Doppelganger?

Once, while working at Abercrombie Kids, I was told that I looked like Lisa Ling.

At this point, I really had no idea who she was. I’m honestly not sure if I look her either… But I’ve done a little research about Lisa Ling because obviously I was curious about this woman who supposedly looks like me. Lisa Ling is a Chinese American Journalist. She is best known for co-hosting The View from 1999-2002 but her more current projects include work at the Oprah Winfrey Network and CNN. Her sister Laura Ling is a journalist who was detained and released in 2009 by North Korea.

Lisa Ling’s pieces are all heavy topics. When working for Oprah she reported on bride burning, gang rape, Lord’s Resistance Army, child trafficking, puppy mills, aftermath of hurricane Katrina, and the Virginia Tech Massacre. Many of her pieces have been overseas but she also covers stories in the US. Her newest shows on the Oprah Winfrey Network primarily focus on issues in America.

I find her to be inspirational. She is globally aware, reporting about so many issues in the world and from so many countries. From just brief research, I’ve been able to conclude that she is very intelligent and driven. She is a role model for not just Asian American girls, but for any girl. I encourage you to do your own research about her and on the topics she has covered. I’m hoping to watch some of her videos online. I’d like to know what you think of Lisa Ling, if you’ve heard of her or seen her pieces. If not, who else strikes you as inspirational?

The Industry

One of my main passions is fashion. I love clothes and spend any extra money I have on them. I know that some find fashion to be overrated but I think of style as an art. Anyhow, I was thinking about fashion and realized that there are many Asian designers that are household names. To me, this is impressive because I feel that Asians are underrepresented in American pop culture. So I’ve taken it upon myself to learn about a few of these designers and happily browse through their designs.

Vera Wang (Chinese) is most known for her wedding dresses. Here are a couple gowns from her Fall 2011 Wedding line

Anna Sui (Chinese American) has a unique and eclectic style that I adore. A few of my favorites from Fall 2011 Ready to Wear.

Alexander Wang (Taiwanese American) has a more laid back and casual style. I think he fuses this style well with high fashion pieces. The first piece is from Resort 2012 while the second two are from Fall 2011.

 

Derek Lam (Chinese American) creates beauty out of simple and classic silhouettes. These pieces are from his Fall 2011 line.

I also found this article from the New York Times to be applicable. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/05/fashion/05asians.html

In addition, I’m not sure where we would be without the human hangers we call models. As a personal preference, Shu Pei Qin is my favorite Asian model. She is Chinese and isn’t one of the most well-known models, but she is unique and talented. This is the ad that caught my attention:

Basically I’m obsessed with fashion. I’m also excited to see so many Asian Americans in the industry. What are you obsessed with? Do you find yourself identifying with people because your ethnicities are similar?

I Love College

A couple weeks ago I attended the hyped up, talked about, Ram’s Pointe Pool Party. It seems silly to give it such an official title but in reality, it was a big deal. My aunt knew about it and my mom had to answer questions from curious coworkers who know I’m at CSU. In case you missed out, it is on youtube…

Now typically a pool party isn’t really a place that I think about race. But here I was, socializing with what seemed like a million people, when this belligerent guy decides to start yelling “I love Asians!!!!” to me. Now how should I respond to that? Should I be insulted or flattered? Maybe my feelings are somewhere in the middle? Of course the only logical thing to do is shout back, “Thanks!”

However, this interaction has got me thinking about my identity. If you really think about it, intersectionality is at play here. Based on two parts of my identity, this random guy has decided to get my attention. Now just for some background info (from http://www.ir.colostate.edu/pdf/fbk/1011/fb_1011_student.pdf) I’d like to point out that Colorado State University is about 86 percent white. Shocking, I know. This is not the first place that I’ve realized I’m one of the only Asian students. Last year at the CU vs. CSU football game I looked around to see a crowd of white people. Despite the fact that there is not much representation of other ethnicities here at Colorado State, I still feel comfortable. I still love this school and really do not feel limited or out of place because I am Asian.

What about you? How do you feel about Colorado State’s “diversity”? What kind of experiences have you had because of your identity?

Warning: This video contains content which some might find disturbing.

I’ll Have a Side of Bride, Please

Guess what’s the leading export of the Philippines???  Female labor, particularly the mail order bride industry.  See this video at around 3 minutes 20 seconds.

This issue is complicated by the fact that it’s predominantly men who operate and run these agencies.  Also, the women are frequently mistreated, neglected, and lied to.  Oftentimes the men misrepresent both themselves and how they plan to provide and care for their wives. 

Rather than women taking control of their own lives and bodies, the mail order bride industry often relies on the exploitation and dehumanization of women.  Check out this video to hear how one man rationalizes his participation within the mail order bride industry.

Why Asian women?  This list compiled by an Asian mail order bride service (owned by a white man married to a woman from Hong Kong), gives multiple stereotypical reasons why some feel Asian women make good wives for Western men.  “They are petite, soft, and gentle. . . Women from Asia are feminine. . . They typically have smooth, silky, hairless skin. . . Women from Asia are gentle.” 

How does this list reinforce stereotypes? 

Is the mail order bride industry empowering for women?  Or is it simply men exploiting women?

Is the mail order bride industry moral?  Should mail order brides be legal?

You are the Samurai . . .

Asian/ Pacific Americans make up about 5% of the American population.  As such, we’re often overlooked.  But we predict increased visibility and presence among the mainstream.  Both a growing population & Asian/ Pacific activists are leading to a stronger presence in American society.  We here at the Fab Fifth feel that the Asian/ Pacific American community has limitless potential, and that the empowerment of one is dependent on the empowerment of all. 

We choose everything that goes into this blog very strategically.  For example, check out the background.  The still is from the 1954 Akira Kurosawa classic ‘Seven Samurai.’  In the film, samurai are enlisted to protect a village against bandits and thieves.  This image, which is somewhat emblematic of the film, speaks profoundly to the Asian/Pacific American experience. 

The aesthetic is modern & edgy, yet recalls nostalgia & tradition.  The leader (Kambei Shimada) portrays sheer determination, rugged perseverance, & cautious optimism.  He is backed by his comrade Asians who help him face their collective struggles. 

In selecting this picture as the background, we attempted to convey the necessity of acknowledging the past in order to move forward into the future.  Much like the people in the picture, YOU are the samurai.  The well-being and preservation of Asian American culture is dependent on us as a generation.  We must stand united against cultural thieves & racist pillaging. 

Name some modern-day samurai who are helping preserve Asian American culture.  To submit answers: reply to this post, comment on our Facebook page, or come into the office and talk it up.  ‘The Fab Fifth’ Creative Team will choose a winner, and a prize will be awarded. 

Check out a fan-made trailer for Akira Kurosawa’s film ‘Seven Samurai’ here.