Tag: politics

Crowdfunding, Interview1 Comment

Why this ‘American Sikh’ Cosplays as Captain America

Swara Ahmed

Animator and cosplayer Vishavjit Singh has experienced tremendous trauma in his life. He survived a genocide against Sikh people in India as a young boy, and after he and his family fled to the US, he’s constantly experienced racism and Islamophobia (despite not being Muslim) in the pre- and post-9/11 era. Despite all of this, he remains an optimist for people to treat each other better, and found through his regular cosplaying as Captain America that he could somehow achieve that. But what drew him to this initially?

Continue reading “Why this ‘American Sikh’ Cosplays as Captain America”
Interview, MoviesLeave a comment

A Beautiful Presidential Conversation w/ Whitney Skauge and Terence Smith

Bray Lawrence

In The Beauty President, Terence Smith retells his ’92 presidential campaign as his drag queen persona Ms. Joan Black in a conversational documentary short film by Whitney Skauge. Smith didn’t realize at the time it would be such a historic moment in political art, and this film captures his surprise and delight at being a part of history. 

Continue reading “A Beautiful Presidential Conversation w/ Whitney Skauge and Terence Smith”
Movies, Reviews

‘Unapologetic’ is an Unflinching Exploration of Activism

Bray Lawrence

“What is this helping?” is one of the first sentences uttered by a white restaurant patron unsettled in Unapologetic’s first scene, where protestors express the reality of the recent deaths of Black residents in their community to unsuspecting people eating brunch at restaurants. The scene perfectly encompasses the themes and motives of this documentary: a large and triumphant call to arms to make a more honest and equal world while people sit quietly trying to ignore not only the performance, but the actual knowledge of those who are destroyed and subjugated by these injustices.

Continue reading “‘Unapologetic’ is an Unflinching Exploration of Activism”
Movies, Reviews

‘The Beauty President’ is a Beauty to Behold

Bray Lawrence

As I watched the Pride flag waving as the credits ran at the end of The Beauty President, I remembered growing up in the early 2000s and how I knew nothing about what that flag meant then. That 20 years later, I can see it at my city’s town hall flying next to the United States flag. Director Whitney Skauge and the film’s subject, Terrance Alan Smith, bring a beautiful historical moment in LGBTQ+ history to the forefront with an air of grace and love that I hope everyone could see. 

Continue reading “‘The Beauty President’ is a Beauty to Behold”
Podcasts

Southern Fried Asian: The Carolina Desi

Southern Fried Asian

Back in May, Apple Podcasts curated a bunch of AAPI-themed podcasts together, and we were lucky enough to be featured alongside The Carolina Desi podcast. Naturally, we had to invite the hosts, Gurtej Singh and Rashmili Vemula, to join Southern Fried Asian!

Continue reading “Southern Fried Asian: The Carolina Desi”
Books, Podcasts

Southern Fried Asian: Kevin Kwan

Southern Fried Asian

Last month, the Enoch Pratt Free Library in Baltimore hosted our own Keith Chow in conversation with New York Times bestselling author Kevin Kwan as part of their “Writer’s Live” series. Because they spent a portion of their talk discussing Kevin’s childhood in Texas, we are presenting that conversation in its entirety for Southern Fried Asian!

Continue reading “Southern Fried Asian: Kevin Kwan”
Movies, Podcasts

Southern Fried Asian: Sung Kang

Southern Fried Asian

Justice is coming to Southern Fried Asian! Ahead of the world premiere of F9, the latest installment of The Fast Saga, its fan-favorite star Sung Kang joins the podcast to talk about the film and growing up in Georgia.

Continue reading “Southern Fried Asian: Sung Kang”

Conventions, News

Santa Monica to Celebrate Cultural Diversity, Explore Identity During AAPI Heritage Month

Laura Sirikul

The City of Santa Monica will celebrate Asian American Pacific  Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month with two virtual community events on May 19 and 20 celebrating the diverse cultures within the AAPI community, highlighting AAPI contributions, and exploring the challenges faced by the community during the pandemic.

You don’t need to be in sunny California to enjoy these events planned by Santa Monica. There are some interesting panels and performances being presented at the two-day event.

