner. The half-singing, half-rapping voice of Minho with a hint of baritone richness blends well with Taehyun’s airy vocals to create the harmony of the song. Singing about a relationship that has turned into a thorn and how the continuance of the relationship will bring pain, even though they will still continue to remember the lover, Minho and Taehyun’s duet fits quite well with the EP’s name: “Exit: E” with the sense of exiting the painful relationship. The melancholy background of the guitar sound combined with the somber mood of the singers brings the listeners in sync with the agony expressed throughout the song.

Overall, “Exit: E” has an interesting variety of songs that ultimately ties back to the ending of a relationship.

By being able to produce different styles of music to represent the meaning of the exiting of a relationship, Winner certainly has brought a fitting title to their first extended play. Every one of the members is able to contribute his unique style of vocalization and the deep meanings hidden in the lyrics and music, which in the end proves that Winner is more than a typical South Korean boy group. “Exit: E” is certainly worth anyone’s time. Give it a listen and appreciate the talents of the group.

Vol. XXX, Issue 2 17

LIVING WITH A FOREIGN FAMILY

W

HEN I WAS 17, I made the biggest decision in my life, to leave my native country and stay abroad. I was excited about the chance to explore the world outside of China, but I really didn’t know what to expect from life in a foreign country. I didn’t even know if I could bear the homesickness that I would have. Even though there should have been a lot for me to be worried about, I was too excited and curious to be afraid.

When I arrived at the airport, I saw my host family holding a board with my name on it, and at that moment, I knew that my new adventure had started. I wondered how it felt to live with a puppy, how it felt to have siblings, and how it felt to celebrate Christmas in America. Living with my host family is a dream come true for me, an amazing adventure. I feel the most relaxed and content with them. From the moment I arrived, my host dad’s big smile and warm hug comforted me. The first thing he did when we got home was open the refrigerator doors, and tell me that everything here was for me because I was part of the family. This gesture made me feel welcome. My integration into this lovely family was easy, even though I was an only child back home. I have three siblings and we get to do homework, run, and walk the dog together.

The household’s open-minded discussions are respectful and their opinions are honored. We talked about political agendas between China and the U.S. and we learned about how our different cultures have influenced our points of view. Although we may disagree about politics, we always end up with a healthy

18 ASIAN OUTLOOK

By Danlei (Gladys) Xiang conclusion. Living in China for 17 years has given me a very traditional outlook with limited adventures and freespirited activities. At first, my curiosity was consumed by the outdoor shower, I wondered what it would be like to shower outside. It took a lot of encouragement for me to use the shower, but when I did, the water, the fresh air, and the starry night gave me a sense of freedom. My second exhilarating experience involved the family lawn mower. The first time I saw my host dad mowing a lawn, I asked for his permission to try it for the first time, and he granted me permission. It was quite amusing for me!

There are so many wonderful things that take place at home with my host family. One stands out far above all others, and that would be my experience celebrating Christmas here. My host family owns a local coffee shop, and we delivered free coffee around the neighborhood. It was a family tradition to appreciate all the support that they have received from the neighborhood. It was very different for me to start my Christmas by waking up people on Christmas with a warm cup of coffee and blessed greetings.

The two years staying with my host family has given me some of the most valuable memories in my life. Their love and care made me feel likeI was one of their own daughters. Instead of being homesick, I feel fortunate to have met this hospitable American family who loves me. I am very grateful for the experience of living with them. The love, intimacy, and warmth that my host family brings to me everyday will always be valued greatly.

Forgotten Dreams

By Kelly Zhang

“

What do you want to be when you graduate?”

Ever since I came to college, I have been asked this question whenever my parents start a conversation during a dinner. I would always hesitate and laugh awkwardly in order to conceal the embarrassment behind my response to the question.

“I don’t know yet, I’m still trying to figure out,” or “I just need more time to consider everything.” I could only give them a customized answer every time they asked me the question, knowing that I need to deliberate before making the final decision. But honestly, the real question lies between choosing a career that I’m passionate about or choosing a job that pays well.

Ironically, comparing myself from the past to the person that I am now, I have drifted further and further away from the dream that I had as a kid. In kindergarten, I was so obsessed with dancing that I dreamt of being a dancer when I grew up. It seems like it was only yesterday when I was dancing and tripping on stage in front of an audience, whose eyes looked at me with excitement and appreciation. When I was younger, I thought dancing could be something that I could do for the rest of my life. As I grew older, I saw my cousins graduate from Ivy League universities and receive many job offerings after graduation. I listened to the life stories of a neighbor’s son who ended up working at a notable company and watched his parents’ black hair turn grey from the pressure of balancing work and family. I began to doubt my dream and started to contemplate the practicality of pursuing a dancing career. Could I make a living on a dream that looks incredibly unrealistic in a world like this? Would I be able to take care of myself and the ones

I love?

Coming to the U.S. when I was 14, my parents sacrificed numerous things that they love. Without knowing any English, they brought me and my sister into a completely new country. I can still vividly remember my parents’ faces when they failed to understand people who spoke English; the weeks that my mom couldn’t find a job because she could not communicate with her coworkers; and the expression on my dad’s face when he came back from a stressful day of work. I know that they had a very difficult time adjusting to the American way of life.

Sometimes, I overheard their conversations at night about their stress and the only time that I saw them excited was when they called our relatives back in China. I could see the excitement flowing in their eyes whenever they spoke in Chinese. I saw everything they did for me. Instead of complaining about their problems in front of me and my sister, my mom and dad always told me one thing— that is to study as hard as I can so I will have a good life when I get out of school. The stereotypical advice from my parents had a huge impact on me. I gradually realized that having a job is not only about chasing my childhood dream, but also a responsibility that I need to hold for the sacrifice that my parents took for me and my sister.

