Sparks Magazine Issue No. 20 | University of Florida

UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA

UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL FLORIDA

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Zohra Qazi MANAGING EDITOR Adrian Lee PR DIRECTOR / PHOTOGRAPHER Paolo Agahan FINANCIAL DIRECTOR / LEAD PHOTOGRAPHER Natalie Nguyenduc LEAD PHOTOGRAPHER Laura Cardello LEAD DESIGNER Chi Pham LEAD DESIGNER / PHOTOGRAPHER Denise Ferioli COPY EDITOR / WRITER Chelsea Della Caringal • Andy Cabezas • Kissimmee Crum • Liana Progar PR MANAGER Janine Do

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Amy Nguyen MANAGING EDITOR Zahra Saba FINANCIAL DIRECTOR Isha Harshe PROMOTIONS DIRECTOR Zeba Khan CONTENT EDITOR Raisa Zaman PHOTO EDITOR Mridula Singh PROGRAMMING EDITOR Amy Pham DESIGN EDITOR Dencie Devora CONSULTANT Samia Alamgir

WRITER / DESIGNER / PR Asma Ahmed WRITER / PR Zainab Jamal WRITER Natalie Nguyen • Chi Tran • Cayla Cornista • Trudy Lin DESIGNER Gabi Sanchez • Mayumi Porto • Skyler Shepard • Angelika Suansing PHOTOGRAPHER / DESIGNER Jillian Kate Cinco PHOTOGRAPHER Timothy Nguyen

WRITER Olivia Hemilton • Sanikaa Thakurdesai • Khoa Hoang • Anagha Hesaraghatta • Sayona Jose DESIGNER Ana Sorto • Trianna Nguyen • Prakash Vasanthakumar DESIGNER / WRITER Padma Vasanthakumar

COVER

NATIONAL BOARD

PHOTO Laura San Juan DESIGN Brianne’ De Los Santos MODEL Christina Nguyen

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Jason Liu CHAPTER DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR Aleem Waris MARKETING DIRECTOR Ingrid Wu DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR Chelsey Gao CHAPTER MEMBERSHIP DIRECTOR Catherine Le CHAPTER MANAGER Bryant Nguyen SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER Sally Zhu LEAD GRAPHIC DESIGNER Esther Zhan WEB DEVELOPER Chris Tam

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E-BOARD

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Alexandra Giang • MANAGING EDITOR Michelle Lee • COPY EDITOR Mumtaz Abdulhussein • COPY EDITOR Karen Zhang • WRITER / FINANCIAL DIRECTOR Amanda Hoff man • DESIGN EDITOR Brianne’ De Los Santos • PHOTO EDITOR Laura San Juan • PR DIRECTOR Xinni Chen • PR DIRECTOR Stephanie Cheng

STAFF

WRITER Tien Le • WRITER Cindy Duong • WRITER Glenna Li • WRITER / PR STAFFER Hanna De La Garza • WRITER Marium Abdulhussein • WRITER Cherie Chick • WRITER Eileen Calub • DESIGNER Ariana Rao • DESIGNER Maggie Dungey • DESIGNER Mercy Tsay • DESIGNER Aryam Amar • DESIGNER Julia Guerrero • DESIGNER Arun Jairam • DESIGNER Kaela Varias • PHOTOGRAPHER Hunter Strokin • PHOTOGRAPHER Yimeng Zhou • PHOTOGRAPHER Daniyah Sheikh • PHOTOGRAPHER Nidhi Bhide • PHOTOGRAPHER Tejasvi Dudipalla • PR STAFFER Zexi Zhang • PR STAFFER Jackie Truong

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A LETTER FROM THE EDITOR DEAR READER, It seemed like only yesterday that I was penning the beginning words to my first article for Sparks as a new writer. I am still in shock at how time really flies. With this, my journey has come full circle as I write to you as Editorin-Chief.

We traveled across the world as we explored protests in India and Myanmar. We challenged societal norms of cultural appropriation, language, and the very term “Asian American.” We cried for the lives of those lost in the Atlanta Spa Shooting.

If there’s one thing I want you to take away from this unpredictable and confusing year, it is that there is always the light of hope at the end of the tunnel. It took blood, sweat and tears to reach this point, but we finally have a slow but effective solution to the COVID-19 pandemic: vaccines. This does not mean the end of our troubles, but it definitely is a huge milestone for society.

However, we had many things to celebrate as well. In this issue, we showcased Asian American artists and influencers. We also delved deeper into the culturally significant topics of jade and matcha. There are so many more topics that we have yet to touch.

Now, with a slight breath of relief, it is with great pleasure that I introduce to you Issue 20.

Issue 20 is a whirlwind of action, adventure and emotion.

It is my hope that our stories equally challenge your thinking as well as bring you the warmth and comfort you experience when listening to stories from your parents.

To the Issue 20 staffers, especially my executive board, thank you. Sparks would not be the same without each and every one of you. I am honored to have served as your Editor-in-Chief this semester and I hope you are able to see all of the wonderful things you have accomplished. I am so proud of you all.

As we progress through the rest of this year, I want to remind you to always keep hope at the forefront of your mind. There is a future waiting for all of us out there.

Keep your friends and family close and cherish those moments together. It is my belief that each one of us is destined for greatness and happiness.

STAY SAFE, ALEXANDRA GIANG EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

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LOVEBUGS ON A HOT, 06 SUMMER DAY GLENNA LI

JADED 09

ALEXANDRIA GIANG

MISSED 10 NOTIFICATIONS TIEN LE

WHEN OUR LIVES ARE 12 AT STAKE CHERIE CHICK

MATCHA: A MOVING 16 MEDITATION MARIUM ABDULHUSSEIN

NOT JUST A “BAD DAY” 18 KAREN ZHANG

TONGUE-TIED AT THE 20 REUNION EILEEN CALUB

THE RISE OF ASIAN 22 INFLUENCERS HANNAH DE LA GARZA

APPROPRIATION 24 AMANDA HOFFMAN

ASIAN-AMERICAN 26 ARTISTS AT UF CINDY DUONG

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Lovebugs on a Hot, Summer Day A runthrough of the term “Asian American,” its history, and its political implications today.

DeBlasio’s decision to rashly cut Mock off reflected a larger issue for the Asian American community: Asian Americans do not feel heard: they feel voiceless.

In conjunction to the AAPA’s formation, Ichioka and Gee intentionally coined the term “Asian American” because it was straightforward, less racist, and not westcentric. Ichioka and Gee were able to use the term to create a multicultural alliance with those of similar experiences and origins. The term “Asian American” guided potentially signify more than just being a the AAPA’s efforts to stand in solidarity precise way to categorize people of Asian with one other, protest the Vietnam War, origin in America? and eventually establish Berkeley’s ethnic studies department after striking with “[The term “Asian American” was coined] as a way of bringing different groups together other ethnic organizations. and demanding a voice,” said Professor Today, “Asian American” is used colloquially Malini Scheuller, an English professor at and in activist spaces. Politicians wield it the University of Florida. to appeal to a community that comprises around forty different countries, all with their own cuisines, music, and holidays.

By virtue of this, one can deduce that the Asian American community’s diverse backgrounds breed diverse perspectives and priorities. Then what is the purpose of using the term “Asian American?” Can it

In the political arena, the majority of Asian Americans lean Democratic. But different ethnic groups have their own preferences.

According to a 2020 APIA Vote poll, 70% of Indian Americans said they would vote for Joe Biden, while the response was 35% for Vietnamese Americans.Because of

designer/Mercy Tsay

As the presence of Chinese people increased in the United States, so did their new label: the “Yellow Peril.” This term framed Chinese people as an existential threat to America, labeling them as dirty, unable to assimilate, and so unlawful that they were threats to democracy itself.

