Feature Article Archives

Tobacco Companies - Multicultural Pioneers?

Chan Cho

Are big bad tobacco companies at the forefront of multicultural marketing? A new study that claims the industry has been targeting Asian Americans seems to show just that.

A team of U.S. and Canadian researchers waded through 500,000 pages of internal tobacco industry documents - made publicly available as a result of U.S. court cases - to investigate promotion strategies aimed at Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.

From Champion Fighter to Savvy Entrepreneur:
The Cung Le Story

Monica Ortiz

Cung Le has been called one of the best fighters in the world; among his list of titles is the 2001 Light Heavyweight World Championship in kickboxing.

But it's his transformation from a champion fighter to a savvy businessman that is turning heads these days.

The story reaches far back to 1975, when Le and his mother fled Vietnam on one of the last American military aircraft leaving the country, barely three days before the fall of Saigon.

Asian-American Income Levels Gain on Whites

TJ DeGroat

During the past decade, Massachusetts' Asian-American community experienced tremendous growth in both population and income, according to new statistics from The Boston Globe and the State University of New York at Albany's Lewis Mumford Center.

The picture-perfect economy of the 1990s benefitted all of Massachusetts' racial groups, but Asian Americans saw their annual household income increase by 14 percent, second only to the 25-percent growth of Native Americans.

Leader in Asian-American Civil-Rights Movement Dies at 66

TJ DeGroat

Yuji Ichioka, a professor and historian who coined the term "Asian American" died of cancer Sept. 1. He was 66.

Ichioka taught University of California, Los Angeles' first classes on Asian-American topics and helped found the school's Asian-American Studies Center in 1969. He was considered one of the countries top experts on Japanese-American history.

Will the EEOC Lose Its Only Asian American Officer?

sarah siritaratiwat

For the greater portion of his life, Paul Igasaki has worked to raise awareness about Asian-American issues in the workplace. But now it looks as if his lifelong efforts may put to an abrupt end.

Igasaki has served as vice chair of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) for the past eight years and is the only Asian American in the department.

Thai Tennis Star Hits His Stride

TJ DeGroat

He's already out of this year's U.S. Open, but Asian tennis player Paradorn Srichaphan's recent play has made him a bona fide star on the men's circuit and, more importantly, brought attention to the game in his native Thailand.

Srichaphan advanced through the first two rounds with ease at this year's final Grand Slam championship, but he faltered against Great Britain's Greg Rusedski, a big-serving former top 5 player, in a tight five-set match.

9/11 Anniversary Brings Out Civil Rights Marchers

TJ DeGroat

With the one-year anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks still in the nation's collective mind, a coalition of groups representing Arabs, Latinos, African Americans and Asian Americans will march on the Justice Department to denounce some of the Bush administrations actions during its war on terrorism.

Indian Marketing Pro Works Wonders for McAfee.com

TJ DeGroat

As Wall St. continues its unpredictable roller coaster ride, many companies are rethinking their business plans, but for McAfee.com, the key to success lies in sticking to a familiar mantra: acquisition, retention and extension.

The man responsible for promoting the Sunnyvale, Calif.-based security software provider is Atri Chatterjee, vice president of marketing. The Indian-born Chatterjee, who joined the company five months ago, is a veteran of Netscape, Clarify, Inc. and Sun Microsystems.

Asian-American Studies Finds a Home at U. of Minnesota

TJ DeGroat

More than 30 years after California students protested in favor of creating an Asian-American studies program at several Bay Area universities, the spirit is reaching white-dominated Minnesota.

Beginning this fall, students at the University of Minnesota will be able to take courses that will count toward a newly created minor in Asian-American studies, offered by the American studies faculty.

3AF Unveils New Awards Ceremony

Chan Cho

The Asian American Advertising Federation (3AF) announced the establishment of the 3AF Awards last week. The awards will recognize outstanding companies and individuals who have made an impact in the Asian-American market.