As someone who came from an immigrant family, I was taught to be a respectful, hard-working and dedicated person all my life. However, I was never taught to be extraordinary. For me, the purpose of getting an education isn’t about completing wishes or chasing dreams anymore. Going to college means that I will have the ability to support my family and be the backbone of those who love me. It is sad to say that reality changed my way of perceiving the world. In reality, our dream seems so tiny and vulnerable as if it does not mean anything.

Before coming to college, people told me that college is a place to learn and grow, a place to explore and discover, as well as a place to transform and succeed. At the same time, we are told that it is the right thing to live a normal life and get a job that pays us regularly. In the end, which one is the right thing to do: working to make a living or continue chasing the dreams that we held onto when we were young?

Vol. XXX, Issue 2 19

Asian Student Union Yearbook

Fall 2015 ~ Spring 2016

Featuring

...

KASA CASU

PAL AO 20 ASIAN OUTLOOK

ASU

BUJA

TASC

VSA Vol. XXX, Issue 2 21

Asian Student Union

A

lex: What will you remember most during your time as president?

Lily: The fact that I got to work with the ASU e-board and have such wonderful interns. Everyone just doing their part in ASU, I didn’t expect it to be that way.

Alex: What was something you didn’t know about being president that you learned on the job?

Lily: You can’t do everything on your own. In the beginning I thought,

22 ASIAN OUTLOOK

“I can do this by myself because I did this before,” but you realize that you don’t have the time. Also, sometimes you would invest a lot of energy into something that wouldn’t materialize, and you need to push past these problems and focus on the goals you want to achieve. Ultimately, you need to push forward instead of focusing on the small stuff.

Alex: Do you have a specific example?

Lily: At the start of the year, I thought that I would have to invest a lot of time fixing problems from last year, but I decided to focus on new projects, such as having interns in the fall. Last year we didn’t have interns, and I feel like this year, the interns added a new dynamic to e-board and made it more fun and interesting.

Alex: What advice would you give to the next ASU president?

Lily: Try to connect more with your e-board. Being president seems like a lonely position, where your vicepresident can help you a bit with your e-board and your treasurer can

help with BOD, but ultimately, the ASU’s standing relies on your work as president. But reaching out and incorporating your entire e-board will make it easier for everyone. Also don’t stress out over the small stuff, as long as the show goes on, everything will be fine.

Alex: How would you sell your subgroup to an unknowing freshman?

Lily: Most people come to college with a specific goal in mind, they want to study medicine or law, etc.

These career goals don’t necessarily mean you have to be single-minded in your career path. ASU represents a social group that includes a lot of diverse people, who you otherwise wouldn’t meet if you just stuck to your career path. Everyone in ASU is commonly linked by a shared interest, and with so many events, it is easy to make friends. Between ASU and the subgroups, there are all kinds of events, from DIY to big performances like Asian Night that everyone can participate in.

Alex: What was the moment that made you feel that being president was worth it?

Lily: Being the only returning member from last year, I was the only one with knowledge of how to run Asian Night, and the amount of coordination necessary. At the start of the year, I felt like the odd one out because the rest of my e-board all knew each other, but the dynamic slowly changed with the inclusion of interns. Soon everyone all bonded, and during Asian Night I realized how efficient my e-board is and how we could be more ambitious this year because of how much my e-board cares.

Alex: What would you say to your e-board?

Lily: They’ve made my senior so interesting. Without ASU I would have so much free time, but I don’t mind because of how great my e-board is.

Alex: How would you describe your e-board?

Lily: They can be very sassy. On the other hand, sometimes they are very quiet. Also, they work hard and play hard. During meetings I will see them on Snapchat all the time, and I would check their Snapchat timelines and ask myself, “Why are they always on Snapchat?” But even though they are on Snapchat, they still get all the necessary work done during e-board meetings. I never need to remind them of deadlines. They get their work done on schedule.

Alex: How has working on e-board changed you as a person?

Lily: I used to be a lot more sassy, but after becoming president, I find myself watching what I say more

often. Also, I learned to include more people in discussions.

Alex: Because ASU represents multiple cultures, what dish from any Asian culture would you eat for the rest of your life?

Lily: I would pick rice because it’s just so important. There are so many good dishes throughout the span of all Asian cultures, so it’s hard to pick only one that stands out. But rice is so integral to many of the cultures, and it can be used in a wide variety of ways, so I would pick rice.

Alex: What hobbies do you want to pick up?

Lily: I tried snowboarding last year and hated it, but this year my friends convinced me to try it again.

I went snowboarding multiple times this past winter, and I learned to properly snowboard. I would also want to do more volunteer work. I did a lot of volunteering sophomore year, but haven’t done much recently, and I want to give back more to the community.

Alex: What are your plans after graduation?

Lily: I am going to work for BAE systems here in Binghamton, so if future ASU people need me, I’m just right here. I will be working in the engineering development leadership program, rotating positions over the course of three years, while also getting a Masters degree out of it.

Alex: Where would be your dream vacation?

Lily: The Maldives, living in tiny huts with the crystal clear ocean.

Alex: What’s on your playlist right now?

Lily: Cash Cash, Chainsmokers, and other EDM stuff, just because I am going to EDC with Karen.

Alex: If you could play any part in a TV show or movie, what part would it be?