This rising xenophobia subsequently led to the passage of The Chinese Exclusion Act: the first piece of American legislation declaring a specific immigrant group “illegal.” During World War II, over one hundred thousand Japanese Americans were unjustly and forcibly held in internment camps due to the unsubstantiated rationale that they may be affiliated with Japanese government objectives. However, racism evidently played a role here; German Americans did not receive treatment like this.

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Still, in the 1960s, Asians in America primarily identified themselves by their countries of origin, as a fifth-generation Japanese American may not find a whole lot in common with a newly minted Bangladeshi immigrant. If they were grouped together, Americans of Asian origin were typically called “oriental” or “asiatic.” But as various movements like the Black Power Movement and American Indian Movement began to gain traction, Yuji Ichioka, a graduate student at the University of California at Berkeley, saw an opening for coalition building between Asians in the United States. He and his friend Emma Gee founded the Asian American Political Alliance (AAPA) in 1968.

photographer/ Daniyah Sheikh

The Asian American community is hard to define. The community’s composition has evolved over time, and there is no denying that it began undergoing discrimination since its very entrance into the United States. The first major wave of Asian immigration to the United States was during the California Gold Rush in the 1850s. Chinese immigrants, mostly men from the Guangdong province, came to make money and send remittances back home to support their families. In addition to gold mining, many Chinese immigrants served as cheap labor in the construction of the Transcontinental Railroad.

With President Lyndon B. Johnson’s passage of the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965, the demographic of Asians in America changed dramatically. This act enabled a significant influx of skilled laborers to enter the United States. Today, the largest ethnic groups of Asians in America are Chinese, Indian, and Filipino.

By Glenna Li

C

orkey Lee, a Chinese American photographer known for his photographs of Asian American culture, died in January due to COVID-19.

Lee played an integral role in exposing hidden gems of Asian America to the conventional American. His photographs — from depictions of a young woman working in a suffocating Manhattan Chinatown garment factory to a Sikh man wrapped around an American flag shortly after 9/11 — humanized Asian Americans, depicting the community’s struggles, celebrations, and everything in between.

Asian Americans feel like the world is Twitter (again, a vast, blank void), and they are those perpetually crushed Tweeters who never get a decent response. They are tired of feeling like interlopers, like annoying lovebugs you have to swat off your car on a hot, summer day.

these discrepancies, politicians find it difficult to appeal to Asian Americans as a unified whole. The majority of Asian Americans are immigrants who hail from countries of a variety of political regimes, geopolitical standings, and socioeconomic levels. As a result, Asian Americans may more closely tie their allegiance to their specific ethnic group rather than their Asian American identity.

Asian Americans’ political concerns may be shaped by traumas they endured under their home country’s political regime or by a specific political party’s outlook toward their homeland. This explains why an older Vietnamese refugee may not be so fond of the Democratic Party platform, while a young second-generation Filipino American is more likely to be. Additionally, ahead of the 2020 Presidential Election, Trump’s trade war with China and rhetorical employment of terms like “kungflu” and “China virus” in regards to the COVID-19 pandemic may have factored into how Chinese immigrants — and their descendants — cast their votes.

The Asian American community may be diverse, but as racial minorities in the United States, every Asian American is affected by discriminatory practices ingrained into American institutions. From Islamaphobic attacks post-9/11 to the recent wave of aggression against East Asians due to COVID-19, Asian Americans can certainly do more to support one another. There are many roadblocks Asian Americans face and that require governmental action, such as hate crimes, the bamboo ceiling, and model minority myth. Uniting the Asian American community will give the community a greater voice. Hopefully, doing so will increase incentives from politicians to respond to community concerns.

In August of 2020, New York City Mayor Bill DeBlasio visited Manhattan’s Chinatown to assess the damage of the pandemic on businesses in the area. As Chinatowns across the country are being hit especially hard due to xenophobia arising from the pandemic, a video was recorded showing Patrick Mock, manager of 46 Mott Bakery, explaining to Mayor DeBlasio how his bakery was suffering financially. In the video, Mayor DeBlasio stands akimbo and is

But there is hope. After all, the term “Asian American” has political roots. Perhaps one day, the model minority myth and perpetual foreignness Asian Americans feel will be features of the past that the community’s progeny will be surprised to learn about and find bizarre. Asian Americans are now the faster growing voting bloc in the United States electorate.

seemingly listening to Mock’s struggles. But in the middle of one of Mock’s sentences, DeBlasio turns around and walks away.

Asian Americans... are tired of feeling like interlopers, like annoying lovebugs you have to swat off your car on a hot, summer day.

This influential position has led politicians to further reach out to the Asian American community and recognize its experiences.

In January, President Biden overturned the former president’s Muslim Ban and created an executive order dedicated to combating the recent spike in xenophobia against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.

Furthermore, the first Black and Asian American Vice President, Kamala Harris, took office this past January. Andrew Yang, a Taiwanese American, is running for Mayor of New York City with auspicious prospects.

Young Asian Americans are using social media as a platform to air their grievances (in addition to sharing memes that every Asian American adolescent can sympathize with, like posts about taking shoes off in the house and forgetting to cook rice before mom comes home from work).

This video went viral on Twitter. One may The plights and victories within the wonder why it generated such widespread Asian A merican communit y can outcry from the Asian American transcend ethnic and cultural boundaries. community. DeBlasio is a busy person, so Increasing civic discourse and voter he cannot possibly develop conversations mobilization within the community is with everyone he encounters on the street, inspiring. Most importantly, it provides right? For a fleeting period of time, it channels for Asian Americans of different seemed like DeBlasio was really engaged viewpoints to unite in their shared with Mock and absorbing his burdens. interests and empower one another.

However, DeBlasio’s decision to rashly cut Mock off reflected a larger issue for the Asian American community: Asian Americans do not feel heard; they feel voiceless. DeBlasio’s decision to walk away without a thought demonstrates how much Asian Americans are valued — which, in this video’s context, is not much.

Many people feel like posting on Twitter is like shouting into a vast, blank void. Sadly, SPRING 2021 | 7

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JADED

A look into China’s history of the brilliantly iridescent mineral: jade

I

Jade is often referred to as a lucky stone and “The Stone of Heaven.”

Daren Bogus, in his article “Discovering Chinese Jade Folklore, Symbolism, and Legend,” states that “the Chinese call jade 玉 (or yù). This is closely related to the word for Emperor, which is 王 (wáng). Since 玉 (jade) and 王 (Emperor) is so closely related, it shows how the Chinese value jade as the royal gemstone.”

“It is from the earth, but its luminous quality is like sunlight and the stars: it is a connection between the realms of heaven and earth...”

–Anjie Cho durability, as well as spiritually, by “taking the brunt of any unwanted energies.”

“Looking at jade can be invigorating sometimes,” Yu said. “I think there’s this hidden power inside of it that can protect its wearer, and it puts me at ease knowing that someone is watching over me.”

However, the Chinese are not the only ones with eyes for this eye-catching gemstone.

Joseph Lam, a 17-year-old senior in high school, often observed his mother wearing jade.

Although it is beautiful, there is more to jade than what meets the eye. “[Even though we are not Chinese,] we can still appreciate jade’s beauty and its cultural significance,” Lam said. His In her article “Uses of Jade in Feng Shui,” Anjie Cho mother often wore jade jewelry to special occasions such describes jade as a “living stone.” as gatherings with the Vietnamese church community.

“It is from the earth, but its luminous quality is like sunlight and the stars: it is a connection between the realms of heaven and earth,” Cho described.

