*AS FEATURED ON CNN* At the urging of a few adventurous friends and a local university, I started leading food and culture tours on our local "best kept secret" Buford Highway in 2009. I was the first and only one to do so. At the time, Buford Highway was mainly aging strip malls, low-cost apartments, used car lots and adult entertainment venues. It was "intimidating," ... Continue Reading
Black, Hispanic Kids Targeted by Ads for Junk Foods
Black, Hispanic Kids Targeted by Ads for Junk Foods Education, awareness (and exercise) are needed from all sides to address poor eating habits and improve children's health especially in low income communities: parents, kids, schools. Media isn't to blame but highly influential. Education and awareness obviously starts at home. Sedentary habits like watching more ... Continue Reading
Reflections on Food, Culture, Being American
https://youtu.be/cSh918c0A3s Good friend and musician Kevin So catches Natalie, Founder/Owner of Chinese Southern Belle, on improv car soapbox sharing thoughts on food, family and community...spontaneous food for thought. How do you define being an American? How does food and culture inform or impact your perspective? More: Joy of Being Yourself, PeachDish ... 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
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
Food for Thought: Exploring Food, Culture, Race
Everything important and memorable in my life has revolved around food. It’s been my enemy, friend, and salvation. From being allergic to almost everything as a baby to becoming a “raccoon foodie” who eats anything as an adult, it’s a classic love-hate relationship. The personal has also been political. If you, insult my food, you insult me, my family, ... 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
Keeping It Wild: 365 Earth Challenge, Mountain Biking 101, Horseback Riding 101
Juan D. Martinez comes to Atlanta Monday, April 20 to challenge Keeping It Wild participants and metro Atlanta in a 365 Earth Challenge (Wild 'N Out). He is a proud product of south central Los Angeles, and director of leadership development, Children & Nature Network (C&NN). His passion to empower individuals and youth led him to direct Sierra Club’s first ... Continue Reading
Vassar College Awarded Prize for Economic Diversity
Very proud of my alma mater, Vassar College, for being the first award recipient of the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation, a no-strings-attached $1 million prize! Way to go VC. Keep up the great work! Almost one in four Vassar students have family incomes low enough to qualify for federal Pell grants. Among colleges with a four-year graduation rate of at least 75 percent, none has ... Continue Reading
Harvard Foodie: Authentic Redefined
What is "authentic"? Chicken's feet vs. Chicken Chop Suey? MSG or "umami" flavors? Mom's recipe for stir fry...or Bobby Flay's? Folks often ask me where to find authentic Chinese food in Atlanta or whether a specific restaurant is authentic. It's a funny question to me. The short answer is: It depends. Authentic to whom? I, myself, like to ask servers to give me their ... Continue Reading
America's Future Majority Minority
http://nbcnews.to/1tsjFZK Are we ready? Same day headlines: Anti Muslim prejudice on the rise. Affirmative Action as Controversial as ever. Redskins Owner Defiant on Team Name. ... Continue Reading
Brenda Wood's comments on Coke ad spark debate | 11alive.com
http://www.11alive.com/news/article/320879/40/Brenda-Woods-comments-on-Coke-ad-sparks-debate Go, Brenda! On point and so well presented. (Personally, I like the diversity metaphor "stir fry" or "jambalaya" versus meme "melting pot" --part of a colorful, dynamic melange but keeping a distinctive crunch and flavor! ... Continue Reading
Sex, Race and Marriage: More Interracial Couples
Interesting cultural findings in USA Today article on growing number of interracial couples and marriages: Tolerance: 43% agree that "more people of different races marrying each other has been a change for the better in our society." 44% say it made no difference; 11% say it's been a change for the worse. Regional differences: 35% of all newlyweds who married outside their ... Continue Reading
Emory University, Sodexo Chef Training, Demo
I had the opportunity to lead a campus dining service training and chef demo for Emory University and Sodexo. We had a full agenda that included food/cultural history, eco-friendly and sustainability, cooking healthy Chinese and Asian food, creating sauces from scratch, a primer on Asian vegetables, seasonings and spices plus Zen kitchen techniques that bring together color, ... Continue Reading
Social media week, multicultural panel!
Burt Dumars of Newell Rubbermaid, James Andrews of Be Everywhere, Jerry Rocha of Nielsen, Natalie Keng of Chinese Southern Belle, LLC and Kety Esquivel of Olgilvy. ... Continue Reading