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the

Influence issue

CONTENTS

WIRED
Asian American Influence Dukes Racist Rager: Compounding Racism and Hatred Fisher v. University of Texas: Diversity Under Attack? Journalism and Diversity: Newhouse for the White Man Rape Culture: What Organizers in the US Can Learn 6 9 10 12 14

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M AGAZINE
Editor-in-Chief Benjamin Fang Managing Editor Joshua Lee Wired Editor Chloe Gersten On Campus Editor Brian Cheung Vibe Editor Shirley Don Fashion Editor Kim Powell Bites Editor Lily Chiu Writers Melody Chan, Susan Choe, Vincent Fang, Carolyn Gressman, Michelle Hor, Keish Kim, Lillian Kim, Samuel Lo, Rahimon Nasa, Jonathan Tam Art Director Nicole Vas Illustration Director Taolun Guo Illustrators Jee-Min Hong, Young Michael Lee Photographers Allen Chiu, Michelle Yan, Yujia Zhou Social Media Manager Bryan Chou
For advertising inquiries, please contact alinesyr@gmail.com

ON CAMPUS
Asian Americans Worth Mentioning in Syracuse 16 Phil Yu Is Angry 20 Professor de Vera: An Asian American Historian 22

VIBE
Oscars: Ang Lee, the Conquerer 24 Review: Eddie Huang Writes a Book 25

Asian Eye began in 1990 as a publication dedicated to promoting awareness of cultural, social, economic, and political issues that affect Asians and Asian Americans. The magazine gradually evolved into A-Line, as the expressive voice for Asian students on the Syracuse University/SUNY-ESF campus. Contributors of all ethnicities are welcome to submit their work as well. Our main goal is to bring the Asian and Asian American experience closer to campus, and to educate the SU and larger Syracuse community on issues pertaining to race and diversity, while working to help SU accomplish its goal of a diverse and inclusive campus. This publication is an outlet for Asian and Asian American students at SU to share their perspectives on culture and society with creative freedom and editorial integrity. It provides an opportunity for students to understand the issues that affect Asian communities in the United States and beyond. A-Line is an affiliate of the campus organization, Asian Students in America (ASIA). The opinions expressed within the content of this magazine do not necessarily reflect the views of A-Line or ASIA. A-Line is published once a semester by the Syracuse Unviersity Office of Publications. No part of this magazine may be reproduced in any form without prior permission from the publisher. For editorial, design, or advertising inquiries, please contact us at alinesyr@gmail.com.

ASIA E-BOARD

FASHION
Street Style: Mayfest Etiquette Seoul: Rising Fashion Capitol Susanna Laus Style Bubble 26 29 30

BITES
Dragon Boat Festival Review: China Cafe Cooking with Sriracha, Glorious Sriracha 31 32 33

President Jenifer La Co-Vice President Limi Lo Co-Vice President Wayne Meng Secretary Julia Chen Treasurer Danley Hu Events Coordinator Sharon Lee Public Relations Chair Chloe Gersten Fundraiser Shao Mei Zhang Co-Cultural Director William Kwan Co-Cultural Director Tracy Yeung Political Educator Vincent Fang Historian Jeffrey Ho

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LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT

hile taking an Asian American history class last semester taught by Professor Arleen de Vera, who we profile in this issue on page 22, I encountered countless examples of Asian immigrants and Asian Americans rallying against racist and unjust policies. From Japanese internment camps of the 1940s to the Asian American Movement in the 1960s, Asian Americans have endeavored to find their place in this country. These struggles continue today. From Alexandra Wallaces tirade on YouTube to Dukes racist rager, which you will read about on page 8, I constantly find myself angry about something new almost everyday. And despite popular belief in the model minority myth, which casts Asian Americans as high achieving minorities who wield a strong work ethic based on a culture that emphasizes education, Asian Americans still face a number of pressing issues. Nearly 11 percent of the undocumented immigrant population comes from Asian countries. Many communities within diverse Asian America still face educational and socioeconomic roadblocks, including many refugee populations. In health, Asian Americans are five times more likely to contract Hepatitis B than whites, not to mention mental health issues. These are just a few examples. But weve also come a long way since the days of Chinese exclusion and Long Duck Dong on the movie screen. Thanks to the contributions of Asian Americans in all the different parts of our world, weve elected leaders to Washington. Weve dominated YouTube and taken the dance community by storm. We even have an Asian American basketball player holding his own in the NBA. From fashion to food, media to politics, influential Asian Americans have changed the world. Our issue is dedicated to their contributions and influence. Today, Asian Americans are no longer hidden in the margins were making strides in the mainstream. People like Mindy Kaling and Steve Aoki are blazing trails and opening doors for other aspiring Asian Americans in all sorts of industries. In Wired, page 6, youll find a list of some of the Asian Americans who have made a difference in their communities, whether its through policymaking or filmmaking. But influence is not limited to just those who are in positions of power. It lies in the hands of students too, and some students here at Syracuse are certainly influential. This issue features some of the Asian American power brokers on this campus people who get a seat at the table and make decisions. They are students who represent the Asian American community in student government, in the news media and even on the dance floor. Its important to note that these lists of influential Asian Americans are not, by any measure, complete or comprehensive. They list only a few individuals, but the Asian American community derives its power from the people. It is the contributions of every Asian American that create change for the better. As we continue to address issues like affirmative action and diversity, rape culture and racism on social media, we need everyday people to speak out and take action. This semester has been one of significant dialogue about race and diversity on campus. With events like Healing the Scars and initiatives like SAs diversity council, were taking steps in the right direction to make this campus more inclusive, proactive and united. It is my hope that A-Line Magazine will be a part of this movement, as it continues to serve as a voice and expressive outlet for Asian Americans at Syracuse University.

Benjamin Fang Editor-in-Chief

ere comes the end of another academic year. Spring is here to stay for a bit, to rejuvenate the long, dead winter and to shed some light into our busy lives. Over the three years that I have attended Syracuse University, the spring weather on campus has created the environment for me to master the skill of people watching. Through the years of observing, I have concluded that people move on orbits, so distant from one another. But sometimes they collide, and when they do, its a beautiful thing. We came from different parts of the world, different experiences, upbringings, privileges, diligently orbiting around our campus, our nucleus. We are all unique in our own way, and the orbit we choose dictates where we will collide; we meet friends, peers, discover our field of studies and social circles. The orbit where I have traveled has given me the opportunity to meet great friends, brilliant peers, figure out my passion (or what isnt my passion) and be involved with organizations such as Asian Students in America. A.S.I.A. has allowed me to build relationships with fantastic individuals and has given me the opportunity to work with an ambitious and overachieving executive board. A.S.I.A. and A-Line has an extensive history in Syracuse University, and that is continuing today with the support of a dedicated core. This academic year, movements have been made within our campus. The Healing the Scars dialogue and beginning of the Diversity Council have been created by strong individuals stepping out of their orbit to collide with another. Reflecting back to my freshman year, I wanted to meet someone who would inspire the shenanigans out of me. I believe I have found that inspiration, from the collisions made inside and outside of my orbit, where it has given me the opportunity to engage and learn. Lets end the 2013 academic year on a strong note, and congratulate the seniors who will be stepping into the real world. Let us prepare ourselves for the 2014 academic year, and encourage ourselves to step outside our comfort zones and participate in the beautiful collisions and coalitions happening on campus. It has been a successful year, but let us make the 2014 year spectacular.

Jenifer La A.S.I.A. President

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WIRED

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Asian American
Compiled by A-Line Staff Illustrations by Young Michael Lee

Influence
Kiran Ahuja Kiran Ahuja is the executive director of the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (WHIAAPI). In this role, Ahuja leads the governments efforts in reaching out to and helping Asian American communities through federal programs. Before her time at the White House Initiative, Ahuja was the founding executive director of National Asian Pacific American Womens Forum (NAPAWF), which strives to improve the lives of women of color in the United States. She has built a reputation as an effective grassroots and womens rights organizer. Steve Aoki Steve Aoki is a Japanese American DJ, music producer and rising star in the electronic house genre. A graduate of UC Santa Barbara, Aoki is the brother of actress and model Devon Aoki. He created his own record label, Dim Mak Records, which is named after Bruce Lee, his childhood hero. He has produced mixed albums, a solo album and an EP, and has collaborated with many other EDM artists. Aoki even created his own clothing line called the Dim Mak Collection. He has visited Syracuse many times, most recently at the Westcott Theatre in April 2012. Gregory Cendana Gregory Cendana is the first openly gay and youngest executive director of the Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance (APALA), AFL-CIO. APALA is the first national organization that advocates on 6 ALINE SPRING 2013 behalf of Asian Pacific American and immigrant workers rights. Named one of Angry Asian Mans 30 Most Influential Asian Americans under 30 and the future of DC politics by DC Spotlight, Cendana previously served as president of the United States Student Association (USSA). He has also been involved with other Asian American and Pacific Islander organizations like the National Council of Asian Pacific Americans and Asian Queers United for Action-DC. Born in Guam but raised in Sacramento, he is a graduate of UCLA. Eddie Huang The combative chef hailing from Taiwan and Orlando en route to opening a bao restaurant in New York, Eddie Huang is the new face of the personality chef. Hes gotten favorable comparisons to Anthony Bourdain in his blunt, street savvy and authentic style. The famous chef and TV personality himself remarks that Huang is a genuine new voice to culinary entertainment. Huang is counterculture. Hes brash, street-sensitive and in love with hip hop. He spent his cooking life legitimizing Asian technique authentic to his Hunanese/Taiwanese upbringing. He spent his life outside of cooking selling drugs, running a sneaker head department store operation out of his apartment and passing the NY State bar exam. Eddie Huang has never shied away from race. His mere voice and mannerisms act as a practice of equal parts: deconstruction, legitimization and redefinition of Asian American identity. His streetwise, genuine worship for the culture food produces and dining as an experience put Eddie Huang as a whole microcosm in himself.