Like many, Cho believes that jade is more than just a beautiful and unique gemstone. It also has spiritual significance.

Despite the long and complex history of jade, it is clear that this precious stone holds a heavy significance in Chinese beauty and culture. Aside from its attractive appearance, jade is a powerful gemstone that can also uplift one’s life and mood.

Yu shared a phrase her mother always told her: “It is impossible to be jaded when looking at jade.”

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design/Arun Jairam

Nephrite jade is considered the original ornamental rock as it was discovered in China before jadeite jade was. Jadeite jade was traded from Burma to China after the discovery of nephrite jade, in the 14th century, and quickly rose in popularity due to its workability and hardiness. Jadeite jade was more durable and easy to craft over nephrite jade, leading it to be the ideal jade to work with. Currently, most jade being traded in China is jadeite jade.

by Alexandra Giang

n mother’s jewelry box, there is a set of emerald green For Cindy Yu, a 20-year-old sophomore at the University jade earrings resting comfortably on small pillows. A of Florida, jade plays an important role in her physical young girl climbs onto the dresser to reach them. She and spiritual life. observes them carefully, then holds them up to her unpierced ears. An unexplainable feeling of power courses “My family has always been interested in feng shui,” Yu said. through her. She feels like royalty.

“We have several jade pieces around our home such as statues, and my mother has jade jewelry.”

Jade, short for nephrite jade and jadeite jade, is a mineral typically green in color and highly valued in many Asian Decorating one’s home with jade is as commonplace as cultures, especially with the Chinese. Although jade is wearing jade, especially as a bracelet like Yu’s mother does. typically known to be a varying shade of green, it can also However, wearing jade does not come without rules. come in a variety of colors, such as lavender, orange-red, and even grey-black. “[It is better to wear the jade bracelet] on your left wrist, as it is closer to your heart,” Cho explained. Jade is said to be Although they both share the name “jade,” nephrite jade able to protect its wearer from physical injury, due to its and jadeite jade are significantly different from one another.

2020september

August The Trump administration accuses Yale University of discrimination against Asian and white applicants by using race as a predominant factor in admitting students.

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Japanese tennis player Naomi Osaka wins the U.S. Open.

During her matches, she wore masks in support of the Black Lives Matter movement. The masks had the names of those who have passed due to racial injustices and police brutalities: Breonna Taylor, Elijah McClain, Ahmaud Arbery, Trayvon Martin, George Floyd, Philando Castile, and Tamir Rice.

October Vietnam quickly stood out globally as a country that successfully managed the virus within its borders. By October 2020, Vietnam had only 1,100 coronavirus cases and 35 deaths and recorded no local transmissions for over a month.

design/Kaela Marie Varias

Netflix movie ‘Tigertail’ is released, embodying Asian experience at a time when xenophobia and racism against Asians is rising because of the pandemic. It is directed by Alan Yang, an Emmy-winning writer.

by Tien Le

April

-21

missed Notific ations

February Myanmar has experienced violence as a military coup ousted democratically elected government officials, including Aung San Suu Kyi. Civil disobedience occurred as the military overthrew the government and professionals refused to return to work as street protests began. The military claim they seized power because of fraud in November’s elections.

Chinese filmmaker Chloé Zhao becomes the first woman of Asian descent to receive a directing Golden Globe nomination. She is directing the a new Marvel movie Eternals, which will be a part of the next phase of the franchise and feature the first gay superhero.

2021 November Kamala Harris addresses the nation as the first Black and South Asian woman Vice President elect. She said that this is a country full of possibilities and told little girls watching to “dream with ambition, lead with conviction and see yourselves in a way that others may not simply because they’ve never seen it before.”

March Kim Ng becomes the first female Asian general manager in baseball and holds the highest-ranking baseball executive position.

A human rights group in the Philippines accused the military and the Philipine National Police of carrying out raids that killed nine activists.

The killings were confirmed by a security officer.

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Protests Across Asia

A dive into the protests in India and Myanmar

design/Ariana Rao

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by Cherie Chick

when our lives are at stake

F

or the Asian community, 2020 was not only troubled with the pandemic, but also with racism, xenophobia and discrimination. Numerous Asian countries have been fighting battles of their own against unjust governmental policies and actions. The rise and effects of these huge protests happening across Asia should be examined and explored in order to raise awareness of the situations of people in these countries.

In June 1st of 1984, the Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi launched Operation Blue Star - a military action that captured the prominent Sikh leader Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and his followers. As a response to the operation, two of Gandhi Sikh bodyguards assassinated her on Oct. 31, 1984. After that, the government encouraged the riots as armed mobs started to burn Sikh establishments, especially the Gurdwaras – the place of worship for Sikhs – and murder Sikhs.

INDIA’S

“The government tried to insinuate between the population [during that time], and now it is the same thing happening,” said Kaur. “They want to control their own country so they are trying to mislead the people by telling them the farmers are actually happy and it is terrorists (sikhs) who are coming in to divide our country.”

SURVIVAL OF THE FARMERS In September 2020, the Three Farm Acts were passed by the Parliament of India. The acts were described as an “anti-farmers’’ deal by the public, which led to protests in Punjab and later spread to the rest of the country. With about 60% of the Indian population in the agricultural sector, the bills gave rise to a lot of uncertainty regarding the livelihood of people, as they gave power to big companies to control the price while reducing bargaining power. However, these protests in India are not only the abolition of the law, but also Indian government’s long history of corruption and racism.

Amritdeep Kaur is a Sikh Punjabi from Hong Kong whose family has had an agricultural background for generations.

“It is very obvious that the Indian government is siding with a lot of these rich billionaires and corporations,” said Kaur.

“They don’t really care about the general population, and it is very evident that the rich have [Prime Minister Modi] in their pocket.”

“It’s just heartbreaking because my grandparents, they’re still back home and it’s going to affect them because we do own a lot of land and do farming on it,” said Kaur.

However, the protests have become increasingly racial and personal to Kaur as a Sikh, due to the response of the government to the protests. Since the establishment of the country, the Sikhs have been a minority group, which has faced injustice in the Hindu majority country. Kaur said that the government is attempting to divide the population by painting the Sikhs as terrorists who are trying to fight against the country.

“There was a lot of government and police crackdown on these peaceful protesters who are just protesting their rights.

You can definitely see a history of the government being very brutal and hostile towards people of different ethnic minorities within India or different religions, as opposed to the majority religion being handled Hinduism,” said Kaur.

The actions by the government reminded her of the 1984 antiSikh riots which resulted in the death of 3,350 Sikhs in 3 days.

“It is one of the biggest protests that has ever happened.”

- Amritdeep Kaur The Indian government’s propaganda has been successful to a certain extent as there are Hindu nationalists who are speaking out against the protests. Nevertheless, the protests were still a widespread phenomenon all across India with people of diverse backgrounds supporting the cause.

The Pubjabi Sikh farmers have created a huge movement across the country. “It is one of the biggest protests that has ever happened. A lot of farmers from different regions with different cultural backgrounds are coming together,” said Kaur. Many Muslims, Christians and even more have joined the protests as well.

Kaur believes that there are four major factors which gave rise to the huge success of these protests.

First, the effort of local farmers. Committees of local farmers were on top of organizing themselves and setting deadlines for protests. “They realized that they were not heard for two or three months when they were sitting on the train tracks, then they got really organized [in order to raise awareness],” said Kaur.

Second, the support of non-profit organizations. Many nonprofit organizations such as Khalsa Aid have stepped up to support the cause of the farmers. The CEO of Khalsa Aid - Ravi Singh, is a Sikh man from a farming background as well. Singh has been utilizing his social media accounts to draw attention to the importance of these protests for various people.