Continue reading “Santa Monica to Celebrate Cultural Diversity, Explore Identity During AAPI Heritage Month”
Podcasts

Southern Fried Asian: Old Dominion University’s #StopAAPIHate Panel

Southern Fried Asian

This episode of Southern Fried Asian features a special panel organized by community members from Old Dominion University in Norfolk, VA. Keith, a graduate of Old Dominion, joined the panel alongside, Dr. Francis Tanglao Aguas, Dr. Kim H. Nguyen, Dr. Melody D. Agbisit, Veronica Salcedo, and Tracie Liguid.

Continue reading “Southern Fried Asian: Old Dominion University’s #StopAAPIHate Panel”

Guest Post, Marvel, Streaming, Television1 Comment

I Am Captain America: Get Used to It

Guest N.O.C.

by Thaddeus Howze

While Marvel Comics has never allowed Sam Wilson to remain Captain America, it is good to see they have decided to allow him to hold the title in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

In the comics, they engineered an excuse for him to become Captain America and when they were done with the story arc, Steve Rogers reclaimed his title and his shield.

Continue reading “I Am Captain America: Get Used to It”
Podcasts

Southern Fried Asian: Dr. David Surratt

Southern Fried Asian

On a new episode of Southern Fried Asian, Keith is joined by Vice President for Student Affairs & Dean of Students at the University of Oklahoma Dr. David Surratt to talk about growing up Black and Korean in Tulsa.

Continue reading “Southern Fried Asian: Dr. David Surratt”

Hard N.O.C. Life, Movies, Television

Hard NOC Life 201: GameStop the Presses

Hard NOC Media

When fans mobilize, they can upend the stock market or convince a multi-billion dollar corporation to release a director’s cut of a box office bomb. This week on Hard NOC Life, Shawn, Dominic, Keith, and Jamal look at how the nerds took over the news cycle.

Continue reading “Hard NOC Life 201: GameStop the Presses”

Podcasts

Southern Fried Asian: Kavi Vu

Southern Fried Asian

Welcome to a new season of Southern Fried Asian! We’re kicking off 2021 with storyteller, writer, activist, and Georgian Kavi Vu to talk about how the AAPI community helped turn the state blue in 2020 and elect two Democratic senators in an historic runoff election.

Continue reading “Southern Fried Asian: Kavi Vu”

DC Comics, Movies, Podcasts, Streaming2 Comments

The Middle Geeks Episode 21: ‘Wonder Woman 1984’ and its MENA Issues

Swara Ahmed

We are joined by the wonderful Hanna Flint to discuss Wonder Woman 1984 in this special bonus episode! We discuss the various ups and downs of the film, how well we thought the actors did with the script and story they had, and whether this movie did Diana Prince/Wonder Woman justice. We also discuss the many racist and Orientalist aspects of its depiction of Egypt and Egyptian people, and how detrimental it is for MENA representation. There’s a LOT to discuss, and we go through it all. Enjoy listening!

Spoilers for Wonder Woman 1984 begin around 11:26.

TW for discussion of rape and sexual assault 11:44 -12:57

Continue reading “The Middle Geeks Episode 21: ‘Wonder Woman 1984’ and its MENA Issues”

Podcasts

Southern Fried Asian: H’Abigail Mlo

Southern Fried Asian

Just in time for the holidays, here’s the final Southern Fried Asian of season five to close out 2020! Joining the podcast is H’Abigail Mlo, a recent graduate of the University of North Carolina and one of the founders of Voices of the Highlands, a digital storytelling project featuring Montagnard/Montagnard-American voices on identity, culture, and everyday life.

Continue reading “Southern Fried Asian: H’Abigail Mlo”

Podcasts

ShoPowSho Episode 003: AAPI Community Leader, Rodney Salinas!

Patrick Strange

Psst. Psst. Hoy! Mga Kababayan! Hello and welcome everyone to The Nerds of Color‘s newest audio/video podcast, ShoPowSho! My name is Kuya P AKA Patrick Michael Strange and I am honored to have The Nerds of Color be the home of my new show, ShoPowSho, wherein, we will be exploring my people / my kabayan from the Philippines!

Continue reading “ShoPowSho Episode 003: AAPI Community Leader, Rodney Salinas!”