Lily: The sassy woman, because they come in and add a new dimension to the cast of characters.

Alex: What is on your bucket list?

Lily: I don’t have a bucket list. If I want to do something, I just do it.

Vol. XXX, Issue 2 23

BU japanese association

A

lex: What will you remember most during your time as president?

Azusa: What I will remember most will be the times when the e-board would work together collectively and try their hardest to bring an event together for the general public to enjoy.

Alex: Can you give a specific example?

Azusa: The best example is the work they put in for Japan Night. Planning for Japan Night begins in the fall

24 ASIAN OUTLOOK

semester; we plan everything over the course of multiple weeks. Japan Night is what keeps us motivated.

Alex: What was something you didn’t know about being president that you learned on the job?

Azusa: Things don’t go your way, but that’s okay.

Alex: What advice would you give to your next president?

Azusa: Trust your e-board and chill. A former president asked me why I ran for president; he described how stressful the job was and how he needed to micromanage things.

I feel like things only feel that way if you don’t trust your e-board to accomplish the goals you set forth, so trusting your e-board is the most important thing.

Alex: How would you sell your subgroup to an unknowing freshman?

Azusa: BUJA is the only opportunity to interact with Japanese expatriates. Recently the number of Japanese people coming to the US has

been shrinking, and many expatriates only stay for a limited amount of time, before going back. Also, BUJA, in general, is for people who want to learn more about Japanese culture.

Alex:What was the moment that made you feel that being president was worth it?

Azusa: What makes it worth it is seeing other people enjoying our events and people making more friends.

Alex: What would you say to your e-board?

Azusa: You guys are little rascals who make me laugh, but you also do work.

Alex: How would you describe your e-board?

Azusa: My e-board is pretty diverse.

We have the international students, we have Japanese-Americans, and we also have those who don’t know the language or culture, but who are willing to stay up all night for BUJA, and I think that’s cool.

Alex: How would you describe yourself?

Azusa: I would describe myself as intimidating, but also reasonable.

I feel like if anything goes wrong, as long as you tell me, and I see you worked hard, I wouldn’t mind.

Alex: How has your subgroup changed since you first joined?

Azusa: BUJA has become more inclusive and diverse. In the past, BUJA was very exclusive. My freshman year, some thought that it was more like a personal club for only Japanese and Japanese-American students. We’ve really opened up since then. Two years ago we wanted to include more people and expand the social circle. I think even the little things, such as saying “hi” when we see general body members, has helped change BUJA’s focus.

Alex: If you had to eat one dish from your subgroup’s culture for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Azusa: Kitsune Udon.

Alex: What hobbies do you want to pick up? Please do not say League.

Azusa: League. . . I want to re-pickup dancing and drawing.

Alex: Any hobbies you want to learn?

Azusa: Picking up an instrument, like the piano or guitar.

Alex: What are your plans after graduation?

Azusa: Getting a business management position because I like what I do now.

Alex: Where would be your dream vacation? What would you do there?

Azusa: Visit Europe for the first time, and go to all the art museums.

Specifically, Rome and Paris, because I am a huge classicist.

Alex: What was the last book you read/movie you watched?

Azusa: “One Hundred Demons,” a comic book by Linda Barry. It’s like an autobiography, but with a twist.

Parts of it are dark, because of her childhood, and it’s drawn in a way where she just lets all of her emotions out, hence “One Hundred Demons,” because she is letting all her demons out.

Alex: If you could play any part in a TV show or movie, what part would it be?

Azusa: The American version of “The Office.” I don’t want to play any of the characters; I just want to be a new addition to the cast.

Alex: What is on your bucket list?

Azusa: Go to art museums.

Alex: Which art museums?

Azusa: Any that’s not the Met. Also, I want to go to one World of Dance show.

Vol. XXX, Issue 2 25

Chinese-American Students Union

A

lex: What will you remember most during your time as president?

Belle: What I will remember most during my time as president is the people I work with on CASU e-board.

Everyone came in and was very different, all of them with different goals. I feel like by the end of the year they all came out focused on one goal, while also connecting with one another. Seeing that transition makes it feel really great since you’ve done something, including helping people become better versions of themselves

26 ASIAN OUTLOOK

by the end of the year.

Alex: What was something you learned about being president while on the job?

Belle: I learned a lot of the treasurer duties along the way. Also, compared to being a regular e-board member for the past two years, stepping up to a leadership position, it was difficult leading the first two meetings. It is different being a role-player and a leader.

Alex: What advice would you give to your next president?

Belle: Definitely be open-minded.

Also, I would say to start off being strict with your e-board, and make sure all the rules and foundations are set. Then, later on, you can ease up and work with people’s schedules. But if I had to restart as president, I think I would be stricter in the beginning.

Alex: What would say to your e-board?

Belle: I am really proud of you guys for all the hard work that you have done. The best part of all this was that people didn’t seem to stress out over CASU while getting all their work done.

I felt that even if people did stress over CASU, they were able to power through.

Sometimes, there were bumps along the way but in the end, everyone was able to persevere and dig deep. Also, the fact that everyone bonded over the year makes it especially touching as president.

Alex: How did you feel when your e-board members were able to persevere through challenges?

Belle: I was proud of them as both their friend and as their president.

They respected me as president and completed their work on time. I was also proud of them as their friend because it meant that they didn’t want to let me down.

Alex: How would you describe yourself as president?