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Third, the huge Sikh diaspora across the globe. Many Sikhs in different parts of the world have stepped up even when they are far away from home. “A lot of these overseas people, like in the UK, Canada, New Zealand, Australia... are supporting the protest and helping their families back home,” said Kaur.

Last is the pull of resources that protestors provide for each other. Kaur said that the values and qualities that Sikhs possess are an important drive to the ongoing success of these protests. “We have been a very peaceful type of people, and even at protests, we have a trend where people would provide free food so everyone sits and eats together.” With people coming together, there is a huge pool of resources that drives protestors to continue the fight. “I feel like the process is very successful because we all have that one goal in mind so it’s not disoriented people being pushed apart in different ways. Everyone’s just standing united together,” said Kaur.

Even though the protests have gained attention in many parts of the world, Kaur thinks that there is still not enough awareness regarding the matter. “Even in Hong Kong, a lot of people don’t know what is happening at all,” said Kaur.

She encourages people to learn more about the situation by interacting with Sikhs and educate themselves on the issues that are happening in the world. She also hopes more foreign governments can speak up against the atrocities done by the Indian government.

MYANMAR’S

RESISTANCE TO COUP D’ÉTAT The morning of Feb. 1, 2021, the day before the Parliament of Myanmar was due to swear in the members elected in the November 2020 election, Tatmadaw (Myanmar’s military) deposed democratically elected members of the National League for Democracy as they claimed that the results of November 2020 as invalid. The Tatmadaw then declared power to the Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services — Min Aung Hlaing. Elected president, Win Myint, and State Counsellor, Aung San Suu Kyi, ministers, their deputies and members of the Parliament were all detained.

Garance Monnier is a French Political Science and Political Humanities student at The Paris Institute of Political Studies. Monnier has spent more than 12 years of her life in Asia, with 2 of the years living in Yangon, Myanmar.

“What has been happening in Myanmar, essentially, is that after a few years of democracy, of supposed democracy, the military junta took over again and established a dictatorship,” said Monnier. “The leading Democratic figure Aung San Suu Kyi could not be the president because in the Constitution, which was created by the military at the 14 | SPRING 2021

time of the dictatorship, states that someone who was married to a foreigner or has some foreign links could not become president. However, Aung San Suu Kyi found a compromise with the military that allowed her and the military to rule side by side.”

Monnier pointed out that the cause of the coup d’etat was indirectly but importantly linked to the position of government that Aung San Suu Kyi has been in over the years, as she has been attempting to maintain a good relationship with the military, like her controversial position in the Rohingya crisis, while trying to help the people at the same time.

“The military did not anticipate the fact that there would be so many protests and so much opposition for the coup.

The reason is because the new generation has experienced democracy or at least the transition to democracy to know that something is being taken away,” said Monnier. “The new generation knows that democracy is being taken away from them quite violently, and so, they have organized a civil disobedience protest in quite interesting ways.”

Harley Lin is a Burmese university student who is currently studying at the Wartburg College.

“Now that democracy is in action, the military are starting to fear that they will lose all their power,” said Lin. “So they detain our governments, our current governments, and they try to take that power back by telling the lie that the election was a fraud.”

Both Lin and Monnier pointed out the peaceful nature of Burmese protestors, but the military engaged in different forms of violence to threaten, induce fear and harm their people. So far, at least 114 protestors have died because of the protests.

“The citizens are peacefully demonstrating, but the military is shooting. They’re spraying them with chemicals at all the demonstrations, killing the protesters,” said Lin. “The military are trying to start a civil war by provoking their other citizens, by shooting and killing them. They enjoy making them paralyzed,” said Lin. The protestors are aware that this is the way that the military is trying to trick them into revolting and prevent the international community from getting involved, but the protestors stay calm.

Lin fears greatly for the well-being of his family. There are very few things he can do to go against the military as his family lives in military-owned housing and his mother works at a military-owned business. He said that even when his mother cannot physically participate in protests, she is very vocal on social media regarding the situation.

According to Monnier, Facebook is incredibly popular in Myanmar as people obtain and spread most of their

information there. Seeing the power of voices of Burmese people on the internet, the military has been imposing social media blackouts and curfews in the country. Even so, Monnier drew attention to the creative ways that Burmese people would engage in to fight back such as lighting up candles after curfew and hanging up posters everywhere.

“The Burmese are extremely resilient people. They’ve lived under an autocratic regime for decades and have experienced very short lived democratic transitions. And they’re going back to a sort of autocratic rule, but they’re not about to let this go,” said Monnier. “They’re keeping their heads up high. They’re really fighting this thing. They’re really not people that just lament.”

Lin is disappointed with the lack of international support that he is seeing. He thinks not enough people around the world are talking about the issue and that governments and international organizations are not taking enough action against the military regime.

“I’m a bit scared that as every other major event that happens now in our world, this is just going to be a passing fad. Then, the media will move on to some other important event and the issue with Myanmar will be alone,” said Monnier.

Ultimately, Lin hopes that the military would back down and let the elected government rule as the people wished.

“The ultimate hope is to have the military only as a national defense and not with these leaders anymore, but with new people. Then having our government back and start working on equality, human rights,” said Lin. On the other hand, Monnier thinks it is time for the youth to step up and let them build the country that they hoped for.

democracy in Myanmar. But I think it’s about time that the youth takes over.”

Myanmar is a young country with a very young population, so Monnier believes that it would make sense for young leaders to take over while experienced figures such as Aung Sang Suu Kyi can act as a supportive figure in the transition.

No matter what happens in the future, the Burmese people are still fighting right now for the betterment of their country.

The situation, injustices and the cruelties that are happening should continue to be reported rather than ignored with tremendous international support.

“Now that democracy is in action, the military are starting to fear that they will lose all their power.”

- Harley Lin All in all, there is a strong connection among these protests even when they are fighting for very different causes.

Governments are trying their hardest to take down their people and discredit their fight. However, the people of India and Myanmar are keeping their heads high and standing tall.

Giving up is not an option. They are fighting hard because they want the best for their beloved home. Their stories should continue to be told, learnt, and spread. Everybody who is part of this international community has the responsibility to help and assist them the best that they can with their most valuable resource — their voices.

“I hope [Aung Sang Suu Kyi] is going to step down.

The reason why is all of this mess happened in a way because she didn’t secure her legacy,” said Monnier.

“She will always be an emblematic figure of the leader of SPRING 2021 | 15

Matcha: A Moving Meditation

The history of matcha and its significance to Japanese culture.

In Japan, the tea leaves are kept underneath the shade before being harvested, and that gives the matcha powder its recognizable bright green color after it has been pulverized.

"Life's too short, drink good matcha."

The second category is culinary grade matcha, which is the one used in cooking and baking.

Culinary grade matcha has a larger flavor palette than ceremonial grade and has a more subdued green color. When using this type of matcha for drinks, it is best to add sugar, because it is more bitter than its more traditional counterpart.

16 | SPRING 2021

design/ Aryam Amar

To make traditional matcha, the Japanese have perfected the process with the use of a couple of tools. The chawan is the ceramic tea bowl in which the matcha is scooped into to begin the process.

The chashaku is a small flat spoon resembling a mini shovel that is used to scoop up the matcha.