Winners of the first competition will be honored at a luncheon Oct. 3 at the 3AF conference in New York City.

Online Dating - Virtual Nightmare?

Christine Lee

Seems like anything and everything can be found on the Internet nowadays, including a mate. All that stands between a web surfer and a new main squeeze are a few clicks of the mouse. When you consider the alternative – waiting for Prince Charming to arrive on your doorstep – downloading and sorting hundreds of pictures and profiles in the space of a few hours becomes more appealing.

After all, millions of Americans can't be wrong, right?

They're Here, They're Queer . . . and They're Asian

TJ DeGroat

From Olympic gold medallist Greg Louganis to award-winning journalist Helen Zia to self-described pansexual comedienne Margaret Cho, gay Asian Americans are here, they're queer and they're hoping America gets used to them.

China's First Lesbian Film Wins Praise

TJ DeGroat

What's life like for China's gay and lesbian population? Many Westerners are finding out, thanks to Li Yu, the young Chinese director who took on the risky task of featuring a lesbian love story in her first feature film.

China's first lesbian-themed film, 'Jin nian xia tian (Fish and Elephant),' overcame myriad obstacles, from government censors to outraged prospective actors, but it's finding a home abroad, becoming a festival darling in Europe and North America.

Jennifer Project Brings Japanese-American Singer to Asia

TJ DeGroat

Biracial entertainers are more common and more popular than ever. Consider the soaring paychecks of Mariah Carey, Alicia Keys, Halle Berry and Lenny Kravitz, all of whom come from families with one white and one African-American parent.

Now, a 15-year-old Hawaiian girl named Jennifer is hoping to reach even loftier heights.

Immigration Legislation Could Legalize Millions

TJ DeGroat

Immigration reformers this week had cause to celebrate when House Minority Leader Richard Gephardt, D-Mo., announced his plan to introduce a bill that would legalize millions of undocumented immigrants.

Gephardt unveiled his plan Monday at the annual meeting of the National Council of La Raza, prompting the crowd of about 3,000 Latinos to jump to its feet in applause.

New Vistas: 'Acting' on your Dreams

Christine Lee

A career in arts is far from an easy stroll - from landing a lucky break to running a production crew, these jobs initially offer few financial rewards and require a long, persistent journey for most.

For Asian Americans, a career in theatre offers other obstacles, including overcoming stereotypes to finding an interested audience. The following is a brief account of a few Asian Americans who have found their own niche in theatre.

Women of Color Make Gains In Business World

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Minority women in executive and managerial positions are receiving promotions and building a foundation of networks that could help secure their future progress up the corporate ladder, a new study has found.

The study "Women of Color in Corporate Management: Three Years Later" is based on follow-up surveys with 368 of the 1,735 women who participated in a 1999 report with the same title.

Local Asian-American TV Stations Set To Go National

TJ DeGroat

NBC, CBS, ABC, Fox and Univision? Believe it or not, the Spanish-language broadcaster in 1999 overcame mainstream networks like WB and UPN to become the fifth-largest network in the United States. Now, Asian-American TV stations are poised to pool their resources to create a national network for the country's second fastest-growing ethnic group.

The Bay area's KTSF and Southern California's KSCI are two of the major players in the race to bring Asian-American programming to a national audience.

NYC Newspapers Reflect Diverse Community

Chan Cho

The number of ethnic newspapers and magazines published in New York City is growing at a steady clip, with 270 publications currently targeting the city's diverse population. Nearly half of the publications in the survey use a language other than English and 14 percent use more than one language.

Spotlight On Keiko Harvey

Chan Cho

Keiko Harvey has been named one of the 'Outstanding 50 Asian Americans in Business,' by the Asian American Business Development Center (AABDC).

Harvey was born in Japan and came to the United States when she was 17 years old. A graduate of Rutgers College of Engineering, today Harvey is Verizon's senior vice president of Advanced Services.