Belle: I would say I was a friendly president. I wasn’t as strict as previous presidents, which may seem to some as a weakness. People may think its a weakness because at times it might feel as though you are patronizing people to get them complete work, compared to previous years when presidents would scare people. But it was also a strength

because in the end, everyone worked together without any problems.

Alex: How would you describe yourself to strangers?

Belle: Like a jellybean from Harry Potter. You don’t know a bad flavor is good until you eat it, like you don’t judge a book by its cover. A lot of my e-board didn’t know that I was silly until they started to get to know me during meetings and during tabling.

The people who did know me didn’t know that I could be a leader and strict.

Alex: How has working on e-board changed you as a person?

Belle: My patience definitely grew.

I learned not to be short-tempered.

Managing an e-board that was twelve and now eighteen people definitely increased my patience and decreased my short temper.

Alex: How has your subgroup changed since you first joined?

Belle: I think CASU has changed exponentially. Last year we were able to get the most grants that I had previously known of. This year, we outdid that. I am proud of how we are progressing,

and how we aren’t stagnant. I like how we are incorporating tradition and adding a modern twist, making us go above and beyond from where we’ve been previously.

Alex: If you had to eat one dish from your subgroup’s culture, what would it be?

Belle: I would eat dumplings because I have always been eating them, and I will continue to eat them for the rest of my life.

Alex: Where have you gone backpacking?

Belle: Europe, and China. I backpacked across China with my sister and my two nieces. I was babysitting my nieces while backpacking. In Europe, I’ve been to Amsterdam, London, Paris, and Belgium.

Alex: What are your plans after graduation?

Belle: I plan on traveling right after graduation. I want to explore everywhere before I get old and can’t move anymore.

Alex: Where would your dream vacation be?

Belle: I want to go to Africa, especially Botswana and South Africa.

I want to go on the safari and work with animals. One of my life goals is to be a veterinarian or trainer and work in Africa.

Alex: What song would you listen to?

Belle: I would listen to. . . . Fool’s Gold

by Aaron Carter.

Alex: If you could play any part in a TV show or movie, what would it be?

Belle: I want to be Ugly Betty, or the character Anne Hathaway plays in the Princess Diaries, before she gets a makeover.

Alex: Besides traveling, and being a veterinarian, what else is on your bucket list?

Belle: Skydiving, but no bungee jumping; making my mom proud (aww. .); seeing my nieces grow up and growing old. Me having kids? Do I want kids? Nah, I don’t know.

Vol. XXX, Issue 2 27

Korean American Student Association

B

rian: What will you remember most during your time as president?

Jess: I think it’s rehearsals for K-night. Right now we’re doing fan dance practice and I think it’s the time where we bond the most. It’s less professional and more personal, where we can all connect more on a friend basis. It’s definitely more fun than just sitting around, meeting or talking about what we should do. The friendships, yeah. We’ve definitely gotten a lot closer than our

28 ASIAN OUTLOOK

previous e-board, which was kind of my primary goal. So it just made everything a lot easier this year.

Brian: What was something you didn’t know about being president that you learned on the job?

Jess: Not everyone is going to agree with you. It doesn’t matter if you’re in a position of power or not.

Everyone’s always going to have their own opinions and I think that doing what you believe is best for the e-board is what is most important.

Brian: How would you sell your subgroup to an unknowing freshman?

Jess: I think KASA is very family oriented; it’s more than just a cultural subgroup. Our biggest appeal is that it’s not only somewhere that you go to learn about Korean culture, but also you form friendships like bigs and littles.

Brian: What was the moment that made you feel that being president was worth it?

Jess: I think it’s during our biggest

and most successful moments, like Korean banquet, Kimbap fundraisers, and even smaller events.

In the beginning, I can only do so much to help them learn and prep, and then when I see how far they’ve come and how much they’ve grown and learned, it’s definitely a worthy moment for me.

Brian: What would you say to your e-board?

Jess: Thank you for everything!

I guess I’m just really thankful and thanks for letting me boss you around for a year and actually giving me the respect and your efforts. Thanks for letting me never have to yell. It was just a really good experience.

Brian: How would you describe your e-board?

Jess: My e-board is definitely unique. I’ve been on e-board for three years now and this is the most different kind of e-board I’ve experienced, not because I’m president, but the people are so different. They definitely bring different perspectives, which is good.

I guess I can just say that we’re really close, it seems. A lot of the time, we really enjoy each other’s company.

Like meetings don’t feel like work and when we do events, it’s just worth it. Even during the hard times, we appreciate each other.

Brian: How would you describe yourself?

Jess: I think I’m a pretty flexible person. Definitely being president has made me even more flexible, like always having to respect people’s opinions even though I don’t agree with them. But I think I’m a little bit understanding in that of course e-board isn’t our priority, school comes first. I think I’m someone they can rely on outside of being president or an e-board member, but also as a friend.

Brian: What are your greatest strengths and weakness?

Jess: I think I’m super organized which is why being president wasn’t that much of a difficult task for me.

I think my greatest weakness is that sometimes I’m afraid to ask for help.

Usually even with e-board stuff, I’d rather do it myself than to bother some else. Which is bad because sometimes it becomes a burden because of all the work. But I don’t really like being bossy. I’m definitely learning to overcome it and ask for help when I can or when I need to.

Brian: How has working

on e-board changed you as a person?

Jess: I think it’s helped me to differentiate professional work from personal work. Definitely before being president, there were some things that I was sensitive about or something I didn’t agree on. What I learned is that just because someone doesn’t do something your way, doesn’t mean it’s wrong. I think that’s really important to learn.

Before, I always had a narrow way of doing things. Seeing other people’s perspectives and different opinions has helped us do better in our events.