While the original chashaku was made of ivory, nowadays it is normally made of bamboo. Lastly is the chasan, which is the uniquely shaped bamboo whisk that froths Not all matcha is created the matcha. The whisk should mix equal. There are two the matcha and water in a zig-zag distinct categories or M shape until properly frothed. matcha is placed under, While these are the traditional and many subcategories materials to make matcha, a milk underneath those. The frother or electric whisk does the first is ceremonial grade job as well.

photography/ Hunter Strokin

Marjorie Yap, a teacher at the Issoan Tea Room, who has been studying the Urasenke Japanese Tea Ceremony for more than 35 years, talked about how matcha Matcha first originated in Ancient became commonplace in Japanese China, during the Tang dynasty. life. Originally starting with the However, the Song dynasty is monks in Japan, the aristocrats credited with the popularity of began to see matcha as a luxury the powder. Eisai, a Japanese item because of how expensive the Buddhist Monk, studied in China tea and the preparation tools were. and brought back matcha from his trip when he returned to Japan. “It became a way to show off, ‘I Eisai found that it helped improve can own this very expensive his concentration while he was Celadon bowl,’ and sometimes meditating. The Japanese soon they developed gambling games created their own form of matcha, for quite expensive prizes,” said which is the kind we see today. The Yap. When the merchants saw name "matcha"originates from the the aristocrats enjoying the tea Japanese words "ma" which means and associated pastimes, they wanted to partake in it as well, and ground and "cha" which is tea. they could do so since they were the ones transporting the tea and utensils. It was the merchants who brought spirituality back into the tea ceremonies. “Today tea ceremonies are more secular, and it is something anyone can do. It’s called a moving meditation.”

matcha. This is the highest possible quality of matcha, with a vibrant green color and a smooth, fine texture. This form of matcha is made to drink just with hot water and used in many different Japanese tea ceremonies.

written by Marium Abdulhussein

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atcha, the new “superfood,” has become an ingredient in many different recipes as it takes the western world by storm. Its roots trace back to Japan and China, with traditional tea ceremonies. Since then, matcha has expanded into transforming desserts, breakfast dishes, and healthy snacks with its grounding taste.

The process of making matcha is a ritual used in Japanese tea ceremonies all over the country, called ‘Chado’ or ‘Sado,’ which translates to “the way of tea.”’

This ceremony is taught in many different schools all over the world, with slight differences depending on the schools themselves. However, all of them are fundamentally similar in their philosophies.

The philosophy of the ceremony is one of harmony, respect, purity, and tranquility. The host and the guest both are required to follow this philosophy to properly perform the ceremony. Yap explained how these philosophies are ingrained into the ceremony. “When I choose the utensils, when I choose what kimono to wear, I make sure the colors are harmonious. The utensils are harmonious with the seasons, I wouldn’t choose snowfall (as the theme) in the middle of summer, which shows harmony.”

for alternatives to coffee, matcha is a great contender. While it does not boast the same amount of caffeine as coffee does, one cup has around 30-50 mg of caffeine (in comparison to 95-165mg in coffee), offering a more mild substitute that often lacks the jittery feeling Yap continued, mentioning the importance of respect as well, that comes with coffee. For college “Guests are respectful of the hosts, students looking for something to they are not saying ‘sit back and keep them up for their next 8 a.m. entertain me.’ As a guest, it is class, matcha tea is a great way active participation that shows to energize your body and help respect. You notice everything, enhance one’s mood. you compliment things, you pay attention, you’re quiet and focused Today, matcha is a common when things are happening.” Yap element in drinks and ice cream, also talked about the purification but it also appears in many baked part of the tea ceremony, where goods. Matcha ice cream is a the guests rinse their mouths and more subdued option for those hands before entering, and the looking to eat ice cream but don’t host purifies the utensils in front have a sweet tooth, and matcha of their guests to show respect. “If brownies blend the earthy taste of you do everything with harmony, the green tea powder and the rich respect, and purity, hopefully, you flavor of chocolate. It has even appeared in commercial sweets, will get to tranquility.” like Kit-Kat and Pocky.

Similar to green tea, matcha is filled with antioxidants, boosts “Matcha is kind of the ‘it’ food these metabolism, and calms the mind. It days,” Yap said. “Like anything also is known to lower cholesterol that is mass-marketed, it waters and blood sugar. For those looking down the cultural significance

of it. Matcha has become commercialized, but it doesn’t take away from the significance of the tea ceremony. Matcha has been one of the transmitters of cultural practice for the last 400 years in Japan, and that hasn’t changed.”

Yap said the only issue is when people compare the two, saying “this is just like real matcha.”

“I mean we never put milk or sugar in matcha. It’s usually because the type of matcha bought is so bitter it has to be drunk with sugar. But if you’re drinking ceremonial quality matcha, it’s umami and sweet and grassy and lovely. Put cooking grade matcha in your cakes and candies and ice cream because it disguises that bitterness, but when you’re drinking it, use ceremonial grade.

"Life’s too short. Drink good matcha,” Yap said.

SPRING 2021 | 17

4:50 PM Gunsh ots ring o ut at Young’s Asian Massage in Acworth, GA. Through the haze of sirens and skidding tires, the police arrive at a bloody scene of a mass shooting. Two of the victims had been fatally shot, and two more died in the hospital of their wounds. The fifth victim remained hospitalized in stable condition.

5:47 PM

The suspect and murderer, a 21-year-old white man, is finally arrested by the Georgia State Patrol and deputies from Crisp County. He is found with a 9-millimeter firearm in his vehicle. The shooter was later charged with eight counts of murder and one count of aggravated assault.

– summarized from New York Times, CNN, USA Today, Washington Post, NPR

18 | SPRING 2021

“I

t was such a traumatic moment for the Asian community,” reflected Quynh Pham, a fourth-year dual master’s degree student at the Georgia Institute of Technology. Pham is a Vietnamese American activist who had been involved with organizing campaigns to hold college administrations accountable for taking action against anti-Asian hate on campus and nationwide.

The mass shooting in Atlanta, GA on March 16, 2021 took the lives of eight innocent people. Many victims were mothers and immigrants, and they were described by friends and family members as loving, hard-working, and kind. Although six of the eight victims were Asian women, the shooter was not charged with a hate crime. According to the police, the shooter was motivated by a sex addiction. Pham disagrees with the conclusion alongside the majority of the APIA community, who initiated a surge of activism to raise awareness and battle the hate crimes against Asian Americans.

“My mom works at a hair salon, and there are certain businesses that are associated with Asian ownership or a lot of Asian workers, so you can’t say that it wasn’t racially Proposed Action for an Anti-Racism motivated,” Pham explained.

Learning & Teaching Environment

design/Brianne’ De Los Santos

8:00 PM

A reflection on the Atlanta Spa Shooting, the rise of Asian hate crimes, and what to do next.

by Karen Zhang

Atlanta police find three more women shot dead in Gold Massage Spa, 27 miles from the first shooting.

Moments later, the police receive reports of a woman fatally shot in the Aromatherapy Spa across the street. Within a three hour period, 8 people were dead, six of which were Asian women.

Not Just a “Bad Day”

“The Asian community understands that, so they can see the clear correlation. Of course, it also opens up a larger conversation about the sexualization of Asian women.

Instead of trying to see the victims as humans and as people, they stigmatized the victims… and it hurts to see the police sympathizing with the murderer. All of it compounded to make it all the more traumatic.”

The Atlanta spa shooting was not an isolated event. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, hate and racialized violence towards Asian Americans have increased considerably due to racist language, fear-mongering, and xenophobia.

According to the AAPI National Report, which covers the 3,795 incidents received by the Stop AAPI Hate reporting center from March 19, 2020 to Feb. 28, 2021, physical assault comprises the third largest category of the total incidents, with 11.1%. The Atlanta shooting was just one of the most violent manifestations of anti-Asian hate.

You see yourself in their experiences. It starts to feel very personal. I think that’s what made it so hard.

– Quynh Pham While these are steps in the right direction, more work must be done before racial equity can be achieved in the United States.