A-Line compiles the most inuential Asian Americans working/organizing/writing/ producing today

advocacy and legal organizations in different capacities. Mindy Kaling Mindy Kaling is an actress, writer and producer best known for her show The Mindy Project. The show earned Kaling a Gracie Award in 2013 for outstanding producer. Kaling got her start as a producer, writer and co-star on The Office. Kalings book Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns) became a New York Times bestseller in 2011. Like other women of color in Hollywood, Kaling tells The Guardian she has no desire to be known as the best Indian-American female comedian. Instead, Kaling intends to face the whitemale dominated industry and prove shes too big to fit any category. Jim Yong Kim Dr. Jim Yong Kim is currently the 12th president of the World Bank. Before holding this position, Kim, a Korean American physician and anthropologist, was president of Dartmouth College. He co-founded Partners in Health (PIH), a non-profit in Boston that implemented HIV/AIDS treatment programs in developing countries. Kim also directed the HIV/ AIDS department in the World Health Organization (WHO). Under his leadership, 3 million new HIV/ AIDS patients were treated by 2007. His work has earned him many accolades, including the MacArthur Genius Fellowship and a spot in TIMEs 100 Most influential People in the World list in 2006. Ang Lee Ang Lee, a Taiwanese American director and filmmaker, is the only Asian American to win an Oscar for best director. His most recent work, Life of Pi, received 11 Academy Award nominations and won four of them. Lee previously won an Oscar for directing Brokeback Mountain and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. In many of his films, Lee explores issues of generational clashes and acculturation

difficulties. He also deals with broader issues of sexuality and love. A native of Pingtung, Taiwan, Lee came to the United States to study film and is a graduate of New York Universitys Tisch School of the Arts. He constantly encourages Asian and Asian Americans to enter the film industry, despite the many obstacles and roadblocks. Jeremy Lin Jeremy Lin is a profession basketball player and current point guard for the Houston Rockets. Lin played for and graduated from Harvard University with an economics degree in 2010. He was invited to practice with several teams but wasnt drafted in the 2010 NBA Draft. Lin was picked up by the Golden State Warriors for the 2010-2011 season, but only played 29 games with no starts. Lin moved to the New York Knicks for the 2011-2012 season, where he made his debut due to injuries on the team. On February 4, Lin carried the Knicks to beat the New Jersey Nets 99-92, scoring 25 points. Lin started the next game, thus signaling the beginning of Linsanity. Lin is currently in a three-year contract worth $25 million with the Rockets. Chris Lu Chris Lu was the Assistant to the President and Cabinet Secretary in the Obama administration, an essential role in keeping policy and communication consistent between the White House and federal departments. He met President Obama in law school and was with him since he was Senator Obama, creating a close relationship with the president. Lu led the Obama-Biden transition team before President Obama took office. In addition, Lu served as a co-chair of the White House Initiatives on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, advocating for AAPI communities nationally. Although he resigned, Lu continues to do work on behalf of the AAPI community and is a visible Asian American figure who held important government positions.

David Henry Hwang David Henry Hwang is a Tony-award winning playwright who has written many plays that feature Asian and Asian American issues. Some of his work explores personal histories and immigrant stories, capturing the struggles of acculturation, language and love. Hwang, a firstgeneration Chinese American, wrote his first play, FOB (Fresh off the Boat), in his dorm room during his senior year at Stanford. Since then, he has written some of the most poignant, recognized plays on and off Broadway, including Chinglish, Yellow Face, Golden Child, Kung Fu, and most notably M. Butterfly, which won him a Tony Award in 1998. Hwang visited Syracuse this April for the University Lecture Series and APA Heritage Month. Many consider him the most famous Asian American playwright today. Deepa Iyer Deepa Iyer is the executive director of South Asian Americans Leading Together (SAALT), a national nonprofit organization that advocates on issues affecting South Asian American communities and addresses other social justice needs. Iyer has directed SAALTs advocacy and programming since 2004. Before then, she worked at the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice. She is an expert on the effects of post-9/11 backlash on immigrants and communities of color, particularly South Asian American, Sikh American, Arab American and Muslim American communities. She is also involved in other Asian American

Kevin Ma In the lucrative, all-encompassing Internet age, Kevin Ma made his bones as a style giant and his career as a digital curator; his museum (hypebeast.com) is the most visited site on the Internet. While Ma and his websites genesis began with the emphatic and vibrant sneaker collecting culture, the site has expanded to include everything from fine art to music videos of Drake and 2 Chainz collaborations. Ma is a cultivator of constantly evolving taste. When asked what procedure he and his staff undergo in picking trends, Ma responded, No rules. It really about what we [Hypebeast Editors] like at that moment. It may be bright colors. It may be prints. We never know. When we come across something we really like and are excited about it, well want to write about it and share it with our readers. Subsequent launches of Hypebeast TV (HBTV), a print magazine and an officially licensed Hypebeast store extend the aesthetic boundaries of the burgeoning brand. Grace Meng Grace Meng, the congresswoman for New Yorks 6th District, which encompasses large Asian populations in Queens, is the first Asian American from New York elected to Congress. She has been a political star on the rise since she served in the New York State Assembly in 2009. Meng is a daughter of Taiwanese immigrants and her father, Jimmy Meng, also served in the Assembly for one term. Meng has helped the diverse communities of Queens by focusing on senior citizens, education, tax reform and infrastructure. She is currently the ranking member of the Subcommittee on Contracting and Workforce on the Small Business Committee. Meng has a bright future as a political representative of Asian American communities and communities in Queens. Mee Moua Mee Moua, the first female Hmong American state senator in Minnesota from 2002 to 2011, now serves as the executive director of the Asian American Justice Center, a legal and civil rights advocacy organization. She received national attention for testifying on behalf of women
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Asian American Influence

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and children in the Senate Judiciary hearing on comprehensive immigration reform. Before working for AAJC, Moua was the vice president for strategic impact initiatives at the Asian and Pacific Islander American Health Forum. Her family came to the United States in 1978 as refugees. Moua continues to fight for Asian American communities across many issues. Mirai Nagasu Mirai Nagasu is a Japanese American Olympic figure skater and youth sensation from California. At age 16, Nagasu competed in the 2010 Winter Olympics and placed 4th, representing the United States. Although she is only 20 years old, her list of accomplishments runs long: 2007 U.S. Junior National Champion, 2007 and 2008 World Junior Championship medalist, 2008 U. S. National Champion and 2010 U.S. silver medalist. Drawing inspiration from other Asian and Asian American Olympians Michelle Kwan and Kim Yuna, Nagasu began skating at age 5 and competed at a young age. If she continues winning at this pace, Nagasu will soon become a household name like her role models. Gautam Raghavan Gautam Raghavan is an associate director of public engagement at the White House, serving as the Obama administrations point person for the LGBT community. Before this role, Raghavan worked at the Department of Defense as the deputy White House liaison, leading the outreach efforts for the Dont Ask, Dont Tell working group during its repeal. He has also worked for the Democratic National Committee and the Obama campaign. Raghavan, a South Asian American and graduate of Stanford University, also identifies as gay. He works closely with the AAPI community, especially with the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. George Takei The older generation remembers George 8 ALINE SPRING 2013

Takei for his role as Captain Sulu in the original Star Trek television series. Today, he is known for his active social media presence and social justice advocacy, particularly on behalf of Asian American and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) communities. Takei, a gay Japanese American media figure, has used his popularity from his Star Trek days to champion gay rights and stronger race relations. He appears regularly on news programs and talk shows, but has also cultivated a strong following on social media platforms like Facebook, where Takei regularly posts witty, informative images and commentary. Takei and his partner of more than 20 years, Brad Altman, got married in September 2008 at the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles. Jose Antonio Vargas Jose Antonio Vargas is a journalist and immigration activist. Vargas, an undocumented Filipino American, is best known for an essay published in 2011 in the New York Times Magazine where Vargas revealed his undocumented status. Since then, he founded Define America, a nonprofit organization that extends the public conversation about immigration and what it means to be American. He is considered by many to be the public face of the undocumented movement, as he frequently gives speeches about this hot topic issue. A strong advocate of the DREAM Act and immigration reform, Vargas has pressured the government and the people to rethink immigration policy and shift the perception of undocumented immigrants. Brian Tong Brian Tong is the senior editor of CNET, an entity many people consider to be the definitive tech website running live today. There is a seamless gadget knowhow and wackiness that pervades both Tongs CNET profile page and his personal website (briantong.com), where Tong answers what can only be described as an eclectic series of FAQs.

Tong is a big, animated personality in a booming technology age and as the world attempts to make sense of every single new technological breakthrough, Tong is the technology zealot who guides thousands of consumers in spending all their money on the right items. Alexander Wang Alexander Wang is one of the very select whose clothes and aura generate a crossover and intersection between high art, fashion and mass culture. The creative director of Fashion House Balenciaga, Wangs edgy, French-inspired womenswear has become a tour de force as his personal line is now stocked widely throughout high-end department stores and boutiques alike. Wang expanded his vision to a menswear line and was almost immediately rewarded GQs new menswear designer of the year. While Wang has been noted as a designer with a penchant as a black garment maestro, he has subsequently displayed an extraordinary vision for vibrant color, making the 29-year-old Taiwanese American designer one of the most classically innovative designers in fashion. Grace Lee Boggs and Yuri Kochiyama Grace Lee Boggs and Yuri Kochiyama are two legendary organizers and role models for the next generation of Asian American activists and social justice advocates. Boggs, 97, is a Chinese American based in Detroit. She has organized communities of color, working class communities, youth, women and other communities. She has written four books and continues to be active in her community. Kochiyama, 91, is a Japanese American who organized in Harlem for many years. She is best known for developing a close relationship with Malcolm X, but she also organized different communities for many issues, including the rights of prisoners, Japanese reparations and antiwar movements. A-Line is proud to include Boggs and Kochiyama as honorary members of the list, as they continue to organize and mobilize Asian Americans and other communities today.

Compounding Racism and Hatred: The Twitter Eect

Gauging social medias reactions
Text by Rahimon Nasa

ast February, the Kappa Sigma fraternity at Duke University hosted Asia Prime, an Asian themed racist rager. The party was later changed to International Relations, but a mere name change didnt stop guests from arriving in scantily-clad kimonos and conical Asian hats. The emailed invitation greeted its recipients with, Herro Nice Duke Peopre, and ended with We look forward to having Mi, Yu, You and Yo Friends over for some Sake Chank you. The insulting attempt to imitate an East Asian accent reinforces false stereotypes about a vastly diverse group of people. At a population of 18.2 million, Asian Americans are the fastest growing racial group in the United States, according to a study done by the Pew Research Center. The study revealed that more than 83 percent of Asian Americans can trace their heritage back to China, the Philippines, India, Vietnam, the Korean Peninsula, or Japan. Each country has its own distinct traditions and culture. Kappa Sigmas racist rager mocks the unique and rich history of millions of people. Pictures from the party were posted online and later used in fliers by a number of Duke students to raise awareness about the partys offensive nature. News of the racist rager soon spread through social media. The Kappa Sigma national organization eventually suspended the Duke chapter. The social media backlash the party received provides an opportunity to discuss why the party is problematic and what can be done to prevent these future events from occurring. Private universities, such as Duke or Syracuse, do not operate with the stamp of government, said Roy

Gutterman, director of the Tully Center for Free Speech and associate professor of communications law and journalism at Syracuse University. The students involved could be subject to a whole range of academic discipline if they are charged and theres an appropriate hearing. Syracuse University has an active Greek community, notable for participating in an array of theme parties. The themes of these parties can range from ABC (Anything But Clothes) to Heaven and Hell. These parties are another way for college students to enjoy themselves. A theme party is also a form of expression but sometimes, expression can also be considered offensive or hateful.

by the Duke fraternity brothers for what they areracism. Racist incidents like Kappa Sigmas party will continue unless the issue is addressed. Long after the brothers were informed of the racist nature of their partys theme, they renamed the party to international relations and held it under the premise of celebrating the cultures and diversity at Duke. However, instead of celebrating cultural diversity, partygoers indulged in cultural appropriation and insulting the heritages of their fellow students. The fraternity brothers, who are students at an elite university as well as adults, should have known better.

