ABOUT ANNIE WANG
chinese american

Q: How did you start your side business, and how has your culture been an influence?

A: I've been a plant-based eater for almost a decade for environmental and ethical reasons. And to be honest, I really missed the foods I grew up eating including bakery bread and anything at dim sum. For years, I was never able to find animal-free substitutes that could bring me back to those memories of sitting with family on Sunday afternoons, pushing around a lazy susan, and getting aggressively yelled at to order by people zipping between tables pushing carts around. So, I really wanted to find a solution for myself, and also help others who were like me - people seeking more sustainable diets who still wanted to eat the foods they grew up with. Not to mention, I wanted to bring more culturally specific foods to the food system and help bring more cultural representation to the forefront.

Q: How did you get into baking? And more specifically, Taiwanese pineapple cakes?

A: Over the summer, I thought about what foods I missed eating and challenged myself to try and recreate plant-based versions of them. It seems silly now looking back on it, but when I first made the Taiwanese pineapple cakes, I didn't think anyone would know what I was talking about. A big part of the reason was because the cakes were a snack I ate growing up, but not something I ever shared with people outside my family or really even talked about with anyone. But after doing some research over the summer while I was working on the recipe, I realized how loved they are. And I'm glad because I used to LOVE eating these growing up too. Now, I get to share them with other people who love them just as much as I do (and some people that love them even more!).

Q: What drives your creativity, and what inspires you to continue the work that you're doing?

A: Before I was baking, I worked at an environmental nonprofit and two food tech companies in the Bay Area. But the one thread that tied together all my work has always been a drive to positively impact the climate. I'm so happy I have been able to find a way to make that impact through the food system. Every time I learn more about the amazing work that people (especially AAPI and BIPOC people) are doing to better the food system, it inspires me to keep plugging away so I can contribute to the collective effort for a better planet.

Q: What does Lunar New Year mean to you, and how important is it to your culture, your family, and your roots?

A: My favorite memory of Lunar New Year growing up was scrubbing the sh*t out of a penny and drowning it in white vinegar with my family so we could put it in a dumpling. Then, we ate those dumplings really slowly so none of us would lose a tooth. Lunar New Year, and really any cultural tradition my parents observe, means a lot to me because it's one of the few times I can see my parents participating directly in traditions they've carried with them their whole lives. Growing up in America as a third culture kid, it's funny to think about how different my childhood was from my parents. I grew up celebrating holidays like Christmas and Valentine's day and it was just second nature. But my parents, like a lot of immigrants, had to learn how to practice those traditions once they got here. When I see my parents go through the traditions for holidays they grew up observing, it's like being able to see into their past. And since Lunar New Year traditions aren't totally ingrained in me like it is for them, it feels like I learn a new tradition or story each time we celebrate together. It flips the script for me and makes me understand a bit more about how they must have felt having to learn all of these foreign traditions in the U.S. so their kids could have that made-for-tv American experience.

ABOUT CHRISTINE JUANG
taiwanese american

Q: How did you start A Juang Production?

A: A Juang Production started with my love for woodworking and pyrography! It was during the time that modern calligraphy was the "it thing" to get into, and I wanted to find a way to make it my own. I took a long stroll through Michael's craft store and wandered into the woodburning section. I thought to myself, “I could do that!” I grabbed one of the Woodburning for Beginners books and sat down in the aisle for 20 minutes reading through the basics and went home with my own woodburning set. I taught myself (thanks YouTube!) and fell in love with it. It helps me calm down, be present in my body, and connect to nature by honoring the life of the tree that this piece of wood came from. That's probably why I also draw a lot of botanicals and lines - it's almost a meditative way to connect with nature through art. Over time, I found my own style and it has continued to evolve into other mediums.

Q: What drives your creativity, and how are you inspired to continue the work that you're doing?

A: Creativity is such a deeply integrated part of who I am. I often find that instead of looking for things to drive or inspire my creativity, I just need to give it space to make itself known. To allow it to connect with the world around me or within myself, and it will bloom. Whenever I'm too in my mind or up in my headspace, it's harder to access that creativity, which is why I wasn't doing too much art for a while! I'm learning how to create things that speak to my own soul and heart, and represent the unique way I see and experience the world … and hope that it resonates with other people. Social and racial justice work has been really important to me and I am seeing how the creation of art is an act of resistance in itself. It tells and celebrates the story of who we are and our experiences in a powerful way that transcends so many other barriers. It focuses on the beauty and the shared language we have in creative expression. So, I'm working to create more art that incorporates those values and messages in a way that expresses my desire to create a liberated world for BIPOC and marginalized communities.