Quynh Pham encourages more students to become involved in activism at their universities and join initiatives like Asians4Justice, who are advocating U.S. universities to take actions against Anti-Asian racism.

“At first, I didn’t realize how close the shooting was to campus until I went to the memorial site,” Pham “I’m an incidental activist,” Pham acknowledged. “I was confessed when inquired on looking through social media to see who was making a the distressing impact of the statement, and I didn’t see tragedy due to her location in that from Georgia Tech. I Atlanta and the proximity of started asking questions Support AAPI Community and making connections, the attack.

Resources which was how I was able “What was hard for me, like once you start learning about to sit in on a meeting with the victims, was hearing that one of the victims was the some Georgia Tech campus same age as my mom. Her birthday was going to be the leadership like the President, next day, which was also my mom’s birthday. And it starts the Provost, the Dean of Petition for U.S Universities to Take to become like, what if it was someone I knew? You start Students, and the Vice Action Against Anti-Asian Racism hearing stories about how they immigrated here and tried President of Diversity, Equity, to build a life for themselves and their family… and you see and Inclusion Council.” She used those opportunities to yourself in their experiences. It starts to feel very personal. connect with more people, attend programming workshops, organize events, and make change.

I think that’s what made it so hard.”

Since the tragedy, President Joe Biden has signed a memorandum on Jan. 26, 2021 condemning the “inflammatory and xenophobic rhetoric” against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. On April 22, 2021 the Senate voted 94–1 to pass the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act.

If you would like to help with Asians4Justice’s goal of educational reform and institutional accountability, please scan the QR codes and sign the petitions. We must continue to hold institutions and individuals to a standard and combat Asian hate, and every voice is important.

SPRING 2021 | 19

Tongue-Tied at the Reunion: Language Loss and Language Barriers within Asian Families

According to a 2012 report published by the Pew Research Center, only 14% of U.S.-born Asian Americans can converse in their ancestral language.

This low rate of proficiency can be attributed to a number of factors, one of which is sociaal pressure. In order to assimilate to American culture, immigrants often feel they must prioritize learning English and urge their children to speak English rather than their native language.

Another factor contributing to the dismal statistics is that a significant percentage of certain Asian American groups do not believe it is important that future generations retain the ability to speak their native language.

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design/Kaela Marie Varias

Among different Asian American groups, there are a variety of opinions regarding the importance of heritage language preservation. Most notably, at opposite ends of the spectrum, 62% Korean Americans say it is very important to them that future generations of Korean Americans speak Korean, while only 25% of Japanese Americans believe it is For Vance Herbener, a 19-year-old sophomore political and environmental Judgement from “English- only” important that future generations of science major, being able to speak supporters and proponents of Japanese Americans speak Japanese, only English has made it difficult to monolingualism in American society as reported by the Pew Research communicate with his extended family has discouraged immigrants from Center. speaking their native language in public. in the Philippines.

Approximately one-third of Americans These differences can be attributed to “I remember when I went to my responding to a Pew Research Center factors like whether a majority of the mother’s village in Bukidnon over the poll stated that it would bother them Asian American group was born in the summer before ninth grade,” Herbener to hear a language other than English United States or abroad. For example, since only 32% of Japanese Americans said. “I remember feeling so out of spoken in public. were born in Japan, the 68% who place being unable to understand anyone in my family or communicate Given the rise of anti-Asian, xenophobic were born in the United States tend to in Tagalog beyond basic sentences. and racist attacks fuelled by the COVID-19 place language preservation of their I also looked and sounded different pandemic, it is even more dangerous to ancestral tongue at a low priority. from the rest of my family. Being half appear “foreign” in public spaces. Nearly white and speaking with an American 3,800 hate incidents — including slurs, “First-language loss occurs almost accent reaffirmed how different I was shunning and physical attacks — were across the board by immigrants’ third reported to Stop AAPI Hate in the past generation,” linguistic anthropologist to my family.” year, signaling to Asian Americans that Linda Light told The Washington Post.

The issue of language barriers within speaking a foreign language could be an Asian families is multifaceted and act of self-endangerment.

photography/ Tejasvi Dudipalla

By Merriam-Webster’s dictionary definition, a language barrier is “a difficulty for people communicating because they speak different languages.” However, Asian Americans who grapple with language barriers can attest that communication is not the only thing that is hindered; a deep connection with one’s heritage may also be harder to establish.

complex, requiring an in-depth look at the diverse beliefs, practices and histories of Asian immigrants in the United States.

by Eileen Calub

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or many Asian Americans, the experience of navigating language barriers is all too familiar and heartbreaking.

These numbers and projections paint a troubling picture for the survival of heritage languages in the United States For some Asian Americans, especially those born in the United States and those who are mixed race, language barriers arise inadvertently when the native language of one or both parents is not taught, thus resulting in involuntary language loss and the disconnect of the new generation from their family and culture.

“First-language loss occurs almost across the board by immigrants third generation” —Linda Light

Sciences, Adel Dastgoshadeh and Kaveh Jalilzadeh describe how the prioritization of English has led to native language loss and, in turn, identity loss.

There is, however, a beacon of light.

Studying at an institution with foreign language programs can serve to bridge the gap between Asian Americans and their heritage.

More and more universities are offering foreign language instruction, including in Asian languages. Inside Higher Ed reports that “Japanese and Korean showed gains since 2013, of 3.1 percent (to 68,801 enrollments) and 13.7 percent (to 13,936), respectively.” Coming to college, Herbener wished the University of Florida (UF) offered Tagalog as a foreign language course.

“UF has language departments for both Japanese and Chinese, but lacks anything for the languages of South and Southeast Asia,” Herbener said, “so engaging in Filipino culture Herbener was born in the United in the UF Filipino Student Association States to a Filipino mother and a has been the best way to get some white father. Given that his mother familiarity with Tagalog.” was already fluent in English due to her work in retail before immigrating As Asian Americans progress in to the United States, Tagalog and his reconnecting with their heritage mother’s native tongue, Bisaya, did through language study, their not have any functional usage in his relatives abroad are also working, household growing up. some perhaps unwittingly, towards dismantling language barriers.

“None of the languages from the Already ranking second in the world homeland came into use in my for the largest population of nonupbringing,” Herbener said. “My native English speakers, according to inability to speak Bisaya or Tagalog the EF English Proficiency Index, Asia has affected me in my ability to continues to see astronomical growth connect with my family in the in the English-language training and Philippines as we can really only education market. talk through broken English. I don’t really know my aunts, uncles or “In addition to me learning Tagalog, grandmother well because of these my cousins in the Philippines learn language barriers, in addition to the English through their K-12 education. physical distance between us.”

Most of the educational materials they use are written in English,” Herbener Furthermore, in the 2011 paper said. “Reaching out to younger family “Language loss, identity, and English as members has helped me become an international language” published closer to my Filipino family abroad.” in the European Journal of Social

“Reaching out to younger family members has helped me become closer to my Filipino family abroad.”

—Vance Herbener Looking to the future, the mutual efforts of Asian Americans and their relatives abroad to form meaningful bonds can help them overcome the obstacles imposed by American society.

SPRING 2021 | 21

The Rise of Asian Influencers

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In the growing age of media, there is a progressively direct relationship between influencers and their followers. Platforms such as Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and, more recently, Tiktok, have made it easier for influencers to both develop and maintain an audience, as virtually any individual has the ability to create an account through these social websites.

The availability of opportunities has led to an increasing number of influencers from more diverse and representative walks of life. With more representation, Asian and Asian Americans are no longer portrayed as single dimensional caricatures, but instead as multifaceted individuals.

One of the first individuals to develop a large fan base and pave the way for Asian influencers is Michelle Phan.