The students who participated in the racist rager felt they were exhibiting free speech as they would through any other type of theme party. Yet, they ignored how offensive the theme of their party could be.
The students who participated in the racist rager felt they were exhibiting free speech as they would through any other type of theme party. Yet, they ignored how offensive the theme of their party could be. Figuring out how to address this type of speech can get complicated, as it is unfair for an institution to begin punishing all offensive speech. One way to start is by identifying racist acts like the party thrown Their dismissive attitude toward reactions to the party brings light to the need to address racist speech. The social media response to the party also shows the racist rager is not unique. People from across the country voiced their concerns over how Asians are constantly viewed as a racial group that is constantly demeaned. Racial and ethnic insensitivity is
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offensive, but we cannot necessarily legislate good taste or even humor, Gutterman said. There might be a good learning lesson with this case and counter protestors will certainly point out the offensiveness of the party and the ignorance of the fraternity brothers. The social media backlash played a significant role for holding the fraternity brothers responsible for their actions. Hundreds of Duke students attended a protest against the party. Protesters demonstrated how the brothers actions were unacceptable by voicing concerns. We are protesting the culture of acceptance at these kinds of things, said Ting-Ting Zhou, the sitting present of the Duke Universitys Asian Student Association, to the Duke Chronicle. Nope. No way. This is not OK. I refuse to be your source of entertainment, tweeted Eugene Cho, founder of the notfor-profit organization One Day Wonders. On Chos Facebook page, he praised the

bravery of the few Duke students who expressed their outrage and mobilized others. I commend the courage of the small group of students that took it upon themselves to express their outrage and then to DO something about it by posting these posters around campus; mobilizing others, and sparking others to get involved, Cho wrote. Another tweeter, Johnny Won, expressed his discomfort with casual racism. Dukes #RacistRager is wildly offensive. Its exactly the sort of casual racism that makes people think its ok, Won tweeted. Not long after the incident, Gavin McInnes published an article in Taki Magazine titled Asian Privlege. McInnes describes Asian privilege as unearned perks and benefits given to Asians. He cited examples such as not having to worry about being pulled over when driving a nice car in a bad part of town. In his attempt at satire, McInnes belittled an entire group of people as though they did not face any struggle to

get what McInnes labels as unearned privileges. He attempts to pit Asians Americans against African Americans despite how the two groups faced different forms of struggles before they were finally able to be considered Americans. McInnes concluded his article by suggesting that we must work harder to transform society so that privilege is not slanted in anyones favor. This is a fair point, but it also means society must address racist languages and behavior, such as the type of casual racism exhibited in the Duke fraternity. While both the party and the Taki Magazine article are forms of free speech, they can still be the subject of criticism and be used as means to stop future forms of racist and offensive behavior from occurring. Only a small group of Duke students actively protested against the racist rager. There are better ways to have a laugh than to make sweeping generalizations about a diverse group of people.

Fisher v. University of Texas attempts to set precedent on a volatile American issue

Text by Vincent Fang

Diversity under attack?

bigail Fisher was devastated upon receiving her rejection letter in 2008. She couldnt attend the University of Texas at Austin, couldnt follow in her father and sisters footsteps and couldnt continue her familys legacy. Fisher thought the only thing that could explain why she didnt get into UT at Austin was her race. There were people in my class with lower grades who werent in all the activities I was in, who were being accepted into UT, said Fisher in a YouTube video. The only other difference between us was the color of our skin. Fisher sued UT, pushing the case all the way up to the United States Supreme Court in Fisher v. University of Texas at Austin. Although the case has her name on it, its not about Abigail Fisher from Sugar Land, Texas. Throughout the official legal

arguments Fishers lawyers filed in the hearing, Fishers name only appeared four times. Fisher v. University of Texas at Austin is about public institutions of higher learning using affirmative action policies when determining admissions. The complicated path of affirmative action began when the Supreme Court ruled quotas in admissions unconstitutional. Public institutions can use race as one of many factors in admissions. Hopwood v. Texas (1996) successfully challenged and struck down the use of race as a factor in admissions. This was reversed again in Grutter v. Bollinger/Gratz v. Bollinger (2003), stating that race could be used in admissions only if it was used to promote needed diversity and is one of many factors in admissions. Fisher v. University of Texas at Austin is about Bakke, Grutter, Gratz, Bollinger, and

the legacy of affirmative action. According to arguments from groups like the Cato Institute and the Center for Individual Rights, race-conscious admissions create negative education environments and stigmatize students of color. Supporters of this argument believe affirmative action has become reverse discrimination, taking less qualified students of color over white students. Several colleges and universities, including Syracuse University, disagree. In an Atlantic Journal-Constitution article written last summer, Earl Lewis, provost of Emory University, and Chancellor Nancy Cantor of SU, stated, We cannot lead in a global-knowledge economy, one largely driven by entrepreneurship and innovation in science and technology, without full participation of the increasingly diverse next generation of talentdiversity means better science, more innovation, and healthier communities. At what point does the need for diversity trump equality when it comes to the future of a student? Who determines how much enough diversity is? If college admissions are truly unbiased, then why cant admissions be colorblind? These are questions that admissions officers ask themselves. The Fisher decision will change the way this nation, and ultimately educators and administrators of higher education, will look at affirmative action policies. Every institution is going to need to stopconsult[ing] with their board of trustees and really in some ways go to the drawing board in a lot of recruitment efforts, according to Ralph Figueroa, a lawyer at Wesleyan University and Occidental College. The Supreme Courts decision will have no direct bearing on Syracuses affirmative action policy because SU has no official affirmative action policy, according to Max Patino, the director of recruitment and diversity at the Newhouse School. Instead of looking at just race, SU strives to look beyond just racial diversity in the process of admitting students. In order for diversity to work, it has to be ingrained in every aspect, Patino said. Regardless, the Fisher case has stirred

Diversity under attack?

passionate conversations about SUs affirmative action policies. Articles in the Daily Orange by conservative columnists Jared Kraham and Patrick Mocete, call affirmative action flawed, unconstitutional, and morally questionable. One commenter called SUs affirmative action policy into question after a fight at a NALFO, or National Association of Latino Fraternal Organizations, dance party. Syracuse police arrested eight students outside Schine Student Center. Bostonway, the commenter, claimed he was an admissions officer and insinuated that the universitys affirmative action policies were detrimental to its academics and standings. He sarcastically thanked Nancy for damaging SUs reputation, quality, and learning environment via continued priority push for engineered diversity.

At what point does the need for diversity trump equality when it comes to the future of a student?
Although prospective Asian/Asian American SU students are not affected by these affirmative action policies, it is still a hot-topic wedge issue for the greater Asian American community. Because of the model minority myth, which perpetuates the idea that Asian Americans are overrepresented in colleges and universities, many Asian Americans who usually accept race-conscious policies argue against affirmative action. They see admissions as a zero-sum proposition, meaning there are a limited number of available spots for applicants. Groups like the Asian American Legal Foundation argued against the affirmative action policies of UT, stating the policies would disfavor Asian Americans if race was a consideration. They also argue affirmative

action for pan-ethnic Asian identities can exacerbate the idea of Asian Americans as foreigners. To these groups, affirmative action hurts Asian American groups that traditionally succeed on college campuses all over the country. The Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF) argued that race-conscious admissions could increase diversity among underrepresented subgroups, like Southeast Asians and Pacific Islander Americans. Groups that agree with AALDEF generally support the ideals of affirmative action but do not necessarily agree with the way affirmative action admits Asian American students. We needto have a greater nuance in understanding Asian-American groups, said Madeline Hsu, UT at Austins director of Asian American Studies. We need greater help for Southeast Asians and Pacific Islanders. According to White House education statistics, only 14 percent of Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islanders hold a bachelor degree. Cambodian, Hmong and Laotian Americans are even less likely to hold that degree, with 9.1, 7.4 and 7.6 percent of the respective populations with bachelors, according to SEARAC (Southeast Asian Resource and Action Center). Clearly, overrepresentation in higher education does not hold for all Asian Americans. In the end, no one knows how much Asian Americans will gain from removing affirmative action policies in institutions of higher education, but there will definitely be detrimental effects to those subgroups that are historically and systematically underrepresented. Bankrolled by Edward Blum and his nonprofit, Project on Fair Representation, Abigail Fisher did not pay a cent of legal fees. Fisher, now 23-years-old, went on to graduate from Louisiana State University and is working at a finance firm in Austin. She is seeking the return of her application and housing deposit, which amounts to $100 in damages. Eyes turn to the eight individuals occupying the seats to the highest court of the land. At stake: the futures of hundreds of thousands students of color and Fishers $100. SPRING 2013 ALINE 11

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Newhouse for the white man?

Lauded as the premier journalism school in the country, students and faculty ponder the lack of diversity in the one and only Newhouse School
Text by Samuel Lo Photo by Michelle Yan

ajority of the faculty are bunches of old white guys, a student said. When you are with your friends at Food.com in Newhouse III, how many old white men pass by? Most of these men are Newhouse professors and a lot of them teach journalism. Granted, there are non-white professors in Newhouse, but the journalism departments are still dominated by white males. It seems like most of the professors, especially BDJ, are bunches of old white guys, said Sawyer Rosenstein, a broadcast and digital journalism major student and Newhouse ambassador. The S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications is one of the best journalism schools in the country, according to NewsPro, the magazine for new professionals. Diversity has become a top priority since Hubert Brown, an African American journalism professor, became the associate dean. From 2010 to 2013, the number of minority students has increased from nine percent to 27 percent. Max Patino, the director of recruitment and diversity, said they are succeeding in recruiting students of different races; the next step is the faculty members. Importance of bringing in different cultures Rosenstein said although these old men are really smart and can share their industry experience with students, its also important to bring in professors with diverse backgrounds. He said diverse professors not only provide experience but also the perspectives from their cultures to media. Harriet Brown, a magazine journalism professor, said students need to know how to talk appropriately to different kinds of people and can benefit from a more diverse faculty. She thinks the diverse professors can be role models to the diverse students in Newhouse because its reassuring to see similar professors succeed in different industries.

You can see what you can be, Brown said. Then she added that if all a student sees are white guys and the student is not a white guy, it is hard for the student to see what his or her future career can look like. Irfan Uraizee, an Indian BDJ student, said although he feels more comfortable talking to an Indian professor, it would actually be a disadvantage because the professor and him would share the same perspective and he wouldnt have a chance to expand his views. For me, having a white person as my advisor is helpful, Uraizee said. He can teach me certain things that I wouldnt have known about. The same logic applies to white students in Newhouse. When there are diverse professors, they can expand students views and teach them something they may have never known about in the industry. Hard to bring talented and diverse people to Syracuse Patino agreed with Rosenstein and Brown that the faculty should be more diverse, but he pointed out that its difficult to find young, intelligent and diverse professors to teach in Newhouse. Syracuse is a hard selling point, Patino said. Nowadays, its not uncommon to see diverse faces as TV anchors and reporters. An example is Bonyen Lee on YNN, a local Syracuse station. Why cant these people be hired as Newhouse professors? John Nicholson, one of the old, white men BDJ professors, said its hard to ask someone with a flourishing to teach in Syracuse. Lets face it. When youre successful working in top media market cities like New York, Boston or San Francisco, would you give up your prospective future to make less money teaching in Syracuse, which, according to Arbitron, is ranked 87th in the market? The answer is obvious. Although Newhouses reputation is good, the city of Syracuse turns down peoples interest in teaching here. Besides

the media market rankings, Syracuse cannot provide as much entertainment compared to New York or Boston. Simon Perez, one of the youngest Latino broadcast journalism professors in Newhouse, chose to leave San Francisco to teach at Syracuse University. Perez has been working in the journalism industry for 20 years as a successful TV reporter. Perez chose to come to Syracuse for his family, which live in Virginia, and for SUs reputation. Being in San Francisco was fun, Perez said. But it was a long way to try to get back home for holidays. Perez added that he wanted to try a new challenge and do something different. Not everyone Perezs family motivation or adventurous vitality to give up a highpaying job. Communication law professor, Jasmine McNealy, said it depends on how to recruit and treat people. She said there are people from top media markets who are willing to teach in a smaller market SU just needs to go after them. Diversity and quality are both important Not every person from top media

markets who are willing to teach in a smaller market may have the necessary qualities to be a professor. Perez and Nicholson said quality is the first concern for professor recruitment. For students, you dont want to spend all your money here just because some guys are Asian professors or Hispanic professors, Perez said. You spend money because its Newhouse and you trust the professor is good. He said he doesnt think its a good idea to recruit professors of different races just for diversity. He emphasized that a person first has to be a good professor, and then they are taken into consideration. Nicholson said the same logic applies to students too. Although the statistics on Newhouse diversity looks impressive now, admissions cannot just accept students from different countries and races for the sake of diversity. Since Newhouse programs are all writing intensive, Nicholson said Newhouse needs to offer help to non-native English speaking students to ensure success after the students are accepted. Therefore, there is a need for professors who know how to help the non-native English speakers.

