Awareness Series Focuses on Asian-American Issues

The founding editor and publisher of the largest-circulation magazine for Asians in the United States will be the next speaker in the Racial Awareness Series. Jeff Yang of A. Magazine will discuss "From Astro Boy to Zen Buddhism: Asian Influence in American Culture" on Tuesday, April 6, at 7:00 p.m. in the Emerson Suites, Phillips Hall. It is free and open to the public.

Yang founded A. Magazine in 1990 to fill the need for a national publication that would speak to, for, and about the new generation of Asian Americans. This rapidly growing population — the children and grandchildren of immigrants, born in this country and using English as a first language — was beginning to fill America’s work force and colleges in unprecedented numbers but had no national voice in the mass media. A. Magazine’s mission has been to report on the developments, address the issues, and celebrate the achievements of this population, from politics to pop culture, traditions to technology.

Yang, who also collaborated with popular martial artist/actor Jackie Chan on Chan’s 1998 autobiography, will use his Ithaca talk to focus on the Asian experience as it has converged with the American one, discussing everything from food to literature to politics.

The talk is the third and final presentation in the 1998–99 Racial Awareness Series, which is sponsored by the Office of Multicultural Affairs. The series was established to promote an appreciation of multiculturalism and to educate the College community on issues of race. For more information call 274-1692.