After creating her YouTube channel in 22 | SPRING 2021

2006, the Vietnamese American beauty vlogger amassed a large following. She has even been referred to as the “first YouTuber.” On her channel, she posts beauty-related content, such as makeup tutorials and reviews.

platform by sharing his men’s grooming and fashion tips. The Chinese actor and influencer was born in San Francisco, California and later moved out to Los Angeles in order to pursue a career in acting and entertainment.

Phan became Lancôme’s first Vietnamese American spokesperson in 2010 after they made her their official video make-up artist.

A year later, Phan co-founded a monthly beauty product subscription program called MyGlam. This company eventually grew to be renamed Ipsy and accumulated a value of $500 million. One of her most notable accomplishments was when she launched a cosmetic line with L’Oréal called EM Cosmetics in 2013.

In an op-ed she wrote for Teen Vogue, Phan discussed how she felt underrepresented and marginalized when she was younger.

“In a world before Instagram and YouTube, magazines were my point of reference for ‘ideal’ beauty standards,” she said.

Because of her platform, she has had the opportunity to embrace her features that she was once mocked for such as her eyes and fuller lips. Now she explores “new facets of beauty through the lenses of different cultures.”

In a similar vein, Edward Zo is paving the path for Asian representation through his

Edward Zo, 21, men’s fashion and grooming

design/Maggie Dungey

or many years, Asians have been underrepresented in Hollywood and in the media in general. In the cases that they did have the spotlight on them, it was typically stereotyped and did not properly represent Asians, Asian Americans, and their culture. Films and shows utilized stereotypical tropes such as the “nerdy Asian,” the “Asian that speaks English poorly,” and the “all Asians know martial arts.”

by Hannah De La Garza

A review on big names that are paving the path for Asian representation in the media

In an interview with Coveteur, he explained his reason for wanting to get involved in the industry: “Growing up, I’ve never seen myself represented in mainstream media, so I always thought I want to be the first to break down barriers and be a champion for my community.”

Zo quickly realized that life in the entertainment business was not all that it is cracked up to be, especially as an Asian American. In 2015, he auditioned for Netflix’s live-action adaptation of the Japanese anime series “Death Note.” He was refused the role of Light Yagami because, as he described in a video, the casting directors were not looking for Asian actors to play the role.

Despite setbacks such as this, Zo was persistent in creating a name for himself, so he focused on growing both his YouTube and Instagram presence. On his YouTube channel, he posts a variety of content, such as vlogs, prank videos, and lifestyle and grooming advice. In 2020, he even launched a company that sells men’s wigs and hair grooming products.

Since then, Zo’s continued determination has earned him a sizable audience across multiple platforms.

Kristina Wong, 42, comedian, elected representative of Koreantown, actress and activist

Most people refer to Wong as a comedian, but when asked about why she chose this path, Wong explained how many of her past experiences encouraged her work today. During college, she suffered from poor mental health due to events such as going through unhealthy romantic relationships and even surviving an attack in her home. After attempting to seek help from a therapist at her school, Wong realized that it was not beneficial to her Another name to know is Kristina Wong, and she found herself struggling still. who is tackling social issues regarding It was not until she took a class called race, sex, and privilege from a comedic “The Invisible World” with LA Opera approach. She is a performance artist, Director Peter Sellers that she learned writer, and elected representative for what she wanted to do. “Suddenly, having an audience and the freedom to do nonKoreatown in Los Angeles. linear, abstract, performance art pieces made me feel so much freer and seen.

And somewhere in there, I decided rather than pay strangers to hear me talk about my problems, that maybe I should get audiences to pay me to listen to me talk about my problems. And somewhere in there... I began to make more activist oriented work,” Wong said.

Michelle Phan, 33, YouTuber, makeup artist and entrepreneur

As the elected representative for Koreatown, she works to directly involve herself in her community. “Because I am a comedian, I think they assumed that I would just run away from the responsibility and make a joke of it. But I am surprised at how normal and serious I am in the room. Being an elected leader elected by all of 72 votes total (if you count the vote I cast for myself) has shifted how I see myself and the responsibility I have to my neighborhood,” said Wong.

During her time, she has campaigned for essential services for the homeless, and she is also currently leading a volunteer project called the “Auntie Sewing Squad” which makes and distributes masks to essential workers and vulnerable communities during the COVID-19 pandemic. Wong described how at the start of 2020, she had plans to tour her show “Kristina Wong for Public Office” in theaters, but they were cancelled due to the pandemic. Instead, she started this project due to the shortage of personal protection equipment.

When asked if she had any comments for the readers of Sparks Magazine, this is what Wong said: “This is a scary time for Asian Americans where we are faced with witnessing hateful violence against our communities from people who have been looking for scapegoats for the COVID-19 crisis. It’s hard to not feel helpless and angry, but we actually have a lot of power to speak up against the violence and the racist systemic frameworks that have incited people to react to us in violence.”

These individuals have all utilized their talents and abilities in order to impact the community in a positive way. Through the content that they create, they have paved a path that allows for more inclusivity and proper representation of Asians/Asian Americans and their cultures.

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Appropriation writer/ Amanda Hoffman photography/ Yimeng Zhou design/ Aryam Amar

How stigmatization in America shapes perceptions 24 | SPRING 2021

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hen 18-year-old Keziah Daum tweeted pictures of herself wearing a Chinese qipao — a tight-fitting, highnecked gown — at her high school prom in 2018, she never anticipated receiving harsh backlash about her outfit. Tens of thousands of Twitter users replied to her post, accusing her of casual racism and cultural appropriation. Others came to her defense, stating her apparel was a sign of cultural appreciation, not appropriation. This clash in perception left many wondering: what is the difference between these two terms?

According to Karen Howard’s research article, “Cultural Appropriation Versus Cultural Appreciation—Understanding the Difference,” cultural appropriation is defined as “taking intellectual property, traditional knowledge, cultural expressions, or artifacts from someone else’s culture without permission.” Howard considers cultural appropriation particularly harmful when “the source community is a minority group that has been oppressed or exploited in other ways or when the object of appropriation is particularly sensitive.”

To appreciate rather than appropriate, Howard believes those who are interested in another culture’s traditions should work with or speak to a person belonging to that culture, as well as demonstrate their respect for the culture. They should also work to learn broader knowledge regarding the culture in question and not simply limit their research to the issue or artifact at hand.

In addition to the discourse involving appropriation versus appreciation, a new topic of discussion surrounds the different perceptions of cultural appropriation between Asians and Asian Americans. Many Asian Americans notice that the behaviors and cultural norms they were bullied for as kids are now being celebrated when performed by individuals of other races. People living in Asian countries, however, often view appropriation of those norms as appreciation of their culture, because they generally do not face discrimination for performing those practices or participating in their cultural traditions.

Hannah Kim, a third-year English and psychology major at the University of Florida (UF), has experienced this disagreement firsthand. Kim’s mother and father were born in South Korea and later emigrated to the United States Unlike her parents, Kim was born in the United States and has a firm view of cultural appropriation.

“My views fall more in the negative category. I think it’s always going to exist, and it’s just one of those things where if you’re taking someone else’s culture and monetizing it or gaining something from it or using harmful stereotypes to portray someone else’s culture... the end result is you’re further marginalizing them.”

Her parents, on the other hand, don’t often see a problem with what Kim would call cultural appropriation. Kim thinks there is a reason for this division. Referring to the “fox eye” trend where people use eyeshadow to make their eyes appear more “almond-shaped,” she said, “My parents never had to grow up with people “slanting” their

eyes at them in school and things like that. They weren’t really in a position to experience that kind of harassment or bullying. But then when you have a bunch of Asian American kids who grew up with that being a sore spot and something we were called out on, seeing it be perceived as beautiful on white bodies hurts. I think that’s a difference in my experiences that would make me think it’s cultural appropriation when my parents wouldn’t.”