Professors from other countries would be beneficial to students because they would have had to overcome language barriers and understand the struggles of a nonnative speaker. Although the quality of a professor is the most important consideration, diversity is regarded in the same degree. Brown said diversity is of high priority when the committee researches for faculty members. It doesnt mean youre always going to hire someone who is diverse, Brown said. If you dont even have them in the pool to begin with, there is no way you will hire them. Future generations in journalism Based on Browns experience, she said journalism as a field is becoming more diverse, but it is changing very slowly. She said she is looking forward to seeing when the generation of great diversity becomes faculty members 20 years later; it will feel very different than now. These things do take really long time, dont they? She said smiling.

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WIRED

I
Rape Culture
What organizers in the US can learn from India
Text by Keish Kim Art by Nicole Vas

n the past year, there have been two well-known rape incidents that have caused great public decry by the US media. One of them was the 2012 Delhi gang rape in India, and the other was the more recent Steubenville, Ohio rape case. While the two incidents occurred thousands of miles apart, it reveals a critical point of reflection on the topic of violence against women and the larger rape culture. When looking through the US media coverage of the Indias rape incident, you will likely find articles magnifying the horrific incident itself, spurring discussions about the horrific details and result of the gang rape. It often frames the incident as an isolated case and creates a sense of pity for the Indian society. This is highlighted by the mobilization of college students around the incident, particularly the group of students formed in Harvard, which organized with the sense of a white savior complex. What this group failed to recognize was that as a group advocating against rape and other forms of violence against women, they were only focused on saving the women in third-world countries while ignoring the gang rape case at Steubenville, Ohio. What is important to realize is that this response by the Harvard student group is representative of how the US responded to both rape cases. While the gang rape case in India was indeed horrific and unfortunate, the US media fail to recognize that these rape cases are ongoing problems that have been an issue for a very long time, not just in India, but everywhere else in the world. And what are largely absent in the media coverage of the India gang rape case are the subsequent actions and organizations that spurred in the streets, prompting governmental policy change around violence against women in India. This has never happened anywhere else in the world. Dr. Chandra Talpade Mohanty, a distinguished feminist scholar and a professor in Womens and Gender Studies department at Syracuse, explained that such mass mobilization in the streets was the result of decades of organizing around violence against women in India. She described her time in India at the time of

this mass mobilization. She saw the Indian mass media coverage using scholarly terms like patriarchy, rape culture and misogyny publicly in creating this discussion around violence against women. In comparing the US media response of not just the gang rape in India, but also the Steubenville gang rape case, there is a sharp contrast. While the Indian media and the general public created critical discussions reflecting the countrys problematic rape culture, the United States attempted to cover up and protect the two male rapists of the Steubenville case. [The question of] what exactly did the incident lead to, is really important, said Dr. Mohanty.

According to national statistics from the Rape, Abuse, and Incent National Network (RAINN), 54 percent of sexual assaults are not reported to the police and in every two minutes, a woman is sexually assaulted. 97 percent of the rapists will never spend a day in jail. These figures are startling. What we need to realize is that rapes dont just happen in India. It doesnt just happen in South, or all of Asia. It happens all over the world, even in the US. Women all over the world are consistently being objectified, oppressed and exploited. It does not take a feminist viewpoint to recognize the US statistics on rape and sexual violence. This issue is not

The US media fail to recognize that these rape cases are ongoing problems that have been an issue for a very long time.
The way western countries view women in Asia is surrounded by stereotypes and isolated stories, which frame women of Asia as severely oppressed and victimized individuals trapped between conservative values and traditions along with the image of impoverishment. This is not only wrong, but also highly problematic because it erases Asian womens agencies as individuals, while also framing the people of Third-World countries as primitive beings. The irony of all of this is that in so many ways, the public response to violence against women in India has progressed significantly more than in the US. While the extensive network of activists and organizers in India mobilized massive public protests, prompting political response from the Parliament, in the US, the media response in covering up and protecting the rapists of Steubenville case further perpetuated the rape culture. The discussion around patriarchy, misogyny and rape culture in the US is still limited to selective spaces of feminist scholarship, so the culture of violence against women is sustained and kept largely silent. just an issue of women in Asia, but women all over the world. Rather than just looking at the 2012 gang rape in India as a horrific dehumanizing incident, we all should look at the Indias public response to the rape case and learn from their mass mobilization so that humiliating responses of Steubenville case never repeat. Lets start by asking different questions. What does it mean for the national government to address violence against women? Why is it that our media only look at individuals and not the larger political and social discussions around these rape cases? And maybe we can start researching about what rape culture is, or what impact it has in our society. Syracuse offers a great course that covers these basic ideas and concepts. If you are interested in learning more, I strongly suggest that you take WGS 101 next semester. In order to create positive change, first there must be a recognition of the problems. And education is crucial in that cognition.

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Asian Americans worth mentioning in syracuse

Danny Ryu

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10 Asian American Movers and Shakers on the Hill

Compiled by A-Line Staff Photos by Allen Chiu

Brian Cheung

Jisu Pang

Jenifer La

Victoria Wong

Emily Park

Leo Wong

Jenny Choi

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Jisu Pang
Jisu Pang, a junior information management and technology major, was recently elected the new president of Syracuses Liberty in North Korea (LiNK), a non-profit organization that raises awareness and funds to rescue North Korean refugees. She has been a part of LiNK since its inception on campus, and she wants to shift the conversation from North Koreas government to its people. Pang will also be the events coordinator for Korean American Student Association (KASA) next year.

Debbie Truong
Debbie Truong has worked with the Daily Orange since her freshman year. Truong, a junior newspaper and online journalism major, was the DOs assistant news editor the fall semester of her sophomore year and managing editor the following semester. Truong realized her passion is in reporting and left her editor desk to get back on the streets looking for sources. Truong has covered a range of subjects including the Student Association beat and SUs reaction to Gadhafis death in 2011.

Asian Americans worth mentioning in syracuse

Brian Cheung
Brian Cheung began his CitrusTV involvement as a weatherman. Since then, Cheung, a sophomore broadcast and digital journalism and finance double major, has risen through the ranks and is now a news brief anchor. He is also involved with University 100, Circle K International and was recently elected president of his pledge class for Phi Delta Theta Fraternity. Cheungs presence on a major campus news platform has allowed him to take part in special opportunities like moderating the Student Associations election debate. Cheung is a visible and affable student, thriving in mainstream circles with two more years on campus.

Tim Huynh
Tim Huynh, a senior psychology major, has proven his leadership in many organizations on campus. He is a former president of Asian Students in America (ASIA), a student assistant in the LGBT Resource Center, an undergraduate fellow in the NASPA Undergraduate Fellowship Program and the current programming chair for the Learning Communities Activities Board. He has also been involved with planning Asian Pacific American (APA) Heritage Month since 2011 and has fought for the advancement of the Asian/Asian American Studies Minor since 2009. One of his lasting achievements on campus is creating an anti-Asian hate crime exhibit that includes information about the 1997 Dennys incident. In his four years on campus, he has been a strong advocate for the Asian American and LGBT communities.

Emily Park
Emily Park, a junior studying public relations and policy studies, is the next president of Korean American Student Association (KASA). Park has mastered the craft of public relations through her involvement with organizations like Hill Communications, a student-run PR firm, and Cuse Spot, a student-led program that allows SU students to connect to kids in the community through classes. She has channeled her talents to the Korean American community by helping plan K-Night, an annual showcase of Korean culture, and representing KASA in diversity initiatives. Park will also use her public relations abilities as part of Liberty in North Korea (LiNK)s new executive board.

Leo Wong
Leo Wong, a junior advertising major and international business minor, was named a Class of 2014 Senior Class Marshal and a Remembrance Scholar. He was a founding father of Phi Delta Theta Fraternity, a recipient of the NewHouse Agency Most Valuable Person award and continues to be active in First-Year Players and Otto Tunes A Cappella. Wong also works as a resident advisor and an active campus representative for University 100. Wongs expansive commitments to different aspects of the Syracuse University community have afforded him some of the highest honors by the university.

Jenny Choi
Jenny Choi, a junior studying political science and history, currently chairs the academic affairs committee for Student Association (SA). She has been involved in SA since the second week of her freshman year and also managed former SA presidential candidate PJ Alampis campaign in 2012. Her work as the academic affairs committee chair includes organizing buses to the RTC before breaks and studying ways to increase printing quota for students. As an Asian American occupying a top seat in student government, Choi is changing perceptions about the role of Asian Americans in politics on a campus level.

Jenifer La
Jenifer La, a junior studying nutrition and public health, is currently the president of Asian Students in America (ASIA). Through her close connections and leadership within student organizations like Alpha Phi Omega Fraternity (APO) and Liberty in North Korea (LiNK), as well as university organizations such as the Shaw Center for Public and Community Service (SCPS) and the Office of Residence Life (ORL), La has been able to unite diverse groups to help serve the Asian American community. She has also developed relationships with other multicultural organizations, creating a space for Asian American voices in the ongoing conversation about race and diversity at Syracuse.

Danny Ryu
Danny Ryu, a senior dual major in accounting and information technology, is this years songbird for Martin J. Whitman School of Managements commencement. Ryu, named the most musically talented pledge in Delta Sigma Pi, Whitmans business fraternity, will be singing the national anthem and alma mater graduation weekend. His singing and vocal trills have been shaped by his role as praise leader of three years for the off-campus Christian ministry the Grove. Ryu, a native of the Bronx, landed a spot in PriceWaterhouseCoopers internship training program for the summer of 13.

Victoria Wong
Victoria Wong, a senior biology major, is a dancer, choreographer and doctor in waiting. Hailing from the great Northern province of Caribou, Maine, Wong has equally devoted her efforts to dance and medicine, serving as founding members of both the Shift Dance Crew and the medical fraternity Phi Delta Epsilon. Wongs dedication to both the arts and improving the health of humanity lands her on a list of campus ambassadors.

