‘No Longer Invisible:’ Celebrating API Representation

Moz-API: “Explore our curated Spotify playlist if you want to jam to some awesome tunes!”

Moz-API: “‘Inheriting’ is a Los Angeles-based podcast led by NPR’s Emily Kwong, in which she explores how one event in history can ripple through generations of Asian American and Pacific Islander families. ‘Through these stories, we show how the past is personal and how to live with the legacies we’re constantly inheriting.’”

Moz-API: “This storytelling series is a treasure trove of interviews, memories, and family snapshots that shape the collective, ‘ever evolving’ Korean American experience.”

Moz-API: “The Asian diaspora extends beyond the United States. This ‘All Things Asian’ podcast hosts Angela Hui, ‘a writer with deep ties to the Chinese takeaway scene in the UK, alongside discussions on the evolving cultural landscape of Chinatown.’ Here, they discuss ‘personal stories of family-owned Chinese takeaways, the adaptation and documentation of culinary traditions, and the broader implications of cultural shifts within Asian diaspora communities.’”

Moz-API: “Self Evident is a podcast that combines ‘reported narratives, personal stories, and community conversations in order to present a complex, empathetic portrait of Asian American life.’ Since its launch in 2019, it unpacks the thornier challenges faced by AAPI communities.”

Moz-API: “Created in 2021, Enchanted Asian Day takes place the second Saturday of every June, a celebratory movement that invites API creators to ‘breathe life into their own universes, find power in their own voices, and develop community among each other.’”

Moz-API: “The Asian Art Museum in San Francisco houses one of the most comprehensive Asian art collections in the world. In addition to their collections (which we highly recommend enjoying in person), the museum hosts virtual tours and events for those who want an at-home experience.”

Moz-API: “Gold House is a non-profit cultural collective of ‘networks, investment funds, programs, and platforms uplifting API creativity and excellence. By supporting each other, the organization’s strategy is to build “a more powerful tomorrow for all.’”

Moz-API: “Jingna Zhang is a prolific fine art photographer and art director taking the industry by storm. (See her 2022 work showcasing the legendary Michelle Yeoh for Time Magazine and The Hollywood Reporter!) She is also an activist and advocate for copyright protection for artists and creatives, most recently winning a landmark copyright infringement appeal. Her victory marks a step towards better artist protections for all.

Zhang was one of our esteemed speakers for Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month as well as LGBTQ+ Pride Month and we’re proud to shine an additional spotlight on this Vogue op-ed that highlights her experiences in fashion and includes a compelling call to action for more representation.”

Moz-API: “This is Zhang’s official press release following her legal victory in the widely publicized court case against plagiarism. Plus, you can see her call to action for allies as well as API community members here. Standing tall against a wave of racist and sexist vitriol, she successfully fought for her rights as an artist.”

Content Warning: Racist and sexist language.

Moz-API: “Spurred by the rise of generative AI tools and data scraping, Zhang helped found Cara, a new portfolio app that puts the artist first. Cara, whose user base has skyrocketed the app to the top of the app store, was designed to protect artists’ work from being used to train AI–only allowing AI content to be posted if it’s clearly labeled.”

Moz-API: “With an illustrious career in network comedy and social justice documentaries, Curtis Chin is the author of the award-winning, coming-of-age and coming-out memoir, Everything I Learned, I Learned in a Chinese Restaurant, which traces his journey to find his voice as a writer and activist through 1980’s Detroit amid rising xenophobia, the AIDS epidemic, and the Reagan Revolution — all set against the backdrop of his family’s popular Chinese restaurant.

You can also learn more about and contribute to Chin’s eight-episode documentary series, which will cover ‘the often-unknown and overlooked stories, history, and socio-political roots of Chinese restaurants in the US and their implications for the future of Asian American communities, immigration policy, and broader civil society.’

Mozilla was honored to have Chin speak to the organization and, as a bonus, share a few recommendations, listed below.”

Moz-API: “Chin is a co-founder of the Asian American Writers’ Workshop–the premiere non-profit dedicated to promoting Asian American writers–and served on Barack Obama’s Asian American Leadership Committee during his 2008 Presidential Campaign.

He co-funded AAWW in response to the lack of media coverage and representation in the wake of Vincent Chin’s murder, and devotes the space to amplifying the next generation of Asian American storytellers. It is ‘a vital sanctuary space for writers and readers alike,’ mobilizing ‘the literary community toward a more just future.’”

Moz-API: “To start, one of Chin’s book recommendations, the award-winning memoir by New Yorker staff writer Hua Hsu.”

Moz-API: “You can enjoy Chin’s most recent film, a short documentary about Corky Lee, the New York-based photographer who documented Asian American communities across the country.”

Moz-API: “Another recommendation from Chin—a wonderful organization focused on supporting journalists.”

Moz-API: “And finally, a podcast from Curtis’ friends Jeff Yang and Phil Yu, an ‘unfiltered conversation about what’s happening in Asian America.’”

See our collection in celebration of API Culture in 2023.