Check out Natalie's podcasts! Only Asian Kid in School The Great Dumplings Debate featuring Margaret Keng Empire Radio Interview about Authenticity & Being Southern ... Continue Reading
Father Knows Best: Johnny Cash, Whoppers & Wings
"I want one like that," my father said, holding his burger in the air with one hand while pointing to the over-sized Whopper photo on the wall poster with its glistening juiciness and colorful, fresh slices of tomato and lettuce. Other customers in line smiled and nodded in agreement. It was a far bite from the real thing. The young cashier obliged and messaged the kitchen by ... Continue Reading
Mother’s Day Every Day with Tigger Mom!
Traditional Chinese Tiger Mother?? No way! My mother celebrates and embraces creativity, learning, new friendships and adventures, as much as she honors her own family and heritage. With her help and encouragement, I'm able to pursue my dream of sharing food, culture and diversity through Chinese Southern Belle adventures. She's my beloved TIGGER mom! Luckily for my sisters ... Continue Reading
Atlanta Comfort Women Memorial & Human Rights
I'm honored to serve on the The Atlanta Comfort Women Memorial Task Force. The effort is important to me because it symbolizes remembrance, healing and acceptance. HERstory is part of our HIStory which is repeatedly overlooked or denied and sadly, still a reality for women and children around the world. As shameful as the deed was, it is more shameful to ignore the ... Continue Reading
Who’s Laughing? Race, Gender and Stereotypes
Stereotypes are irresistible and so convenient. We've all used, laughed, or stayed silent, at one time or another, including me. But stereotypes cheapen the individuality of all of us, regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, ability, religion, and class, and undeniably some affiliate groups historically more than others, with many stereotypes influencing or directly ... Continue Reading
Remembering the Dream – MLK Day
Honoring the man, the courage, and the dream with a community bike ride downtown to MLK National Historic Site in Atlanta. A time for reflection, inspiration, and service! Bike. Mentor. Volunteer. Lead. The work isn't done yet! ... Continue Reading
Letter to Editor: Dragons, Hoards and Immigrant Stereotypes
Letter to the Editor, The Economist: I love your publication especially the creative, witty headlines and graphics. You can imagine my dismay and disappointment when I saw the feature photo for the Who Is Chinese? article. Of the limitless images, creative ways to convey ethnicity, culture, and identity (available even to cell phone users), the photo you selected represents ... Continue Reading
Make Mulan Right
For the real-action movie, Disney wants to change the traditional story line and replace the original legend of female warrior and heroine who saves her village and cast a white dude who saves her instead? Come on. Just say NO here with the Make Mulan Right petition. http://www.cnn.com/2016/10/11/entertainment/make-mulan-right-petition/ ... Continue Reading
Diversity and Hollywood: Mulan
"Disney's upcoming 2018 live-action retelling of Mulan, the traditional Chinese story of a young girl who takes her father's place in war to save him, is being hit with criticism on social media after a speculative screenplay was leaked online. The information, posted anonymously on the websiteAngry Asian Man, revealed that the new Disney movie would not ... Continue Reading
Black is the New Green!
My grandmother told me eating black sesame made my hair shiny, black and healthy. She fed me black sesame soup (zhima tang), sticky rice balls oozing with sweet black sesame paste (tangyuan) and black sesame candy. Black sesame have protein and fiber, plus B vitamins and minerals, manganese, magnesium, calcium, iron, and zinc. It didn't take much lobbying. As a ... Continue Reading
Tribute to Female Civil Rights Leaders
Tribute to Female Civil Rights Leaders As a multicultural relations educator, I know how gender bias and discrimination have shaped our country's policies and institutions. The recognition of female civil rights leaders is overdue and well-deserved. There are many more out there who made a difference or made huge sacrifices, often outside the spotlight or behind the scenes, ... Continue Reading
Chinese Traditional Medicine, Nobel Prize for Malaria Cure
Definitely late, almost never: Woman receives recognition forty years later for discovering cure for malaria based in Chinese herbal medicine. http://www.vox.com/2015/10/6/9461471/nobel-malaria-tu-youyou ... Continue Reading
Happy Mid-Autumn Harvest Moon Festival!
This time of year is like Chinese Thanksgiving--for a bountiful harvest before winter sets in, good health and family unity. Moon cakes, "rabbit in the moon" folklore, whole chicken/duck, taro root and pomelo (Chinese grapefruit) are traditional rituals and treats. I just got a box of beautifully wrapped lotus seed and fig moon cakes. This year, we're treated to a ... Continue Reading
Adventure Gap: Diversity and the Outdoors
Inspiring and motivating call to action talk by James Emerson Mills, journalist and author, ADVENTURE GAP: Changing the Face of the Outdoors. Be sure to catch his new documentary, AMERICAN ASCENT: Expedition Denali which chronicles the journey of the first group of African American, Asian and Latino non professionals climbers to tackle North America's highest peak. Thanks to ... Continue Reading
Harvard Foodie: Perplexing Peanut Allergies, New Research
Perplexing Peanut Allergies, Breakthrough Study http://www.cbsnews.com/videos/study-challenges-years-of-peanut-allergy-advice/ No study is perfect but continuing research on peanut allergies sheds light on a perplexing issue that affects countries and cultures differently. For example, the U.S. and Britain have higher rates than most Asian countries but Australia has a ... Continue Reading