It’s really opened my eyes. Besides that, I’ve become more versatile, more open to ideas and you know different things. A little nicer! I think that’s probably the biggest way it’s impacted me.

Brian: How has your subgroup changed since you first joined?

Jess: Well, this year’s the first year we’re hosting K-night at the Anderson center and also the first year that I’ve decided to collaborate with BUKSA. We’re usually a really separate group because we’re more Korean American and there are more international students, but this year I wanted to bridge the gap between us, put on a better performance, and target more people because it’s not only for Korean Americans. I don’t think much has changed, we’re built

on the dynamic of big and little. But I definitely would like to see it grow more, like I said with the help of international students.

Brian: If you had to eat one dish from your subgroup’s culture for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Jess: Korean barbeque, kalbi. I’d probably eat kalbi all the time.

Brian: What hobbies do you want to pick up?

Jess: I think my favorite one is yoga.

I love it! Hopefully, I’ll get better, I haven’t really done it in a while because I’m in school, but that’s definitely one of my favorite hobbies.

Brian: Where would be your dream vacation? What would you do there?

Jess: I like exploring more than relaxing at resorts. I’d rather see cities than just lay down on a beach because I can’t swim. It doesn’t matter where, just exploring different cities, cultures, and the food. That’s my favorite kind of vacation.

Brian: Who is your favorite musician?

Jess: He’s old though (laughs), Im Jae Bum. Brian: If you could play any part in a TV show or movie, what part would it be?

Jess: I’d play the bad guy, even though they always die!

Vol. XXX, Issue 2 29

Philippine American League

C

arney: To start of, why don’t you describe what PAL is?

Claudine: Well, PAL is an organization that focuses on spreading cultural awareness and knowledge about the Philippines.

Though obviously, like other organizations on campus, we’re not restricted to just Filipinos. In fact, more than half our general body population is not Filipino. This especially shows in our Barrio shows where a lot of performers who are

30 ASIAN OUTLOOK

not Filipino are doing the traditional dances which is so inspiring.

Carney: But what’s PAL to you then?

Claudine: (sighs) Well, when I was a freshman, I was actually terrified of coming here. But my cousin, who went to Binghamton, told me that I should really look into joining PAL because she had so much fun participating as a general body member. When I started participating by going to their events and such, it became more than just an organization to me. It became a part of me; it became a family to me and a chunk of who I am now. So, to me, I would describe PAL as part of my life.

Carney: (laughs) Claudine: It’s been the one thing that has constantly made the best memories for me of college.

Carney: And now you’re president!

What will you remember most of your time as president? Because that’s crazy, being a clueless freshman to being the president!

Claudine: I used to aspire to be president thinking it’d be really cool. To be honest, it’s nothing like I thought it would be! The most memorable thing about my presidency would probably be how proud my e-board members have made me. Aside from my VP, every other e-board member came in with no experience whatsoever. I was scared that I wouldn’t be able to lead my e-board members but from all their hard work, their dedication, and their love for PAL, they became one of the best set of people I’ve ever worked with. That’s what I’ll remember the most, knowing that I was blessed with an e-board that has probably given me the best year of my life so far.

Carney: Is there a message you want to say to your e-board?

Claudine: I would like to tell them that I love them and that they truly make me proud every single day. I just want them to know that I will always be super thankful for everything they’ve done for me and for PAL.

Carney: How sweet! That’s so cute! (laughs) But besides being e-board and such, how would you sell PAL to a freshman?

Claudine: Oh, I like this question. I feel that I drew in a lot of freshmen this year mainly because I told them about my own personal experience.

When you share personal experiences to people, they see a different level of intimacy with something such as joining an organization.

Carney: Besides PAL, let’s move onto some questions about you. How would you describe yourself?

Claudine: (laughs) Claudine: I would say that I’m outgoing, hard working and extremely passionate, especially about the things I love and make me happy.

Carney: Well, we all know you’re a musician on campus.

So, who’sose your favorite musician?

Claudine: Woah, that’s a hard one.

I don’t think I’ve ever had a favorite but rather, artists that I enjoy at the moment. I think one person I enjoy at the moment is …

Claudine: Wow, I don’t know. (laughs) Carney: (laughs)

Claudine: Wait, I have one! One of my favorite artists ever is Tori Kelly. I just actually sang a song at a banquet by her and Ed Sheeran this past week.

She’s just so crazy talented and is such an inspiration to me.

Carney: Well, besides singing.

What are some of your hobbies?

Claudine: Well, aside from singing, I like to knit. It’s very stress relivingrelieving. Other hobbies include eating, watching Netflix and

very basic things. I’m a very simple kind of person.

Carney: What are your plans or aspirations after graduation?

Claudine: After graduating, my goal is to pass my licensing exam to become a registered nurse. It’s always been my dream to work in oncology.

I know many people who work in that field and have families with cancer and have lost loved ones to the disease. Being there to help someone battle through the disease to save him or her is something that would make me feel as if I was making a difference in the world. Other than that, I would love to live in California. A huge dream of mine. Or I could go back to school. Who knows?

Carney: Unfortunately, it’s come to the end of our interview. Why don’t we close it off with some events we should be looking forward to from PAL? Claudine: Definitely Barrio Fiesta!

Obviously!

Carney: (chants) Barrio! Barrio!

Barrio!

Vol. XXX, Issue 2 31

Taiwanese American Student Coalition

A

nita: What will you remember most during your time as president now that you’re graduating and it’s your last year?