Q: How has your culture influenced the calligraphy work that you're doing?

A: I used to think that it didn't! But of course, we all stand on the shoulders of our ancestors who came before and carry their spirit forward into the world now. My mom has always been really into Chinese calligraphy and forced me to take calligraphy classes in high school. To my surprise (and probably my mom), I was actually really good at it! Even though I didn't continue with traditional Chinese calligraphy, it inspired something in me. When I see my mom doing her thing with Chinese calligraphy now, I see how much of my art is an extension of her. In a rare story session with my aunt and late grandfather, they shared my great-grandmother was a creative and artistic force in her lifetime. I often imagine her creativity being expressed through me in this lifetime.

For the Lunar New Year Ox, I wanted to feel more connected to my culture and find a way to reclaim it for myself. And what better way than through art? The inspiration actually came from staring at the giant peonies on my Asian plush blanket (I know all y'all got one). Peonies are all over traditional Chinese art, and pouring over photos of them as a reference for the Ox made me, for a moment, feel connected to all the artists in Chinese history who came before me. There are also plum blossom flowers incorporated into the background of the print, which is the national flower of Taiwan! In my artwork, I ask myself "How can I connect with and express the connection to my culture in a way that is true to me?"

Q: What does Lunar New Year mean to you, and how important is it to your culture, your family, and your upbringing?

A: Lunar New Year has always been special to me. Who doesn’t love a chance to eat and get money?! To be real though, it wasn’t as big of a deal growing up as I thought it would be when I look back. Like many immigrant parents, mine had to navigate how to hold the traditions of the homeland while also wanting us to integrate into American culture. 

And like most kids, it felt more like an annoyance having to remember which foods you could or couldn’t eat during which Chinese festivals, showing up to make dumplings for hours with all the aunts and uncles at Chinese church, and having to repeat all the new year sayings before getting my red envelope.

Now as an adult, I feel most connected to it when I listen to my mom reminisce on days of her youth in Taiwan, writing calligraphy on red chūnlián to sell in front of her childhood home. I find myself wanting to hold on with both hands, firmly grasping onto my culture and the importance of traditional celebrations for Lunar New Year. I wonder how much I let go of the things I learned about the Chinese zodiac, Chinese mythology and superstitions about the new year, or engaging in traditional activities (like Lion dancing or taking up Chinese instruments) in an effort to assimilate. Now, I try to celebrate Lunar New Year loud and proud by hosting an annual dumpling making party with my community. You’d be surprised how many people have never made a dumpling before!

ESTHER YOUNG LIM
korean american

Q: Where are you based and where can people access your booklets and whistles to protect AAPI elders?

A: Los Angeles. My booklets are currently targeted to the main metro areas of the US (LA/OC, NY, SF/OAK), but looking to expand to different regions.

Q: Why did you start this passion project and how has your culture and upbringing been an influence?

A: I have a close-knit family on my mother's side, where me and my cousins have more of a sibling bond. This is because of our grandma who always told us that at the end of the day we only have each other and we need to learn to stick up for each other. Although sometimes it got some of us in trouble, but it was worth it. Our whole family also went to the same church, where I learned the concept of community and sacrifice. My cousins and I saw our parents and grandma more as givers to the community. My grandma was the head of the church kitchen and she used the little money she got from her welfare check to buy more ingredients in order to feed more people. In turn, we saw our parents’ love pour out to the people in need without expecting anything back because it was the right thing to do. They instilled in us to bring VALUE to the community.

Q: How did you get into designing this book?

A: My friend, Yehjin Mindy Joun, who is a graphic designer/artist, designed these booklets. I created the content and concept of the booklets. She brought my booklets to fruition. 

Q: What drives your creativity, and what inspires you to continue the work that you're doing?

A: What inspires me to continue expanding into more languages and more regions is my want to create a safer space for whoever I can, especially the elderly. I want to see a day again where we are not scared to go to the market or take the bus. I don't want them to have regrets about coming to America to strive for the American Dream, where they are not treated with human dignity.

Q: Why is connecting with your individual cultural identity important and why should we challenge each other to pay attention to everyone's individual stories?

A: My Korean heritage taught me how I can be strong and kind at the same time. Since Korea was known as the hermit county and was attacked from major Asian countries, we learned to defend ourselves, which is how TaeKwonDo came about. We are strong, but also kind. More than that, we want to challenge each other to pay attention to everyone's stories and treat people with kindness. You shouldn't have to "know" a person just to treat them with respect. There's a level of human dignity we all need to maintain.