asian

The month of May is Asian and Asian-American Pacific Islander Heritage Month and I can’t help but get fired up when talking about why representation matters.

Perhaps it’s because I didn’t grow up seeing people like myself in sports broadcasting, and there were just a few in media and entertainment. As the first Asian American female sports broadcaster on many of the major networks, I always say being labeled as “different” is a double-edged sword. On one hand, I think it’s great to blaze your own path. On the other hand, there is a lot of adversity, discrimination, and scrutiny along the way.

To be an Asian-American working in media is an arduous journey and the hustle never stops.

I’ve always wanted to give back and encourage the younger generation (now I’m dating myself!) and I’m a big supporter of the Asian American Journalists Association and an active member. If we don’t create awareness and build up our own, how do things change?

I’ve always taken the lead in producing stories for the special month of May with Asian sports figures, business leaders, and media personalities. Here are the ones I created for Spectrum News 1 for this year’s #AAPI month.

1. All that Glitters is Goldhouse

Asians are the fastest-growing immigrant population, the biggest consumers of most media online, the second highest movie-going populace each year, and outspend nearly every demographic in most advertising categories per capita.

Despite this, Bing Chen and the team behind Goldhouse.org were tired of not having an operating apparatus to recognize AAPI leaders…so they created one.

In just its second year, Gold House is turning heads and changing culture and stereotypes by supporting Asian-led projects across multiple industries, including fashion, tech, sports, and entertainment.

On May 31, Gold House will be announcing its honoree for the most influential Asian of the year and celebrating honorees of this years A100 list at a special event in Los Angeles. Some of the biggest names in the AAPI community are expected to attend.

For more information and how to get involved, visit goldhouse.org

2. The Boba Guys

This story is near and dear to me because my mom opened a boba shop in 1996 before it became popular, and I used to have to make it. I would tell my mom I thought she was crazy to think that westerners would want to drink this Asian drink, but I was proven wrong years later by the Boba Guys.

For Andrew Chau, boba is not just a drink, it is life. This small business entrepreneur is using the Taiwan-born drink (traditionally made out of milk tea and chewy tapioca balls) to bridge cultures. He is one of the main driving forces in making boba culturally relevant and mainstream.  I had the chance to chat with him about business, sustainability, and what it all means to him.