Asian American X : An Intersection of Twenty-First Century Asian American Voices

Original writings address the struggles of young Asian Americans to define their identities while growing up in the United States Contents......Page 8 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS......Page 12 INTRODUCTION, by Arar Han and John Y. Hsu......Page 14 1. LABEL US ANGRY, by Jeremiah Torres......Page 28 2. 1984, by Sunita Puri......Page 32 3. DEATH OF A BUTTERFLY, by Felix Poon......Page 39 4. A PLACE WHERE I WANT TO BE, by Nupur Chaudhury......Page 47 5. COMINGS AND GOINGS, by Vinh Nguyen......Page 52 6. SEOUL SEARCHING, by Rebecca J. Kinney......Page 65 7. CHINESE AGAIN, by Yijing Yang......Page 71 8. BEING OIL, by May Chang......Page 76 9. DOUBLE-A, by Mai Anh Huynh......Page 83 10. ABC FOR LIFE, by Katie Leung......Page 89 11. HOW NOT TO EAT PHO: Me and Asia America, by Michael Sue......Page 98 12. A LITTLE TOO ASIAN AND NOT ENOUGH WHITE, by Matthew Noerper......Page 105 13. HALF AND HALF, by Jenny Chen......Page 113 14. CHINA PEARL, by Julie Jia-Yi Greene......Page 119 15. ROOTS AND WINGS, by Joann Yi Jung Huh......Page 125 16. CREATING MYSELF, by Curtis Steuber......Page 131 17. DRAWING THE BOUNDARIES, by Priscilla Chan......Page 135 18. LOST AND FOUND IN ASIAN AMERICA, by Jessica Kawamura......Page 143 19. BROWN IN FADED BLUE GENES, by Janet Miñano......Page 146 20. OUT AND ABOUT: Coming of Age in a Straight White World, by Michael Kim......Page 152 21. UNDERSTANDING LIFE, MA, AND ME, by Joyee Goswami......Page 162 22. ANOTHER AMERICAN MUTT, by Cavan Reagan......Page 167 23. SHEN AI SHI REN, by Wendy Hu......Page 173 24. BROWN SKIN, by May Ling Halim......Page 180 25. THE CONFESSION: Part Two, by Shiv Desai......Page 188 26. THE JAZZIAN SINGER, by Francine Di......Page 195 27. REMINISCINGS, by Shiuan Butler......Page 205 28. THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE HOME, by Phillina Sun......Page 214 29. THIN ENOUGH TO BE ASIAN, by Uyen-Khanh Quang-Dang......Page 219 30. LANGUAGE AND IDENTITY, by Jeffrey Ryuta Willis......Page 227 31. WHO AM I?, by Gordon Wang......Page 235 32. DOPPELGÄNGER, by Frederick Macapinlac......Page 240 33. CAUGHT BETWEEN CULTURES: Identity, Choice, and the Hyphenated American, by Margot Seeto......Page 244 34. THE PARADOX OF BEING TOO CHINESE AND NOT CHINESE ENOUGH, by Bryant Yang......Page 251 35. I AM GOING HOME,by Duncan Zheng......Page 257 Label Us Angry / Jeremiah Torres -- 1984 / Sunita Puri -- Death Of A Butterfly / Felix Poon -- A Place Where I Want To Be / Nupur Chaudhury -- Comings And Goings / Vinh Nguyen -- Seoul Searching / Rebecca J. Kinney -- Chinese Again / Yijing Yang -- Being Oil / May Chang -- Double-a / Mai Anh Huynh -- Abc For Life / Katie Leung -- How Not To Eat Pho: Me And Asia America / Michael Sue -- A Little Too Asian And Not Enough White / Matthew Noerper -- Half And Half / Jenny Chen -- China Pearl / Julie Jia-yi Greene -- Roots And Wings / Joann Yi Jung Huh -- Creating Myself / Curtis Steuber -- Drawing The Boundaries / Priscilla Chan -- Lost And Found In Asian America / Jessica Kawamura -- Brown In Faded Blue Genes / Janet Miñano -- Out And About: Coming Of Age In A Straight White World / Michael Kim -- Understanding Life, Ma, And Me / Joyee Goswami -- Another American Mutt / Cavan Reagan -- Shen Ai Shi Ren / Wendy Hu -- Brown Skin / May Ling Halim -- The Confession: Part Two / Shiv Desai -- The Jazzian Singer / Francine Di -- Reminiscings / Shiuan Butler -- There's No Place Like Home / Philina Sun -- Thin Enough To Be Asian / Uyen-khanh Quang-dang -- Language And Identity / Jeffrey Ryuta Willis -- Who Am I? / Gordon Wang -- Doppelgänger / Frederick Macapinlac -- Caught Between Cultures: Identity, Choice, And The Hyphenated American / Margot Seeto -- The Paradox Of Being Too Chinese And Not Chinese Enough / Bryant Yang -- I Am Going Home / Duncan Zheng. Edited By Arar Han And John Hsu. 'This diverse collection, like Asian America itself, adds up to something far more vibrant than the sum of its voices.'-Eric Liu, author of The Accidental Asian'There's fury, dignity, and self-awareness in these essays. I found the voices to be energetic and the ideas exciting.'-Diana Son, playwright (Stop Kiss) and co-producer (Law & Order: Criminal Intent) This refreshing and timely collection of coming-of-age essays, edited and written by young Asian Americans, powerfully captures the joys and struggles of their evolving identities as one of the fastest-growing groups in the nation and poignantly depicts the many oft-conflicting ties they feel to both American and Asian cultures. The essays also highlight the vast cultural diversity within the category of Asian American, yet ultimately reveal how these young people are truly American in their ideals and dreams. Asian American X is more than a book on identity; it is required reading both for young Asian Americans who seek to understand themselves and their social group, and for all who are interested in keeping abreast of the changing American social terrain. "This diverse collection, like Asian America itself, adds up to something far more vibrant than the sum of its voices." -Eric Liu, author of The Accidental Asian "There's fury, dignity, and self-awareness in these essays. I found the voices to be energetic and the ideas exciting." -Diana Son, playwright (Stop Kiss) and co-producer (Law & Order: Criminal Intent) This refreshing and timely collection of coming-of-age essays, edited and written by young Asian Americans, powerfully captures the joys and struggles of their evolving identities as one of the fastest-growing groups in the nation and poignantly depicts the many oft-conflicting ties they feel to both American and Asian cultures. The essays also highlight the vast cultural diversity within the category of Asian American, yet ultimately reveal how these young people are truly American in their ideals and dreams. Asian American X is more than a book on identity; it is required reading both for young Asian Americans who seek to understand It hurts to know that the most painful and shocking event of my life happened in part because of my racesomething I can never change.