“Oh, but you’re not a real Southerner,” she exclaimed with a wave of her hand and a laugh. “Your ancestors came from CHINA!” I had just bumped into a woman outside the pizza shop who knew my sister. She loved hearing about my cooking classes and tours connecting food and culture which highlight the best of East, West and the Deep South. Noticing my puzzled look, she ... Continue Reading
Supporting Local Talent, Community: Asian Voices Festival, Good Gracious Variety Shows
FIRST-EVER ATLANTA FESTIVAL OF ASIAN-AMERICAN ARTS IN THEATER, MUSIC, AND DANCE ANNOUNCES ARTIST LINE-UP ATLANTA, GA -- Three Atlanta-based artists, Pam Joyce, Michelle Pokopac, and Amee Vyas, are bringing Asian-American Artists of the Southeast together to perform for four days in a festival of theater, dance, music, and conversation. The four-day festival, titled East by ... Continue Reading
Unsung Heroes, Memorial Day: Veterans of Color
In honor of Asian Pacific Heritage Month and Memorial Day, many APA veterans are still unsung heroes in their 60's, even 90's. According to a recent U.S. Census release, there are 258,183 Asian military veterans, with about one in three veterans was 65 years and older (and this number does not include many multiracial Asian veterans). The animated short film AN AMERICAN HERO: ... Continue Reading
Joy of Being Yourself: Authenticity in Food & Life
Natalie shares how her cooking style and recipes reflect family, a sense of place, and heritage as a Chinese American and Southerner. “As a little kid, I thought it was only about being Chinese,” she says. “That's what I was teased about, so that's how I defined myself – foreign, different, un-American. In actuality, as a native Georgian, I'm not only more American, but ... Continue Reading
Natalie’s Diary: In the Heart a Brother, a Christmas Baby
"That's terrible. Do you get cheated on presents?" Chalk up another negative reaction to a holiday birthday! It's funny how folks are either delighted or downright negative when they find out that I'm a Christmas baby. I didn't think it was a bad thing growing up--my family would give me extra gifts and my sister would make me any homemade birthday cake of my choosing ... Continue Reading