Gayathri Annamraju, a third-year biology major at the University of Georgia, feels similarly. Annamraju was born in India but has lived in the United States since she was seven. Gayathri says she believes appropriation of Indian culture remains prevalent.

“I think we’re all aware of Coachella culture where they just took henna or mehndi and turned it into a fad,” she said. “It became problematic because, growing up, a lot of people of Indian descent were mocked for [having mehndi], so I think it’s an issue when you suddenly switch from disrespecting it to respecting it just because of your own needs.”

Annamraju and Kim agree that there are ways to engage in cultural appreciation instead. By understanding the history and meaning of these behaviors, people who are interested in other cultures can respectfully participate in those cultures’ traditions.

This is where Daum went wrong: when looking for her prom dress, she saw a beautiful dress that caught her eye and that was that. While this action may seem harmless to an outsider, we must take into consideration the Chinese Americans who have been bullied for wearing their traditional dress and are now seeing these outfits, as Kim said, be perceived as beautiful on white bodies. By not taking the time to research the history of the qipao she donned at her prom, and refusing to apologize, Daum demonstrated a lack of respect for the culture that created her dress. Regardless of her intention, many Chinese Americans were hurt by her lack of regard for their culture and their commentary.

By turning a blind eye to cultural appropriation or accusing people of color of being too sensitive, we send the message that a person’s ancestry should hold no weight; that they should not be proud of their culture. To be actively anti-racist and respectful of cultural differences, we must uplift the voices of the people who are affected by these instances of cultural appropriation.

In Kim’s words, “If you don’t identify with that culture or ethnic group, you really don’t have a say in determining whether something is cultural appropriation. Leave that up to the people who identify with that group.”

SPRING 2021 | 25

Asian American Artists at uf A spotlight on talented and hardworking Asian American artists at the University of Florida Duong Pham

Pham discussed his own dancing background.

When asked “Why dance?”, Pham’s bright disposition mellowed.

He shared that dance is his emotional, physical, and creative outlet for the stress he endured since he and his family immigrated to the U.S. Growing up, Pham often had to translate and schedule appointments for his family; he noticed the financial struggles they went through and knew he had to work for his future. With school and family duties, he had no way to relieve himself. He reminisced witnessing “America’s Best Dance Crew” on TV one day. In awe, he knew that he wanted to dance at that very moment.

“Beyond just being an outlet, I dance and choreograph because I want people to have a good time — a fun experience,” Pham said.

“I want them to make new friendships and memories. Dance is a realm where I can relax and have a good time.”

Lucy Nguyen

“Design is broad; it isn’t confining,” Nguyen said. “I don’t need to hone in on a single, specific thing that I want to study.”

Nguyen delved into her creative process. Though it depended on each project, she emphasized the importance of research. Design is not about creating beautiful visuals, but creating meaningful visuals with purpose behind them. Nguyen always starts with content development by scouring for as much information as she can. From there, she sketches until she has multiple different drafts to mull over in her folder. However, it’s not a set process.

Nguyen prioritizes experimentation and play rather than rules.

As the world constantly changes and evolves, design does too.

Nguyen thrives amidst these new challenges to solve.

Siya Bhutani Siya Bhutani is a 19-year-old biology major on the pre-med track at UF. She has played the guitar for 11 years, both acoustic and electric. Growing up, she took guitar lessons that ended at her current level, “grade eight.” She kept her guitar to her chest as she moved across oceans, from India to the U.K. to the United States Before COVID-19, Bhutani would volunteer to play guitar at a care home. Now that everything’s online, her musicality is primarily expressed through YouTube covers with her sister.

Lucy Nguyen is a 21-year-old graphic design major at UF. Although her discipline is often in the digital sphere, Nguyen prefers print “I enjoy giving people time to de-stress when they listen to my work: books, posters, magazines, packaging material and the like. music, just like I de-stress when I play guitar,” Bhutani said. “I just She discussed possibly designing for conferences and exhibition want to put a smile on people’s faces.” spaces in the future, where visitors can touch and interact with her pieces on a deeper, more intimate level.

26 | SPRING 2021

design/Julia Guerrero

“I started dancing my freshman year of high school. I was stiff as a brick, but that’s how it is for every beginner, right? When you learn choreography, it eventually becomes muscle memory. Every dancer has their own personality when they get comfortable, so it’s like a progression — a character arc,” Pham said.

photography/Nidhi Bhide

“My job is to make the choreography look smooth and elegant,” “Anytime I see Asian-inspired work, it’s usually stereotypical,” Pham said. “It takes me about a week, but sometimes I find a Nguyen said. “Sometimes, it’s purely illustration. Other times, it’s certain part to switch up that may look better. And sometimes, bland. That’s not exciting to me. I want to create an open space when I just don’t have time, I make the choreography 24 hours where people can explore and have fun.” before practice.”

When asked “Why design?”, Nguyen explained how she enjoyed On top of choreographing, Pham manages fellow choreographers learning everything from art to history to science. Additionally, and dancers to make sure everything is up to par. He has to she loves conversing and connecting with people to build genuine confirm that members are dancing to the best of their ability, and relationships. She grew up with a traditional fine arts background that they know when to come in for certain parts of a performance. with drawing classes, but actually started designing in college.

Although Pham plays an essential role as performance director, As design is all about problem-solving, Nguyen can experience he emphasizes the outcome is a two-way street in which the different fields through her own visual creations. Not only does her work reach out to the people around her, but design encourages dancers have to put in their effort as well. collaboration between different types of people as well.

by Cindy Duong

Duong Pham is a 20-year-old advertising major at the University of Florida (UF) who choreographs for the Vietnamese Student Organization (VSO) end-of-semester shows. VSO calls Pham “The Avatar” because of his dynamic dancing style that parallels water-, earth-, fire- and airbending movements depending on the beat. Specializing in hip-hop and choreographing modern dances, Pham immerses himself in songs to create dances that fit the music’s message.

Nguyen’s designs are inspired by her parents and Asian culture, whether it’d be her own culture or aspects of other Asian cultures.

These days, she plays with multiple languages in her art, pairing text in Latin scripts with text in non-latin scripts. Not everyone in the U.S. speaks English, so Nguyen makes her projects accessible to a larger, diverse audience. Moreover, she makes an effort to fuse Asian cultures into her work until it’s not just accessible, but simply normal for Asian voices to be included in the media. Her desire to return to her roots manifests itself in her personal designs.

Lucy Nguyen

Siya Bhutani

She covers songs that resonate with her, whether her inspiration comes from the artist or from the strumming patterns.

For her process, she searches up the chords, figures what key works best with her voice, and practices as much as she can.

Bhutani records multiple takes on her phone and once she’s done, she uploads it without a second thought. No fuss. She knows if she mulls over it, then Bhutani will take the video down.

Duong Pham

In the December before COVID-19, Bhutani and her family visited India. She took her guitar with her during a road trip to the mountains. Every night on that trip, they would huddle around a sparkling bonfire and sing Hindi or classic Bollywood songs. This sense of harmony among her family members and the Asian community as a whole heavily impacts the type of music Bhutani plays.

“I’m so inspired when I listen to other people’s covers,” Bhutani “There’s a strong sense of community within Asian people,” said. “They’re brave enough to put themselves on the internet. I Bhutani said. “When I perform, I want to be a part of a think of uploading covers as a way to push myself to be better. community. When I perform, I want to do it with my sister or It’s my form of improvement.” with my family.”

Bhutani described how her love of music intertwines with her love for her family.

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