Interviews
Asian American Soldier Who Dreamed of Flying, Struggled With Grades is Now a US Army Pilot
The U.S. Army launched an animated series earlier last month, featuring soldiers such as First Lieutenant David Toguchi, an Asian American pilot who turned his lifelong dream of flying into a reality.
“The Calling” follows five young Americans as their different life experiences lead them to serve in the Army. The series aims to “help close the relatability gap between Gen Z and America’s largest military branch,” according to a press release from earlier last month.
Meet Anchyi Wei, the First Chinese American Woman to Win Mrs. DC America in 19 Years
Capitol Hill resident Anchyi Wei made history earlier this month when she took home the Mrs. DC America sash and became the first Chinese American woman to win the title in 19 years.
Pageant details: Wei won the beauty pageant, in Washington, D.C. on May 1, according to An Officer and Gentlewoman, LLC.
Friends Who Met on ‘Subtle Asian Mental Health’ Want to Make it Easier For You to Talk to Parents About Mental Health
A virtual team of Asian therapists, who met on Facebook, are offering tips on how to bridge the initial conversations with your Asian parents about mental health.
Founded by Christopher Vo, a marriage and family therapist based in Houston, the Asian Mental Health Collective (AMHC or the Collective) is the first mental health organization centering around the Asian community.
Meet the Artist Behind the Iconic Portrait of the Beloved Vicha Ratanapakdee
Amidst all of the news about hate crimes against the Asian American community, LA-based artist Jonathan Chang decided that he cannot stay silent anymore.
A seasoned illustrator in the toy and entertainment industries, Chang mostly posted photos of his dog and other fun pop culture illustrations, from Overwatch characters to Andrew Yang. However, with the onset of the pandemic last year, he began to notice the rise in anti-Asian hate crimes among Asian-centric social media accounts.
9 Ways ‘Raya and The Last Dragon’ Puts Southeast Asia in the Spotlight
As the first Disney movie centered around a Southeast Asian heroine, “Raya and The Last Dragon” is chock full of vivid details and references to the tropical region.
When NextShark spoke with the team behind the scenes, we learned that the team did a lot of extensive research to create the fantastical yet grounded world of Raya.
Andrew Yang Responds to Backlash on Washington Post Op-Ed [EXCLUSIVE]
Last week, Andrew Yang published an op-ed in The Washington Post highlighting the growing racism against the Asian community.
The piece, published on April 1, was met with immediate backlash from the many Asian Americans, including celebrities like Simu Liu, Eddie Huang, and Steven Yeun. While the post touched on Yang’s personal experiences dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic, many took issue with him commenting on Japanese Americans who joined the military during World War II to “demonstrate that they were Americans.”
Meet the Chinese Trump Fan Dedicating His Time to Helping COVID-19 Healthcare Workers
Nearly three years ago, I sat down for an interview with David Tian, entrepreneur and the founder of “Chinese Americans For Trump,” who is responsible for mobilizing massive groups of Chinese Americans on WeChat in support of President Donald Trump during the 2016 election.
The group is famous for placing Trump billboards in over a dozen states and flying aerial banners in over 32 cities during Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign.
Meet Jonny Kim – The Man Every Asian Tiger Mom Compares You To
“Why are you not like Auntie Yi’s kid?! He works so hard.”
“Did you know that Steve’s kid just got into Harvard? He’s so smart.”
His Asian Mom Wanted Him to Be a Doctor or Lawyer, He Built a Tiny Phone Instead
As software forges new frontiers in artificial intelligence, curbing the insatiable habit of mobile use has become a more challenging cause to save ourselves from hours of aimless, unhealthy scrolling. Such a state of digital addiction, all in the age of data deluge, has resulted in an overwhelming struggle to focus on information that truly matters.
We’ve become maximalists glued to our devices, hooked on the dopamine firing at every notification. While some decide to put their money in this direction, others are beginning to realize — and reap — the benefits of subscribing to the idea that less is more.
Meet the Real-Life Hustler Who Inspired Constance Wu’s Character Destiny
When “Hustlers” hit the big screen, all eyes were on Constance Wu and Jennifer Lopez. Audiences flocked to cinemas to see the film about the famed crew of female sex workers who devised the notorious scheme to drug and swindle Wall Street big shots out of hundreds of thousands.
It’s a story that centers on sisterhood united by a criminal enterprise. The “modern Robin Hood story,” as dubbed by the Cut, appears far too wild to be true, and yet, it was.
Meet the 44-Year-Old Who Quit Her Desk Job and Became a U.S. Pole Dance Champion
Natasha Wang quit her desk job as a publicist nine years ago, and since then, she’s traveled to nearly every corner of the globe inspiring women everywhere, in spite of language and cultural barriers.
Her job title for the past nine years? A professional pole athlete and instructor.
Meet the First Vietnamese Woman to Be Crowned Mrs. World
For the first time since its inception in 1984, Mrs. World — a pioneering pageant for married women — crowned a Vietnamese candidate earlier this year.
Born to immigrant parents and raised in Seattle, Jennifer Le won her first crown at the age of 17, just before pursuing a bachelor’s degree in business administration at the University of Washington.