From halo highlights to graphic liner, Alysa Liu’s bright personality and bold style breathes new life into the conventions of figure skating fashion. As the world turns to celebrate its athletes competing in the upcoming Milano Cortina Olympic Games, the emergence of an alt-aesthetic has taken the world by storm, shattering convention and challenging the soft glamor “ice princess” identity often associated with the sport.

“Don’t judge a book by its cover” is not a philosophy I live by when it comes to choosing my next read. I was immediately captivated by the cover art for “Daughter of the Moon Goddess”, the first book of the Celestial Kingdom series by Malaysian-born author Sue Lynn Tan.

On Saturday, July 26, Viet Voices is hosting its inaugural one-day performance art festival, which features the works of fellows selected for the first AAPI Emerging Artist Fellowship, co-founded by Viet Voices and local artist and curator hamsa fae.

francene rouelle writes pop songs like personal letters—vulnerable, emotionally layered, and steeped in reflection. Based in Austin and signed to indie Asian American label mhart, her work blends confessional songwriting with moody, stylized visuals that feel equal parts stage production and diary entry.

A love letter to her late mother, short film Lunchbox showcases Taiwanese American director Anne Hu’s poignant style with a personal story that brings a common AAPI childhood experience to life. 

Constance Tsang’s directorial feature debut is a collection of intimate, swaying close-ups and static, long uninterrupted shots which together paint a tender picture of the Chinese migrant community in Flushing, Queens. The world is big, but this community is tight-knit. Blue Sun Palace follows Didi (Xu Haipeng) and Amy (Wu Ke-Xi) who both work at the same massage parlor.

Festivals like the Pacific Arts Movement’s San Diego Asian Film Festival offer a beautiful space that connects local audiences with minority-created independent films. With the space to create stories that challenge the typical box office narratives, they present an opportunity to share narratives that minority audiences resonate deeply with.

When you turn on the tap for a glass of water, do you think about where it comes from? Or when you take a nice, toasty shower on a cold day? In the spirit of our upcoming Q2 issue, Healing, and in celebration of Earth Month, we’re sharing a community project in San Diego that aims to bring our water supply local.

Viet Voices is thrilled to announce an open call for San Diego’s first AAPI Emerging Artist Fellowship, a transformative program designed to support and nurture early-career Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) artists. This unique fellowship offers a platform for AAPI artists to engage deeply with their cultural identities and express their creative voices through a professional and developmental lens.

The impending ban of TikTok has Gen Z searching for an alternative--and they may have found one in RedNote (XiaoHongShu), another Chinese-owned app.

Now in its 22nd year, the Unforgettable Gala has hosted yet another magnificent night of celebration of outstanding Asian and Pacific Islander influencers and leaders in media, entertainment, and culture. With cross-generational attendance of longtime trailblazers and young talent breaking into the scene to carry the torch, it was moving to see so many stages of evolution in API representation in one room.

Religion can often be a source of comfort and community, a place where people find connection, purpose, and a sense of belonging. But for me, religion became a source of conflict and disunity when the beliefs that shaped the way we interact with one another, particularly within my family, did not align with my own identity.

As the only girl among four siblings, I’ve always felt a sense of being damaged. My parents, immigrants from the Philippines, have worked tirelessly throughout their time in America. In addition to being the only girl, I’m also the youngest of three brothers. People often say, “You’re so lucky,” or “You’re the baby of the family.” However, they fail to recognize the anxiety and burden that comes with it.

Featured in the Taiwan Showcase collection at the San Diego Asian Film Festival, Dead Talents Society’s two-day run brought in crowds of all ages and walks of life, eager to see young Taiwanese director John Hsu’s newest film. John made the grueling flight from Taiwan to attend the screenings, and he took some time to give a Q&A session with the audience and chat with me personally.

Featuring: JOYN

Heading into the holidays, we may find ourselves consuming more of that liquid joy…but for some of us, that joy comes with a certain glow. Not the kind that you work for with your 10-step skincare routine, but one you can’t really help. And then the comments start flowing in–you’ve probably heard them all. “Wow, you match your shirt.” “Are you alright? You’re looking a little red…” Why does this happen?!

Pacific Arts Movement (Pac Arts) is thrilled to announce the 25th Annual San Diego Asian Film Festival (SDAFF), taking place November 7-16, 2024. The festival will take place at the Regal Edwards Mira Mesa, with additional screenings and special events at the San Diego Natural History Museum and Museum of Photographic Arts @ SDMA in Balboa Park.

The year was 2019, and I had just graduated college. Things were looking good… But then, the pandemic struck. At first, it was just vaguely in the news, but as the virus spread, so did the fear. And so we entered lockdown. With it went most of my IRL interactions with people non-digitally, and the start of a very long period of seemingly endless isolation...that is, until I discovered the world of VTubers.

In the spirit of Halloween, Chinese-American author and newspaper columnist Qin Sun Stubis shares a short musing about some parts of the ghostly heritage of Asian culture, in particular a bizarre phenomenon that happens to play a central part in her new historical memoir, “Once in Our Lives.”

The Mid-Autumn Festival, or 中秋節 (zhōng qiū jié), is one of the most well-known traditional Chinese festivals, and is considered the second most important event behind the Spring Festival (Lunar New Year). The celebration occurs on the 15th day of the 8th moon on the Chinese Lunar Calendar. This year, it takes place on September 29, 2023.

Vegan Richa is the award-winning recipe developer, blogger, and creator behind VeganRicha.com. Try some of the recipes that she has kindly shared with us! Here you will find recipes for her Vegan Matar Tofu and Carrot Halwa Coconut Burfi Bars, which you can learn more about directly on her blog.