Karen: How available people are to support me because being president can be a very stressful role and at times it can feel very lonely just because not everyone is in the same position you are. You have a different set of responsibilities, different pressures and then just knowing that despite

32 ASIAN OUTLOOK

all of that, even though they don’t know what you’re going through they are still willing to be by your side and help you out. Just realizing that there is a support system available within my e-board and even outside.

Anita: Is there a specific instance that you could talk about?

Karen: There were several times where I felt really frustrated at e-board, not anyone in particular, but at how it was going and how stressful it was. I would talk about it with my my vice president and financial vice president to make sure were on the same page. If there’s really nothing we could do, at least I know that they’re sharing the same burden as me. I would also turn to my BOD as well as alumni who have graduated from Binghamton and ex-presidents for advice and ask for their thoughts and suggestions. I actually sought a few of them for advice and they’re in grad school and really busy but they still took the time to write a whole essay about their thoughts. I feel like

it’s a very rewarding thing despite all of the challenges that I faced.

Anita: Was there a moment that made you feel that being president was worth it?

Karen: There was a lot of information that I didn’t understand that was going through other people’s mind. They were frustrated at how management was doing things and maybe frustrated at me or at each other. There was a lot of discontent and I felt very exhausted about the issues and nervous about how to approach it. After our biggest event of the semester, TASC Banquet, I decided to write thank you emails to everyone. Several of them emailed back and thanked me for everything that I’ve done. One of them specifically addressed the discontent boiling on e-board and they said that there will be people who will be unhappy and they have their reasons, but just know that there will also be people who will look past that and see the bigger picture and know that you’re just trying your best. Just

knowing that there are people like that on my e-board who will support me either way is very rewarding. It’s like my work is paying off and they realize it.

Anita: What advice would you give to your next president?

Karen: Realize that you’re not there to be friends with the organization as a whole. You have to learn to separate your professional and your personal side. It’s not as simple as, “I won’t have plans with you and talk about my social life with you during e-board meetings.” It’s more so not favoring a particular side when you feel very strongly about a certain person. I think the ability to remain neutral and indifferent to certain attitudes because every single thing that you have a preference on will affect someone in some way, so you have to distance yourself from that.

Also, realizing that no matter what

happens, things are bound to go unpredictably, and it will eventually lead back to you. Whether people realize it or not, they might need to take some accountability for it, but

if they’re not experienced with the work or not mature enough to deal with the situation they’re just going to end up using you as a scapegoat.

So just being prepared that these are things you need to be responsible for.

Anita: For each other president in BOD, describe them in one word.

Karen: For Lily I would say she’s very invested as a President. For Jess, I think of the Pi House (laughs).

I see her every now and then at a Pi party. For Belle, I’d say fashionable.

Claudine – PAL AF. Kenny, oh my god I will forever remember this pun he told at the last GIM. It was a Power Point and he said, “Oh join us because we get turnt,” and then he had a picture of a turnip and laughed out loud, so he would be punny. Azusa, I think either artsy or committed.

Calvin was in our skit for one of our TASC videos and he was the stern dad and wore a moustache, so I’ll remember him by moustache. I feel like Alex is a debater, very politically active, so I’d say political.

Anita: If you had to eat one dish from your subgroup’s culture for the rest of your life what would it be?

Karen: Beef noodles because I like noodles and soup.

Vol. XXX, Issue 2 33

Vietnamese Student Association

C

arney: Why don’t we start off with having you describe VSA in your own words?

Kenny: VSA stands for Vietnamese Student Association and essentially, the primary goal of the organization is to promote the country of Vietnam and Vietnamese culture in Binghamton’s community. We do so by hosting organized social and cultural events.

Carney: zWhat are some past events VSA has hosted that have made you really proud?

Kenny: Well, to start off, we have two major events in the fall semester: I Love Pho and Miss Asia. I Love Pho is our biggest food event while Miss

34 ASIAN OUTLOOK

Asia is our biggest event in general.

I guess what I really liked abouzt I Love Pho was that it wasn’t difficult to sell out our tickets this year.

Carney: So would you say the marketing has changed? Like how VSA promoted Bonnie and Kenny? (laughs) Kenny: Yeah, pretty much. I guess the way we’ve been marketing things throughout the years has changed.

Especially with what appeals to people and increases traction.

All things I’ve learned from past experiences with major events.

Kenny: As for Miss Asia, it was a big year because it was the first time Binghamton VSA reached out to outside VSAs in the Northeast: Stony Brook, Baruch, UConn, Boston, Temple, and Philadelphia.

Carney: Wow! That’s a lot of people coming through.

Kenny: Yeah, there’s a lot of representation from outside VSA, which I like because I want to showcase the network we have.

Besides that, Miss Asia was the first time I’ve sold out of tickets and almost capped the capacity of the room.

Carney: And you got featured on Pipe Dream too! That’s

such an accomplishment! But aside from that, what have you learned by being president of VSA? Kenny: I learned that besides being on e-board for two and a half years and all my years of experience, you’re never fully prepared for the position. Being in my position is learning how to deal with people and their personalities in order to accommodate and delegate roles to them. That was really new for me since I’ve never been a position before that made me the person that people looked up to. Putting trust in my e-board members, despite them being relatively new, was scary for me because it was an unknown risk.

Carney: Basically you had to prepare them and be a good role model?

Kenny: Yeah, I wasn’t an easy president. That’s for sure. I see a lot of things from an external aspect, especially marketing-wise, as opposed to the actual logistics of our events, which I rely on our event coordinators to do because of their knowledge on the food and such.