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Phil Yu is

The angriest Asian voice on the Internet drops by to fume

A-Line: How did you come up with the name Angry Asian Man? Phil Yu: You know, in this country, Asian Americans arent really seen as the kind of people who will speak up and stand out in the face of injustice, or seen as the model minority, the quiet ones, the docile ones. And I wanted a name that would fly in the face of that perception, something that was a little more provocative and in your face. Angry Asian is something, when people see, theyre like whoa, thats something Im not used to seeing. Its a little confrontational and a little bit in your face so its definitely something I wanted to project. AL: What inspired you to start the blog in the first place? PY: Boredom. Initially, it was a place to write down thoughts about things I was seeing in the media and reflect on different issues and wanting a place to put that down and putting it out there. It was really for me, a sort of expression. I didnt expect anybody to read it and wasnt counting on that at all. It kind of blew up unexpectedly. AL: How did your Asian American consciousness, a sense of whats good or whats bad, how did that develop? PY: It was really gradual. I took some Asian American Studies courses in college and I learned a lot about history and the Asian American Movement. Learning about things like the murder of Vincent Chin and really delving deep into the Japanese internment and things like that, our history in this country is so much deeper and in-depth than any high school textbook really tells us. And then stepping back and going, Where do I fit in this? Where do I go? Whats my place in this? And what do I want to care about after I know that? Those things propelled me toward a new 20 ALINE SPRING 2013 kind of identity and thats what really guided me and eventually gave way to the circumstances that led to the site. AL: Who are some of the most memorable people youve met or spoken to? PY: Well, meeting people has been the most rewarding thing about writing the blog. Lots of opportunities have opened up. Ive been able to meet people that are my heroes. I met George Takei. I grew up watching him on Star Trek reruns, and when I met him I was like, I am in the presence of one of my heroes. In addition, there have been people who are kind of like struggling artists when I first met them, and I saw them really blow up and hustle and become big. The guys at Far East Movement, Im friends with those guys and I remember those guys doing tiny record store shows. All of a sudden, theyre on TV and on the radio and Im like, Dude, this is awesome. But probably the best celebrity meeting that Ive had was with actress Tamlyn Tomita. Recently, she played Mike Changs mom on Glee but when I was growing up, she was on Karate Kids 2 and she was the it girl. For me, I was like dang, dude. She was the crush of every Asian American dude of a generation. And when I found out she read my blog, I was on the ground; you could not scrape me off the floor. It was awesome. AL: Other than the people, whats the best part of the job? PY: The people are number one. But its also having this thing that I created from basically nothing, something I created in my bedroom, from my desktop computer, and then it growing to this thing where its opened all these opportunities and finding a passion. There was a time in my life where I was like, What am I all about? What do I want to do? And it gave me that, unexpectedly. When I first started out, I didnt know what I was doing, but a couple years into it, I was like, Wait a minute. THIS is what I care about. Ive been doing it all this time and this is what I really am all about. Its given me purpose and passion and something I really enjoy, and where I feel like Im making a difference. Thats been amazing. AL: What role do you think your blog plays within the Asian American community? PY: You know, Ive said this before, and I feel like I take up the role of a town crier in that I learned about things and I write them up in the hopes that people will see this and perhaps take action, get informed or be entertained by it. Im kind of creating this space where people are coming to it for different things but Im hoping the information and the stuff I put out is useful to people in our community and making a difference. AL: Tell me about your future plans with Angry Asian Man. PY: I really love what Ive been able to build with the blog so far. That, in of itself, has been unexpected. So I want to keep the blog going as long as I can. As long as people are still reading it, Ill still keep doing it. Id love to leverage what Ive been able to create and maybe write a book, or something like that. Expand it to other mediums like videos and stuff like that. I already started an audio podcast called Sound and Fury, which is available on iTunes, where I interview folks that I like and interesting people in my life and thats been a really gratifying project. And Id just love to capitalize on some of the following that Ive gotten and maybe create more opportunities for other people to come check out other kinds of media. Itll be great. SPRING 2013 ALINE 21

angry

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Text by Benjamin Fang Photo courtesy of Phil Yu

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honors thesis on RNA polymerase. Her full intent, for a long time, was to go to medical school. It was a career my mom really chose for me, Prof. de Vera recalled. Even from when I was extremely young, she would buy me play-doctor toys. It was her dream for me. But I started to become more politically aware at Cal [Berkeley], de Vera said. I became involved along with other students, who at that time, felt the ethnic studies department could be expanded. Affirmative action was also something that was a deep concern; there were very few Asian American faculty [members] on campus and in the administration. I saw this fight for ethnic studies as part of a larger critique on things like political representation and educational rights. So by the time Prof. de Vera graduated college, her interests moved away from medical school and toward Asian American history. My mother was initially not happy, of course, de Vera said. She would cut out newspaper ads for jobs in biochem or genetic engineering and try to keep me on this path. Why do you think it is that immigrant parents always insist on their children pursuing professional careers? Prof. de Vera asked me, as we discussed this common phenomenon within Asian and Asian American families. Among Filipina women alone, it is extremely common to pursue especially the medical fields in either medicine or nursing. The stakes were even higher for Prof. de Veras family because she was an only child. Despite her mothers initial behest, however, Prof. de Vera credits her father for encouraging her to do what would make her happy. He was the one who really championed for me in my time of transition from my mothers wishes to academia. It didnt stem some of the fighting, but his support was so heartwarming for me, she said. I guess it only seemed natural for my mother to choose a profession for me, because her mother chose her profession for her too. With her fathers continuous encouragement and her mothers eventual support, Prof. de Vera took a job as a news reporter upon graduation for a year and then entered the University of California at Los Angeles Masters program in Asian American Studies. UCLA claims one of the oldest and largest Asian American Studies departments in the nation with over thirty faculty members. After completing her Masters, Prof. de Vera pursued her doctorate at UCLA as well in US history, specializing in Asian American history. She commended the resources of such a well-established Asian American Studies department.

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her to SUs history department. Prof. de Vera had only praises for her time here at Syracuse. I have had such a great experience at SU, Prof. de Vera said, And I have especially enjoyed developing relationships here outside of the classroom as well with colleagues and students. Because SU is such a big university, I really enjoyed the great resources here too. It was a really big change from working for Binghamton, which is a relatively small public university.

I saw this fight for ethnic studies as part of a larger critique on things like political representation and educational rights. Professor Arlene de Vera

Professor de Vera
An Asian American historian
Text by Lillian Kim Photo by Yujia Zhou

he Asian/Asian American Studies minor at Syracuse University, a program first created in 2010, has been in development and since has added one full-time Asian American Studies faculty member, Professor Manan Desai, who teaches in the English and Textual Studies department. This academic year of 2012-2013, an additional temporary hire was made to bring an Asian American historian to our campus. While Professor Arleen de Vera was brought to Syracuse University only for this academic year, the A-Line editorial staff has recognized the impact that Prof. de Vera has made on campus, even in

a short year teaching SUs first Asian American History and Asian Americans and Politics classes. Professor Arleen de Vera, a Filipina American, was born and raised in California, like myself, and much of our conversation referenced our familiarity with Los Angeles versus New York. We both, for example, shared the painful experience of learning to drive in upstate New Yorks snow after years of driving in sunshine. Prof. de Vera grew up in northern California and attended college there, at the University of California at Berkeley, where she earned a Bachelors degree in Biochemistry and published an

My experience at UCLA was like having the best of both worlds, Prof. de Vera told me. There was so much support. In addition to the courses offered, we had an extremely committed faculty and the advantage of an Asian American Studies library with archival collections and an outstanding treasure trove of all kinds of research and studies on Asian Americans. I thought it was an excellent fit for me. After completing her Ph.D., Prof. de Vera continued her research interests as a Fulbright Scholar in the Philippines for about ten months. She found her first teaching appointment at Binghamton University and also taught at Marywood University before coming to Syracuse University. Professor Norman Kutcher, who teaches Chinese history at SU, recognized the need for an Asian American historian at Syracuse University and discovered Prof. de Vera through colleagues, who spoke highly of her. Prof. de Vera gives full credit to Prof. Kutcher for taking the initiative to scout and recruit

Now, Prof. de Vera is currently pressing forward with research and publications with Stanford University Press, with an editor already interested in her second project. Her special interests lie in the experiences of the first Euro-American teachers who traveled to the Philippines to teach for the first establishment of the American education system in the islands. She hopes to someday make her way back to California Bay area with her husband to teach there. I have a lot to keep me busy in the meantime, Prof. de Vera said, but I really do enjoy what I am doing, and thats what matters, right? Although Prof. de Veras future teaching at SU is uncertain because she was only hired on a temporary basis, her impact on the Asian American community has already made a big difference. A-Line Magazine recognizes her contributions to our campus and hopes she will return to teach in the fall.

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VIBE

Ang Lee, the Conqueror

The Academy Takes a bow to the greatness of Ang Lee
Text by Susan Choe Art by Young Michael Lee

Eddie Huang, entrepreneur and celebrity chef now adds NY Times Best Seller to his list of monikers with his autobiography

The Based Fob writes a book

and are given time to just soak in every embellishment that Eddie can muster. Special moments frozen in time that make up the man/chef/Asian American that writes the book. Constantly contextualizing the search for authentic ethnic self, Huang remarks on both nature and nurture, but also on the aspect and perspective of choice. Throughout the timeline set by the book, Huang comes to terms with what growing up in Orlando suburbia does to a psyche and even more in depth about what growing up with an overtly Asian face means in those very same suburbs can mean to a kid growing up. And while his struggle for identity sees Huang being called many things including: race traitor, rotten banana, chinkhis resilience in enjoying what he enjoys, hating what he hates and not giving a damn about what anyone thinks about that manifest in this book as the choices he makes for himself. Huang fills the books with a mix of childhood experiences, college experiences, employment experiences of keying on questions unasked that typify the silent model minority stereotype might feel too embarrassed or too shy to ask? Placed in an dominantly-white private Christian elementary school, Eddie asks why he doesnt look like the Caucasian depictions of biblical figures? While attending the University of Pittsburgh, Eddie writes an op-ed lambasting Asian student orgs who cared solely on employment opportunities and not nearly enough on issues of social justice within the community. When inside the belly of a top law firm, Huang gravitated and spoke out to try and find more lawyers of color. Some of the most powerful moments in the book are when his father tells him that with his Asian face he wont be able to get where he wants to go. This aesthetic hurt and shaped Eddie immensely in choosing a profession where his face would be

n the night of the 85th Academy Awards, Taiwanese American filmmaker Ang Lee accepted his second Academy Award for Best Director. His latest film, Life of Pi, won Oscars in four different categoriesbest achievement in directing, cinematography, visual effects, and music written for a motion picture the most wins that evening. Through his tenacious willpower, Lee has established a beacon of hope for other Asian and Asian American filmmakers and actors while simultaneously setting a new cinematic precedent for the Hollywood industry that so explicably conveys its profitgaining reliance on societal patterns and stereotypes. Every year, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences celebrates those who have achieved cinematic excellence. However, throughout those 85 years, the Academy has paid little attention to Asian films. It wasnt until 2006 that an Asian American was able to capture Hollywoods attention. Ang Lee was the first Asian American ever to win an Oscar for best achievement in directing in 2006 for his film Brokeback Mountain, and to this day, he remains the only recipient of the Academy Award for that category who is not white or European. Born on October 23, 1954, in Pingtung, Taiwan, Ang Lee, now 59, was considered a failure according to the traditional Taiwanese education system. In an interview with Studio 360, Lee described his life before coming to America. He studied in the National Tainan First Senior High School where his father, Sheng Lee, was the principal. In Taiwan, the only route to a university education is through passing the annual Joint College/ University Entrance Examination, which Lee failed twice. Instead, Lee matriculated into a three-year college, National Taiwan University of Arts, where he graduated in 1975. After completing the Republic of 24 ALINE SPRING 2013

Chinas mandatory military service, Lee made the decision to head west. When he came to the United States in 1979, he studied at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where he completed his bachelors degree in theater in 1980. In 1984, Lee received his MFA in Film Production at the Tisch School of the Arts of New York University. Lee was a full-time stay-at-home dad and wrote several screenplays during his six-year unemployment period following graduation. In 1990, Lee submitted two of his screenplays for a competition, which resulted in an Oscar nomination. Pushing Hands is a Chinese-language comedy about the generational conflicts sparked in a retired master of the Chinese art of tai chi as he struggles to find his rightful place in U.S. society. The Wedding Banquet is a comedic film about a gay Taiwanese immigrant man who agrees to marry a mainland Chinese woman in order to satisfy his parents. Coming in first and second place respectively, Lees screenplays caught the attention of LiKong Hsu, who later became the producer of Lees Oscar winning film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon in 2000. But Lee also caught Hollywoods attention.

Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon holds the record for the highest grossing foreign language film in many countries, including the United States. The movie, based on the traditional Chinese wuxia, or the martial arts and chivalry genre, is composed of an assembled team from Taiwan, Hong Kong, Malaysia, and Mainland China. The film, a childhood dream come true for Lee, was also the beginning of a growing flow of movies. Over the years, Lees films have obtained their own trademark of a combination of CGI-laden action scenes in service of psychological, intimate drama with a high diversity of settings, which depict various international cultures. Almost all of Lees films have drawn on both the Western and Asian cultures to depict characters struggling to fit into society and living up to the pressures of their family as well as the repressive social expectations. Many audiences would agree that his films serve as a reflection of the struggles he and so many other Asians experienced while growing up and the acclimation process that they all were required to endure once moving to America. After winning an Academy Award for his latest film Life of Pi, Ang Lee stated in an backstage interview, Im very happy that I get this and I share the excitement with all the Taiwanese people and the Chinese people and Asian people everywhere. As an outsider in Hollywood, Lee said he has to be more diligent but that sometimes, these cultural disadvantages can be an advantage. Coming from another culture makes the process of adapting to English an enriching experience and creates a sense of world culture that he said starts in Hollywood. You know, its like one culture in my left side of the brain, the other is the right, said Lee. You can use both sides of your head. Its an advantage. So I encourage a lot more Asian filmmakers to give it a try.

Text by Joshua Lee Photo by Michelle Yan

chef with a personality is a profiteering machine in todays world of reality kitchens. A book or memoir is usually accompanied by a licensed tv show, t-shirts. The really good ones become legendary Pioneer of culture. Eddie Huang navigates his own life made up of slices of Americana/Taipei by his tastebuds in his autobiography Fresh off the Boat. Huangs memory is a series of relentless, unbalanced, messy vignettes: explosions of anger, self-realization and realization, hip-hop that seem to slip into each other. The book always uses a technique a fullbody immersion into these oceans of culture that Huang wants you to acclimate yourself. Hell drop you into a kitchen of screaming Taiwanese relatives to showcase the politics and dynamic within his household. His experiences with trying American food for the first time begin with Eddie simply walking into dinner with one of his white friends and experiencing the immutable disgust he feels when he tries macaroni and cheese for the first time. These ultra-sensory experiences make up the entirety of the book and Huang uses food almost as a gimmick to begin discussing how food nuance is indicative of larger culture. As hes been quoted saying in an interview with Vice media, Food is a trap. Food is the ultimate trap to get people to talk about bigger things. The pace of the book is an enjoyable one. Instances of belligerent commotion like the Huang family get togethers arrive with a rush of breakneck aunties and uncles, but Huangs own special moments of pleasure like the first time fooling around with a white girl, terrified that campus security would know about it and break it up and instead finding out that white girls have pink nipples in a chapter appropriately titled Pink Nipples or the very first time he heard something as profound as the Wu Tang Clan are relished

accepted. And thats how cooking factors in again. Asians get a fair shake in food because at its most beautiful integral core, food is the great equalizer. Eddie Huang is an important figure not only in a new niche, constantly shifting literary Asian American canon, hes becoming an integral voice in identity and the politics and food that surround it. Hes been interviewed by ESPN, MSNBC, Joe Rogan of UFC and Fear Factor fame; Eddie Huang was even a TED fellow (Huang was kicked out of the TED program after failing to comply with the extremely strict rules of the conference.) Hes generating Bourdain buzz right now. His schtick: the big, brash Asian kid with a unique set of cooking skills and NY streetwise with the Eastern cultural insight to match is catching. Hes a sound byte with a soul, and with this book and the book tour, the words model minority have been stated, dissected and discussed more than any other time since Newsweeks inception of the term. The celebrity chef pumped out by Food Network, with his/her zany cookie cutter affectations seem utterly two-dimensional next to the human panda Eddie Huang. Ex-drug dealer. Ex-journalist. Ex-lawyer. Rap aficionado. New Yorker. Culture consumer. Restaurateur. Writer. New York Times Best Seller. Part-time philosopher. Asian American. Its a year of identity talk. Its a future of identity talk. Eddie Huang has arrived and hes not going anywhere. SPRING 2013 ALINE 25

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Street Style: Mayfest Etiquette

SU Suburbanites and City Slickers, dazed and confused, collide on Mayfest
Photos by Kim Powell

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Street Style: Mayfest Etiquette

Seoul: Rising Fashion Capitol

Text by Michelle Hor

ince its inception in 1943, Fashion Week has been one of the most anticipated events for all fashion designers and enthusiasts alike. Held twice a year in Spring/Summer and then Fall/Winter, this phenomenon of an event provides the opportunity for some of the most talented and famous designers in the world to showcase their collection of skillfully crafted pieces of wearable art. Naturally, the most well-known fashion weeks occur in what are considered to be the worlds largest fashion capitals London, New York City, Milan, Paris but there are fashion weeks that exist in countries and cities all over the world, with recent speculation that Seoul, South Korea could perhaps be the new New York City. Over the years, Seoul has become increasingly popular in the fashion world, with aspiring Korean designers rising both in and outside of the country. MercedesBenz Fashion Week in New York City featured Concept Korea as part of the Fashion Week 2013 season, marking the organizations seventh showing at New York Fashion Week. Concept Korea, comprised of several designers, was established to promote Korean fashion designers and assist them in their attempts to break into the U.S. fashion market. Emmy Award-winning costume designer Patricia Field, known for her works in popular films The Devil Wears Prada and Sex and the City, sat front row at the showing this February. Her words were nothing short of admiration. Quoted in an Elle article following NYFW, Field called Concept Korea a definite thumbs-up and praised their advanced workmanship and strong level of technology. Aimee Song, of popular fashion blog Song of Style, also had the opportunity to view Concept Koreas collection, and was left with inspiration for her own style. I've never paid much attention to Korean designers, but after this presentation, I'm quite interested in seeing more and could totally picture all of these

designers becoming mainstream, Song told readers. Other Korean designers featured during New York Fashion Week included Choonmoo Park, who was voted one of the most influential designers of 2010, and Son Jung Wan, named Designer of the Year in 2005 by Seoul Metropolitan.

known for online blog The Blonde Salad, Korean fashion blogging opportunities exist beyond Seoul Fashion Week. In a recent trip to Seoul, Ferragni had the chance to partake in not one, but three different photo shoots for editorials including Vogue Korea and W Magazine. Calling the experience fascinating,

There are fashion weeks that exist in countries and cities all over the world, with recent speculation that Seoul, South Korea could perhaps be the new New York City.

Throughout the years, Korea has made a conscious goal to expand its own Seoul Fashion Week internationally and elevate its status in the fashion world to that of the top dogs. But of course, with any desire to step into the spotlight, efforts must be made, initiatives taken. With undoubted potential for success, Koreas main, if not only, obstacle to international recognition is its insular culture, as Michael Hurt of Huffington Post deems it. There is a lot of information about Korean fashion designers on the Internet. However, most of it is in Korean, written with the common Korean cultural assumption that no non-Koreans would care, anyway, Hurt wrote. Attempts to branch out globally have nonetheless been made, albeit poorly, as the Korean government sits perhaps a bit too highly on its pedestal. Invitations to cover events during Seoul Fashion Week are limited to only well known writers, journalists and photographers. Bloggers and other smaller media outlets are usually denied access. But for Chiara Ferragni,

Ferragni led her readers through her weeklong trip, posting daily outfits that incorporated pieces of clothing or accessories by Korean designers. Street-style photographer Scott Schuman of The Sartorialist also showcased to an estimated 135,000 subscribers some snapshots of Seoul street style in both his 2011 and 2012 trips to Korea. Photos of phenomenally tailored pieces, bold prints and varied textures graced Schumans popular blog, receiving positive feedback from readers all over the world. Slowly but surely, it seems that the fashion industry is making strides toward recognizing Seoul as a distinct culture of style. Call it a breath of fresh air, if you will. From the runway to the streets, Koreans are bringing their own sense of flair to the enormous world of fashion, and though their audience might not be nearly as substantial as that of, perhaps, Paris, it is undoubtedly growing, gradually capturing the attention of those who can propel them to potential fame. SPRING 2013 ALINE 29

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Fashion Blogger Spotlight:

Susanna Laus Style Bubble

Dragon Boat festival

The annual summer festivities come with a delicious tradition: zong-zi

Text by Carolyn Gressman

espite the recent blogging surge in the past three to four years, Susanna Lau, a reigning fashion blogger, has cultivated her own personal style bubble to no longer just include herself, but her 33,556 (and counting) fashion readers on Bloglovin'. The countless Pinterest boards in her name serve as proof that readers aren't only reading, but emulating. Susie Lau created her blog Style Bubble in 2006, which has and continues to revolutionize fashion blogging by giving readers an in-depth look into the world of fashion from her quirky point of view. Fluent in Cantonese, Lau developed a cross-cultural style that she describes as eclectic, making her a fashion outsider. But readers would beg to differ, as she gives an inside look into fashion's all-inclusive world. Lau, a London native, worked as a writer and editor for Dazed Digital. She now works full-time on her blog and does freelance projects with Elle, The Daily Rubbish and her home company, Dazed Digital, part-time. The Chinese-English fashionista developed her love for fashion as an act of rebellion against her traditional Chinese parents and so called popular English students at her school. Her style quickly became an all-consuming passion, leading to creation of Style Bubble. Style Bubble's name was inspired by her childhood nickname: Susie Bubble. It was given to her in elementary school, known in UK as primary school, by a friend who claimed she always looked as if she was in a world of her own, essentially in her own "bubble." As she turns the camera on herself in Style Bubble, Lau reveals her personal style to be as exciting, fearless and playful as many of the fashion showrooms she writes and photographs. From her layout to her sense of style, she has definitely become known as a fashion rebel. Forget the rules, if you like it wear 30 ALINE SPRING 2013

it are the words in neon lights planted at the forefront of the HM floor dedicated exclusively to Lau. In her recent project alongside HM, she curated the outfit selection and styling of the floor in complete reflection of her own style and essentially, Style Bubble. Featured in countless fashion publications, Lau enjoys playing with textures, colors, prints and extreme silhouettes while holding firm in her belief of fashion as functional. Dulux recently awarded her color Ambassador of the Year because she is truly fearless by using color as a tool in composing her ensembles. Rebellious not only in her fashion, Lau studied History and Digital Advertising in her years at university. Although she currently works as a fashion blogger and freelance writer, her years of academia did not separate her from her childhood passions. In a way, history is well incorporated in Style Bubble. Her references to modern and Avant Garde designers, detailed references to trends and times of the past and the constant merging of fashion and art in her writing offer a hint that the history isnt quite forgotten. From old age fashion to new age art, Lau models up and coming designer pieces from young Asian designers like Keiko Nishiyama and Min Wu, while also featuring brands such as Miu Miu, Alexander Wang, Jason Wu and Korean designer Kaal E. Suktae. Her style never seems forced. This Susie Bubble aesthetic has opened doors for her at a young age, allowing her to travel one of her great passions as well as document art, current events, and blog

Text by Jonathan Tam Art by Jee-Min Hong

Susanna Lau via

StyleBubble.typ

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about fashion she admires. Lau essentially creates a marketplace for her own ideas on Style Bubble, creating posts that too, never seem forced. Style Bubbles high volume of viewership nearly 25,000 visitors each day may contribute to the way Susie communicates with the audience without limits. This approach makes readers comfortable enough to use Susie Lau's style as their own access into a world free where fashion rules. She has built her career in the fashion industry around her own eye, angling fashion based on her taste as opposed to its stereotype of being an intangible commodity. Susie Bubble has created a brand that inspires many young readers. But despite the countless admirers, Style Bubble certainly cannot be replicated, not even on a Pinterest board.

s summer approaches, people are gathering friends and family to hit the beaches and prepare the barbeque pits. Others are heading to see the dragon boat competition and eat zong-zi, Chinese-style tamales, at the annual dragon boat festival. The summer dragon boat festival originated in Southern China but is now held throughout the United States and around the world. Dragon-styled boats filled with 22 competitive rowers race against each other for first place. According to a common Chinese legend, the boat race commemorates Qu Yuan, one of the nations most beloved poets. Qu Yuan was believed to have lived his life with true and constant patriotism to his country. After drowning himself in the river, the townspeople rushed over with their boats, hoping to save him. Realizing that he couldnt be saved, they threw rice into the river as both a food offering to Qu Yuan and to ward off fish from disturbing his body. A few days later, his spirit appeared to his friends and told them to wrap rice into threecorned silk packages and throw the packages into the river to ward off dragons. These packages became the inspiration behind the zong-zi, which many Chinese people look forward to eating during the late summer months. Zong-zi is sticky rice typically stuffed with savory ingredients, such as minced pork, Chinese sausage, or salted egg yolk. These salty ingredients are typically found in zong-zi purchased or homemade in the southern regions of China or in Chinese American communities, where Southern Chinese and Hong Kong style cuisine are quite prevalent. In the northern regions of China, zong-zi is often stuffed with sweet fillings, like red bean paste. Therefore, zong-zi can be seen as a traditional food or seasonal dessert. The ingredient-filled rice is formed into a triangle and wrapped with bamboo leaves before steamed. Zong-zi is often made using old family recipes, so every home has its unique version of the bamboo leaf-wrapped rice. Premade zong-zi can also be purchased at Chinese grocery stores and street-carts throughout July and August. Though the dragon boat festival traditionally resembles the race to find Qu Yuans body, it now boasts a reason for Chinese communities to watch this internationally-recognized sport, eat zong-zi, spend time with friends and family, and best of all, share their cultural heritage with the community. Eating zong-zi has also taken on a new meaning to Chinese communities. Liu Ming, a current SU student, said, Many kids now only remember the name of the food, not the name of the festivalmany kids call it Zong-zi Festival. She also said Chinese families associate the festival with gift-giving, and therefore, many zong-zi sellers now offer a more expensive variety, where the inside of the sticky rice tamale is stuffed with premium, high

grade ingredients. These types of zong-zi are meant for gift-giving only, and are rarely purchased for self indulgence. Another SU student, Eva Wong, said that the meaning behind eating these triangle-shaped tamales has lost its intended meaning. However, like many Chinese families, Wong believes that making zong-zi at home with family is a fun, bonding experience. It helps deepen the relationship within a family, Wong said. For those looking for a more authentic alternative to Chinese take-out, make it a goal to try different zong-zi variations this summer. For those who gather with relatives each summer to make zong-zi, invite friends to share a piece of Chinese culture through making great food and memories. Dragon boat races are becoming more prevalent across the U.S. Just an hour south of Syracuse, Ithaca will hold its dragon boat race on Saturday, July 13 at Cass Park. In addition to the race, there will be food and market vendors, family activities, cultural performances and moreperfect for a one-day getaway with friends and family. SPRING 2013 ALINE 31

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Restaurant Review:

China Cafe

Sriracha, Glorious Sriracha

Text by Melody Chan

BITES

A-Line uncovers the 10 most important ways to use everyones favorite hot sauce
Sriracha Sesame Ginger Popcorn If youve ever received one of those ginormous popcorn cans filled with three different types of flavors as a gift, you would understand how tedious it would be to devour it all. But what if Sriracha with sesame and ginger was one of the popcorn flavors? Certainly, it would spice up the same old boring butter and salt combination. This savory snack is exactly how it sounds: popcorn with sesame seeds and ginger sauce soaked up with Sriracha. Chinese Green Beans with Anchovies and Sriracha Growing up in a Chinese family where American dishes were my parents last resort on a lazy day, I found myself eating something similar every day: fish with soy sauce, dried fish with eggs, eggs with tomatoes, eggs with chopped pieces of barbecued pork, pork with steamed tofu, tofu with fish balls, Chinese meatballs with rice vermicelli, rice steamed with green veggies. And green beans too; they were a frequent in my household. Now that I have discovered the beauty of it with Sriracha sauce, I wouldnt mind having to chow down some green beans at the dinner table. Topped with some baby tomatoes and anchovies, it is the perfect side dish for bland white rice. The Sriracha will make you fall head over heels with the salty, crunchy, and now spicy green beans. Sriracha Garlic Bread Anything garlic is automatically one of my favorites, especially if its garlic bread. But whats better than garlic and bread? Garlic, bread, and Sriracha. This lovely dish is quick and presentable; making it the perfect go-to if youre running late for a picnic and making the food is still unchecked on your to-do list. Just quickly whisk together some Sriracha, minced garlic and melted butter, and then brush it onto both sides of the bread. Sriracha may be the secret ingredient here, but it wont have the same effect without some cheese on top. Before you can even take it out of the oven, the Sriracha-garlic-cheese aroma will leave you wanting seconds. The crispiness on the edge and the softness in the middle with a hint of spiciness is every food lovers heaven. Sriracha Fruit Salad Fruits after dinner are a must for me, but I cant stand the ones that arent sweet. So imagine my reaction when I was introduced to Sriracha with fruits. I couldnt even bear to think about the spicy taste with my beloved sweet fruits. That is, until I actually tried it in a salad form. Of course, the dressing included everything ranging from sweet to spicy, such as honey, pineapple juice, rice vinegar, low-sodium soy sauce, mirin, toasted sesame oil, and last but not least, Sriracha. The trick to this salad is mixing well, or youll be surprised by a clump of Sriracha sauce gobbling up your tongue. It is recommended to add some sweetened flaked coconut and fresh mint for a better experience. Whenever I asked my mom about the taste of something that Ive never tried before, she always gives me the same response, Even if I explained it to you, you wouldnt really know until you try. So that is my response to how this Sriracha Fruit Salad tastes. Bacon Lettuce Tomato Summer Rolls Hungry but not hungry? On a diet? Well these BLT Summer Rolls are nothing but perfect for you. Basically, the rice paper replaces the bread of a normal BLT sandwich and instead of the usual filling inside a summer roll, there is bacon, lettuce, and tomato. It is much lighter than ordering a sandwich but more filling than ordering your plain ol Vietnamese summer rolls. The thin rice paper also gives an interesting texture to the BLT. And as if there wasnt enough flair to this roll, the filling is layered with mayonnaise mixed with lime juice and Sriracha. Mayonnaise with Sriracha is always a good choice, but surprisingly, the sauce doesnt steal away the limelight from this dish.
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Sriracha Sesame Ginger Popcorn Ingredients: 2 Tbs. butter 1 Tbs. Sriracha sauce 1 tsp. sesame seeds + more for garnish 1 tsp. garlic powder tsp. ground ginger 4 cups popped popcorn Salt to taste Directions: 1. In a small sauce pan, melt the butter with the olive oil and Sriracha sauce. Stir in the sesame seeds, garlic powder, and ground ginger. Mix well. The sauce will be thin. 2. Pour over the popcorn and toss to coat well. Season with salt to taste and garnish with additional sesame seeds.

Text by Vincent Fang Photo by Michelle Yan

ave you heard about the new Chinese place? I heard the food was authentic. That was all it took to convince me to try China Caf. Living at Syracuse University for the past three years, it was incredibly difficult to get good, authentic Chinese food. I grew up eating dim sum on Sunday mornings, y don cherng fun (fish ball and rice noodles) on the go and large family dinners with dishes spread out across the spinning jennies. Good authentic Chinese food is difficult to find in Syracuse. During Lunar New Year, my parents advised me to eat noodles for longevity. I was relegated to reluctantly ordering shrimp lo mien from Number One Kitchen. So, as anyone can imagine, I jumped at the chance to try a place that was rumored to have authentic Chinese food. Although my friend said it was a new Chinese restaurant, China Caf has been marketing to Syracuse University students for at least a year now. The newspaper baskets in the lobby of Washington Arms dorm hall have been littered with the red menus that adorn a terracotta soldier statue in the front. It is a simple menu cover with basic contact information (telephone, fax and address), hours of business and a small map of where the restaurant is. It also boasts its healthy aspectsno MSG and 100 percent vegetable oil. Inside the menu, there are many options, from the usual lunch specials (chicken and broccoli, lo mien, and kung pao chicken) to special Chinese cuisine (sliced beef & tripe w. chili sauce) and the fusion kitchen (pineapple chicken). Although the price is a little more expensive than most Chinese take-out restaurants in Syracuse, I soon learned that it is well worth the price. When the food finally came, my roommates and I were hungry and ready to feast. After gorging down dinner combo plates, we nodded our heads, rubbed our satisfied bellies, and shared our praises and criticisms of our dinner. Our first praise was that the meal was noticeably healthier. The rice from Oriental Kitchen, a Chinese take-out restaurant on E. Fayette Street, seems like it was cooked using dong fahn, or day-old rice. It was hard and dry. Number One Kitchens rice was greasy. However, the rice from China Caf was fresh and soft and cooked with bits of eggs, which made more enjoyable. One of my roommates, Kojo Sefa, a senior at the Whitman School, even stated, Im full but I dont feel like I will have a heart attack. Usually after I finish an order from Number One Kitchen, there is usually a pool of sauce, consisting of 80 percent oil, 15 percent flavoring and 5 percent something else. A take-out meal from China Caf would not usually have the pool left behind. I assume it is because the rice is able soak up most of the sauce. 32 ALINE SPRING 2013

The broccoli that comes with many of the dishes are a healthy, bright shade of green instead of the dark green broccoli that usually comes with an order from Oriental Kitchen. Furthermore, the broccoli at China Caf is crisper, while the ones from other restaurants are mushy, like the broccoli at Ernie Davis Dining Hall. Aside from the fact that the sauce over the food contains less oil, the meat in the meals is similar to the ones at Number One Kitchen and Oriental Kitchen. The general tsos chicken is by far the most distinguished dish on the menu. It tastes better than any take-out restaurants general tsos chicken that I have had in Syracuse. Other dishes, such as the pepper steak with onion, lack flavor. Once again, I believe it is because China Caf is trying to be healthy and ditch the MSG. At $7.25 for vegetable, pork or chicken dinner combo platter and $7.55 for beef or shrimp, the dinner special is very worth the price. China Caf packs more food within the container than the other restaurants. It is also healthier and the food tastes much better. Nonetheless, it is still a take-out restaurant. It will never compare to the meals in New York Citys Chinatown, but my allegiance from Number One Kitchen changed quickly after a meal from China Caf.

