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Whether due to the Hong Kong protests, representation in the media or culinary trends, there’s been a lot of fascinating Chinese American cultural commentary in the news. This past Monday, November 11, provided the most recent example when we saw two holidays celebrated: Veterans Day in America and Singles Day in China. Read on for more! ~Wes
New in our community this week:
- The rise (and stall) of the “Boba Generation.”
- Rushing to save Oregon’s Chinese mining sites.
- Reflecting on death, migration and the loss of culture.
Family Corner
While deep fried, egg battered bread slathered in fruit jam can’t be on the breakfast table every morning, Hong Kong-style french toast sure does make a delicious treat. Try it this weekend! Chinese American Family
The world’s biggest shopping event occurs every year on November 11, and most Americans are only vaguely aware of it. Called Singles Day in China, shoppers in the U.S. don’t look forward to it the way they anticipate Black Friday or Amazon Prime Day, but maybe they should. Vox
I Miss My Grandpa, The Dragon Warrior and Paper Son make this list of the 13 best Asian American children’s and young adult books of 2019. NBC News
Voices
Twice a year, Janelle Bitker gets a text from her mom, reminding her it’s time to visit her grandparents. What happens, she reflects, when years of migration cause treasured family traditions to vanish? SF Chronicle
William Wang reflects on the Hong Kong protests. “Truth is,” he writes, “Chinese nationals and Chinese Americans are two sets of an alien people. I’ve always found a quiet disconnect in the way I interacted with my cousins, unable to fully grasp what it meant to be Chinese.” Cornell Daily Sun
A professor at the University of Pennsylvania considers campus dynamics preventing Chinese international students from adopting democratic values during their time in the United States. USA Today
Entertainment
If a post-“Crazy Rich Asians” world marked a shift for Asian American representation, Rich Ting can attest to whether it’s real. Starring in recent Cinemax and Amazon productions, Ting represents a specific case study about the mechanics of Hollywood’s purported sea change. SF Chronicle
As you’re thinking of holiday gifts, consider these five books about the Chinese American experience. The list includes a few classics, along with new entries like Ghosts of Gold Mountain and At America’s Gates. NBC News
Food
The rhythms and motifs in 2013’s “Bobalife” by the Fung Brothers are likely familiar to anyone who spent their formative years drinking bubble tea with friends. Here’s how bubble tea became far more than just a drink to young Asian Americans. Eater
Restaurants in Atlanta, a city without a historic Chinatown to anchor its local Chinese American community, offer fascinating environments to consider the influences of “old school” and “new school” Chinese cuisine in American life. Atlanta Magazine
History
For years, Portland recognized him as the retired cyclist who traveled the world on his bike, but 96-year-old James Hong’s adventurous spirit didn’t start on two wheels — rather in the tail of a legendary B-17 Flying Fortress during the height of World War II. Oregon Live
Chinese influence is visible across Oregon’s early history. Chinese immigrants built the railroads. Their mines helped prop up the economy. They worked in canneries and hop farms. They even changed the shape of the land they lived on. U.S. News & World Report
A Grain Of Rice
“This character is powerful. He’s loyal. He’s commanding. At the end of the day, he’s just strong, inside and outside. And to me, that was the biggest win.” — Rich Ting, Actor, on his character in “Warrior”
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