Carney: So it seems like you rely on your e-board a lot, how would you describe them?

Kenny: Oh, even though most of them are new, a lot of them adapted to VSA really well. I like to say that I’m pretty lucky to have the e-board members that I have now. They do a really good job especially in communication that is one of the biggest aspects of keeping an e-board together.

Carney: How has your subgroup changed from when you first joined it to now?

Kenny: Well, joining VSA was pretty random actually. Roxy, the president at the time, reached out to me because she saw potential in me and yeah, I decided to run. It was the first time I was really involved in something, not just as a member, but contributing to making the organization better. Like truly feeling like a leader on campus. In terms of how it has changed, I realized that VSA is relatively small compared to the other subgroups. We were kind of like an underdog almost. So for each year, as VSA has progressed, VSA has been getting more noticed. I would say VSA really expanded throughout my four years here in terms of member base, people interested in leadership roles, and outside campus affiliations such as Baruch VSA. Carney: That’s good. It’s growing as a club in general.

Let’s move onto learning more about you. I’m going to ask some personality questions. If you have to eat one food from your subgroup’s culture for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Kenny: That’s hard. (laughs) I’m choosing between pho or banh mi.

Carney: Pho is so good. You guys also have a banh mi event coming up, right?

Kenny: Yes. I would probably

choose Pho. It’s definitely a really good hangover cure. Especially when you’re really hungry, for the first meal of the day, it can be a bowl full of happiness that will brighten up your day. Every time I see a bowl of pho, I become instantaneously happy.

Carney: I feel you. What other organizations are you involved with?

Kenny: I’m in a fraternity. Delta Epsilon Psi. It’s a South-Asian based fraternity but our chapter here, in particular, is one of the most diverse chapters of the fraternity nationally.

That’s what really drew me to it. Being Greek gave me a different perspective on campus and has taught me how to network with people better and has taught me confidence. Not only in the social aspects but professionally as well. A lot of my role models come from the previous classes ahead of me.

Carney: So what are your plans after graduation?

Kenny: Unfortunately my job search has been a little bit delayed but I’m looking to hopefully get a full-

time position as I graduate. However, I feel like my experience in the work force is still lacking so it may be my best interest to find an internship first.

Carney: That’s good! Always look for more experience.

Kenny: Yeah, especially since I’m an economics major, which is kind of broad. I definitely do want to work for a financial firm though.

Carney: If you could be part of any TV show, who would you be?

Kenny: From one of the more recent movies, I would definitely want to be Deadpool. I guess he’s very carefree and I wish I were more like that. He doesn’t care how he’s judged and such. Completely carefree.

Carney: So, what other events should we look forward to?

Kenny: Well, Banh Mi Café is coming up. And Barrio! I’m a choreographer for STEP, and it’s my last year here as well. It’s a big performance! Also looking forward to other subgroups’ major events: China Night, Japan Night & K-Night.

Vol. XXX, Issue 2 35

W

Asian Outlook

hen I first joined Asian Outlook, I always knew that this was the subgroup I wanted to be part of. Those who know me know of my fascination with policy and law, and Asian Outlook gave me the opportunity to understand the Asian American diaspora through this lens.

My freshman year, the publication’s editor-in-chief, Kayla Natrella, was one of the hardest working and extremely dedicated students I ever met. While triple majoring, she still oversaw the magazine and moderated AO’s weekly discussion forums. Despite all of her amazing accomplishments, what I respected her most for was her vast knowledge of Asian American literature, especially the journalists and writers that represent the voices of today’s Asian American community. Kayla also taught me how to lead with compassion; despite the fact that I was a lowly freshman, she encouraged me to write for the magazine and speak during weekly discussions. To this day, I still seek her advice on running Asian Outlook, and without her help and guidance, I would not be here.

Of course, I also want to thank last year’s editor-in-chief, Dale Gao. Under Dale, I learned to do everything with conviction. Dale did everything with passion and zeal, from normal conversation, to performances during Asian Night. He is constantly full of energy. I remember seeing his performance during Asian Night and being completely in awe; his speech

36 ASIAN OUTLOOK

performance was delivered with such vigor, that it transformed how I saw spoken word. From Dale, I learned persistence and enthusiasm for everything I do for Asian Outlook.

While I want to pay my respects to the people who have inspired me to become editor-in-chief, I do not want to neglect thanking the people who are the backbone and soul of the magazine. I remember interviewing the other ASU presidents about their time as leader, and it is touching to see how much they love their respective e-boards. So given the opportunity to write for an Asian Outlook page in this yearbook, I want to properly thank them.

Coming into this year, I was anxious to see how the magazine would run.

To an outsider, magazines may seem like a pipeline, a constant flow of creativity and thought-provoking writing. Yet the truth is, managing a publication is more like trying to light and maintain a fire. You have to work hard to create a spark, while tending to the fire to prevent it from burning out. My e-board has consistently been a source of inspiration, pushing the boundaries of what we should do as a publication and as an advocacy group. Similarly, they are the ones that maintain the magazine, from editing articles, to designing how the physical magazine looks, to publicizing events, to keeping track of records, and keeping our finances in check. For that, I am grateful.

While I am grateful for their professionalism throughout the

year, I also want to thank them for making this year entertaining.

Despite the fact that they are the sassiest group of students I know, they never fail to make me smile. So to my e-board: you guys deserve more recognition and credit than people realize. No amount of financial compensation can properly express my thanks. Your participation in our discussion forums have made me better understand the diversity of opinions and experiences that Asian Americans hold throughout this nation, and your dedication to the publication makes me proud to be a part of the magazine.