Chinese Green Beans with Anchovies and Sriracha Ingredients 1 large handful of long green beans, ends trimmed 1 tin of anchovies, chopped, plus the oil theyre packed in 1-2 heaping tsp. Sriracha sauce 1 handful cherry tomatoes Directions: 1. In a large frying pan over medium high heat add chopped anchovies and their oil. Mix in Sriracha. 2. Once mixture starts to spit oil add green beans and a splash of water. Cook for two minutes 3. Add cherry tomatoes. If the anchovies are sticking to the bottom of the pan, add another splash of water. 4. Cook for two more minutes then serve immediately.

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of bacon. Spread about 2 tsp. of lime mayonnaise then top with some more lettuce. 3. Fold the bottom of the rice paper up over the lettuce, tomato and bacon. Fold in the sides, then roll up. Repeat with remaining ingredients. If one of the wrappers rips, carefully overlap the two edges then continue to assemble the roll. 3. Seal the bag and toss it carefully to coat the chicken. Then, let it marinate in the fridge for a couple hours. 4. Remove the chicken from the bag and pour any extra marinade over it, then bake it in an oven and broiler-safe dish for about 40 minutes. 5. When the chicken is done, set it under the broiler until crispy and browned. (NOTE: Make sure your baking dish is broiler-safe. If not, transfer the chicken to a sheet of aluminum foil or a broilersafe dish before setting it under the broiler.)

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7. Flatten each ball with a fork, making a criss-cross pattern. Bake for 8-10 minutes or just until the cookies begin to brown. Do NOT over-bake!

Sriracha Turkey Meatballs Turkey meat has never really appealed to me, so the fact that Ive never had turkey meatballs didnt bother me. However, when I heard about turkey meatballs with Sriracha, I went out of my way to try them. These tiny bites of heaven make the best appetizers, or it can be eaten as a side dish with white rice. When I saw the ingredients for this recipe, I was surprised to see breadcrumbs on the list, but it definitely adds to the seasoning. Also, dont worry if you cant handle spice very well because the meatballs mellow out the taste of the Sriracha. Its great both taste-wise and look-wise as the chopped up cilantros make the meatballs look even more appetizing. Crispy Sriracha Chicken Because I am a lazy eater, I love boneless chicken. Its even better when its marinated in rosemary and Sriracha sauce. The outcome is a brown, crispy, savory chicken.

Its mildly spicy but creamy at the same. To balance your meal, add some vegetables as a side dish, and itll be perfect. Peanut Butter Sriracha Cookies When I was younger, I was the girl who only ate the jelly portion of her peanut, butter, and jelly sandwich. Ive never been a big fan of peanut butter, so I wasnt exactly fond of the idea of peanut butter mixed with Sriracha. I dont think Ive ever eaten a spicy cookie, and although I wont try it again, I sincerely urge everyone to try it at least once in their lifetime. The aftertaste is like the cookie is setting a fire to your taste buds. I wont disclose how many glasses of water I gulped down, but make sure you have access to water. However, some of my friends were able to handle the hotness of it all and the peanut butter taste is there. To tone down on the spiciness, other ingredients can be added to the cookie too. Sriracha Milkshake Strawberry is my favorite ice cream

flavor, so itd be impossible if I didnt try this milkshakeeven if there were four squirts of Sriracha in it. If there was a medium between heaven and hell, I guess this would be it. Most of the cayenne pepper lay on the whip cream, so afterwards it was just Sriracha vs. strawberry goodness. Because it was blended so evenly and the milkshake was cold, the Sriracha wasnt too hot for me to handle. It is definitely a twist from the usual Sriracha with food. Spicy Maple Bacon Wrapped Shrimp Although Im not a big fan of bacon, I am a shrimp lover. And because Im also not the best cook, this recipe was perfect for me because its so simple. Whats interesting is the bacon is cooked halfway before wrapping it around the shrimp and glazing it with sweet maple syrup and Sriracha sauce. The bacon will be cooked again when it is put into the oven with the shrimp. It looks and tastes great, mainly due to the sauce and syrup.

Sriracha Turkey Meatballs Ingredients 1 cup breadcrumbs cup hot water 2 pounds ground turkey breast 4 scallions, sliced cup finely chopped fresh cilantro 2 Tbs. fish sauce 2 Tbs. Sriracha sauce 2 Tbs. sugar 1 Tbs. sesame oil Directions: 1. Preheat the oven to 375F. 2. Combine breadcrumbs and hot water in a medium bowl and allow to sit for five minutes. 3. Add ground turkey, scallions, cilantro, fish sauce, Sriracha, sugar, and sesame oil and thoroughly combine. 4. Form into 18 to 20 meatballs and put on a baking sheet. 5. Put in the oven. Bake for 10 minutes and turn the meatballs. Bake for another 10 minutes, or until cooked through. 6. Remove from the oven and serve immediately.

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Sriracha Fruit Salad Ingredients: For the dressing: 1/4 cup toasted sesame oil 1/2 cup honey 1/8 cup rice vinegar 1/8 cup mirin 2 1/2 Tbs. Sriracha sauce 2 Tbs. black sesame seeds 1/4 tsp. low-sodium soy sauce 3 Tbs. pineapple juice For the fruit salad: 1 medium pineapple, peeled, cored, and cubed 2 mangoes, peeled, cored, and cubed 1 papaya, peeled and cubed 2 bananas, peeled and sliced 2 kiwis, peeled, halved lengthwise, and sliced 1 pint strawberries, hulled and quartered 1/2 cup sweetened flaked coconut, for garnish Fresh mint, cut into thin ribbons, for garnish Directions: 1. First make dressing by combining all dressing ingredients in a medium bowl and whisking together. Set aside. 2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the fruit. 3. Add the dressing and toss gently. Garnish with coconut flakes and mint and serve immediately. 1 large tomato, cut into 1/4-inch slices 4 strips cooked thick-cut bacon For the Lime Mayonnaise: 1/4 cup mayonnaise juice of 1/2 a lime 1-2 tsp. Sriracha chili sauce Salt to taste Directions: 1. If making your own lime mayonnaise, combine mayonnaise, lime juice and 1 teaspoon of chili sauce. Taste for spiciness then add more chili sauce if needed. Season with salt. Store covered in refrigerator and keep up to a week. 2. Dip a rice paper into a plate of warm water for 5-10 seconds; shake off excess water and place on a clean kitchen towel or cutting board. Stack shredded or baby lettuce leaves on the lower third of the rice paper. Add tomatoes then a strip

Peanut Butter Sriracha Cookies Ingredients 1 cup unsalted butter (softened) 1 cups crunchy peanut butter (or Sunbutter if allergic to peanuts) 1 cup sugar 1 cup brown sugar (packed) cups Sriracha sauce 2 eggs 1 tsp. vanilla extract 2 to 3 cups all-purpose flour (finished dough should be soft, but not sticky) 1 tsp. baking powder tsp. salt 1 tsp. baking soda Granulated sugar for dipping dough balls into. Optional: 1-2 cups chocolate chips to add to dough. OR Add a Hersheys Chocolate Kiss on top as done for Peanut Butter Blossoms. Doesnt change baking time. Directions: 1. Cream together butter, peanut butter and sugars. 2. Slowly add in Sriracha, eggs and vanilla. Beat until combined. 3. In another bowl mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. 4. Gently mix flour into peanut butter mixture until well combined. Place batter into refrigerator for one hour to chill. 5. Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees. 6. Roll dough into approx one-inch sized balls or use a medium sized cookie scoop/Size 40 1 Tbs. portion. Dip the top of dough ball into granulated sugar and place onto cookie sheet.

Spicy Maple Bacon Wrapped Shrimp Ingredients: 10 pieces thinly sliced bacon 20 extra large (16/20) shrimp (about 1 pound) 1/2 (4 grams) teaspoon salt 2 (30 ml) tablespoons maple syrup 1 (15 ml) tablespoon sriracha hot chili sauce Juice of half a lemon Sliced green onion (garnish) Directions: 1. Heat oven to 400F (204C). Then, line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper. 2. Add skewers to a bowl of warm water then set aside. 3. Place bacon slices, in one layer, onto the baking sheet. Slide into the oven, and then bake about 10 minutes or until the bacon has rendered some of its fat, is starting to brown on the edges, but is still floppy. Take bacon out of the oven and transfer to paper towels to drain excess fat. Discard any fat on the baking sheet, too. 4. While the bacon bakes, peel and devein the shrimp, but leave the tails on. Season the shrimp with salt. 5. Combine maple syrup and sriracha hot chili sauce in a small bowl. 6. Once cool to the touch, remove bacon from paper towels then use a brush (or your fingers) to coat both sides with the maple-sriracha glaze. Cut the bacon in half, crosswise. 7. Wrap each shrimp with a half slice of bacon and use a skewer (or two) to secure it 8. Place onto the baking sheet. Then, brush or spoon any extra maple-sriracha glaze over each bacon-wrapped shrimp. 9. Bake the shrimp for 5 minutes. Then, turn oven to broil and broil 4-6 minutes until the bacon is crispy. Remove from the oven then squeeze the juice of half a lemon over shrimp.

BLT Summer Rolls Ingredients 4 8-inch rice paper (spring roll) wrappers 2 cups packed shredded or baby lettuce leaves

Crispy Sriracha Chicken Ingredients: Yoplait Greek yogurt Lemon juice Garlic Fresh rosemary Sriracha Chicken (preferably boneless, skinless chicken breasts) Directions: 1. Make the marinade. 2. Place the chicken in a re-sealable plastic bag and pour marinade over it.

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ALINE

SPRING 2013

SPRING 2013

ALINE

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