Finally, I want to thank the most important person here at Asian Outlook, my co-editor-in-chief, Calvin Chan. Calvin, I want to thank you for your continued support and guidance. Without your dedication and persistence, the magazine would be lost. You are the captain and the spirit of the magazine, and I wish you best of luck in your future endeavors.

C

AT: What made you join Asian Outlook?

CAL: Well, I was quite lazy my freshman year, so I wasn’t involved with anything on campus. When sophomore year rolled around, I was in class with a bunch of my friends, and they all wanted to go to the Asian Outlook GIM. On a whim I decided to go with them. Everyone was really friendly and welcoming, so I decided to take a chance and run for secretary. By some miracle I won, and now I’m editor-in-chief. It’s been a long, strange journey.

CAT: How many people did you run against?

CAL: It was actually a very stiff competition for the position. I think there were six other candidates running alongside me. To this day, I honestly don’t know how I won. [laughs] CAT: What made you decide to become Editor-in-Chief of Asian Outlook?

CAL: I had my doubts at the start, but my predecessor Dale pushed me to take on more responsibility within the group and become Editor-in-Chief. I’m so glad I did because this was definitely one of the best experiences of my life.

CAT: What made you stay in the club for such a long time?

CAL: At first, I joined just to be part of something and have something on my resume, but towards my second semester in the club, I started to realize how important Asian Outlook is. It’s such an important club to have. As a minority, it’s really important to have a place where your voice can be heard, and I think we promote awareness for really important issues that are often overlooked.

CAT: What is your favorite thing

about Asian Outlook?

CAL: My favorite thing about Asian Outlook is definitely all the people involved. I couldn’t have imagined spending my college years with any other group of people. Another thing is that it definitely raised my awareness for issues surrounding Asian Americans.

Before joining AO, I was quite ignorant on a lot of important things going on in the community.

CAT: What was your favorite article that was published in the magazine?

CAL: I think my favorite article was the one written by Cat Cortes. WAIT, DAS YOU, my favorite e-board member.

It was very good, and it opened my eyes to the struggles of Olympic athletes in China. I knew that they had to train from an early age and leave their families, but I didn’t know the struggles they had to face if they failed at the games.

CAT: How would you describe your current e-board?

CAL: We have a lot of different characters on e-board that makes e-board meetings really fun. My dysfunctional e-board makes me look forward to the next meeting. They work really hard to publish our issues, and I couldn’t have asked for a better team.

CAT: What direction do you hope Asian Outlook will go towards in the future?

CAL: I have very high hopes for the future editor-in-chiefs. I think they’ll do great things, and hopefully, our publication will reach more readers on campus in the future. One thing that really troubled me was how apathetic many people on campus are towards our magazine and current issues.

CAT: Besides Asian Outlook, what do you do in your spare time?

CAL: Nothing; this is my entire life.

Haha, just kidding. In my free time I like to play video games; read; especially books in the fantasy genre, help out at the local shelter; and read to blind children.

CAT: What kind of games do you play?

CAL: Right now, I’m just playing Hearthstone and Overwatch, but in the summer, when I have more free time, I’m quite addicted to League of Legends.

CAT: You’re a really funny guy.

What are some comedians that you enjoy?

CAL: Wow, thank you so much Cat. I always thought my e-board was laughing at me, not with me. [laughs] I really enjoy Jim Gaffigan, Louis C.K. , and David Mitchell. Jim Gaffigan’s ability to be funny without resorting to profanity, racism, or sexism is really refreshing. If you had to watch a comedy special with your family, he’s definitely the guy. If I’m in the mood for something a little edgier, I’d have to go with Louis C.K. I also love David Mitchell and his form of British humor. I would recommend checking out his show “Peep Show.”

CAT: Clinton, Bernie, and Trump. Who would you marry, f@$%, and kill?

CAL: F@$% Trump cuz that hair doe.

Kill Hillary, so Bernie runs unopposed.

Marry Bernie Sanders because he knows what I want. We’re not including this right?

CAT: No, we are. [laughs] But on a serious note, who did you vote for in the primaries?

CAL: I’m definitely feeling the “Bern”.

CAT: Why not Hillary?

CAL: I’ll probably end up voting for her in the general election, but right now I’m a Bernie bro. I don’t get a good vibe from her.

CAT: Ah, same here, same here.

The semester is almost over. Are you excited for the summer?

CAL: I’m really excited to get away from the daily grind that is school, but I need to study for exams over the break and get a job, so it’s like out of the frying pan and into the fire.

Cat: Since you’ll be leaving AO come fall semester, what is your most memorable moment while in Asian Outlook?

CAL: I think watching my e-board members Ting, Eric, Carney, and Anita perform at Asian Night was a great moment for me. I was really proud of them for going out of their comfort zone to talk about something really personal and dear to them. It’s not easy to open yourself up to a crowd of strangers, but they did it with flying colors.

Vol. XXX, Issue 2 37

Friendship isn’t about who you’ve known the longest. It’s about who walked into your life and said “ I’m here for you” and proved it.

A true friend accepts who you are , but also helps you to become who you should be.

Our time together is just not enough.

38 ASIAN OUTLOOK

Thank you for being my friend

. . . the end Spring 2016

Vol. XXX, Issue 2 39

ASIAN OUTLOOK needs

artists, writers, journalists, photographers,

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

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

maybe you can help?

Thursday, 8:00pm, UUW 329

ao.editor@gmail.com