Identity Crisis?
Dear Editor: I think for AsianWeek to carry Emil is somewhat of a mistake. I have been reading AsianWeek for the past month, and I have read about five of his articles. How do I put this delicately without offending anyone? It seems to me that Emil has some serious issues with his identity as an Asian. On one hand, he speaks frankly of Asian issues, but on the other hand, he seems to enjoy in Asian (specifically, Chinese) bashing.
So far, two of his anecdotes stand out as examples: his adventures in Hong Kong and his thoughts on the fact that Filipinos haven’t outpaced Chinese in terms of population.
I think Emil secretly wishes that he was considered Latino — and not Asian. I hate to tell him, but with those Asian features, no one will mistake him for being Latino.
And I think he knows — although apparently, he hasn’t thought much about it — that most people see us as one group. Therefore, his Chinese bashing and his fervent desire to separate himself from the Chinese are rather comical.
Face it, Emil. You’ll always be thought of as Asian. No matter how hard you try to distance yourself from it, you’ll always be closer to the Chinese than the Mexicans. You may think you’re Mexican at heart, but in reality, you’re just some perverted form of a banana.
Ryan-J. Shih
Los Altos, Calif.
Speaking of Spoken Word
Dear Editor: I just wanted to comment on “A Love Letter to Asian Pacific American Spoken Word Poets,” (May 31). I live in San Diego but I received mail from my brother who lives in Oakland, Calif. Inside the package was your newspaper and the front read “Spoken Word.” When I saw it my mouth just released a “WHOA!” I was ecstatic to see that there are hungry poets my age and of my heritage, especially. I’ve considered myself an underground poet since ’91 — when I was in 6th grade — and I am 21 now.
However, I always felt I was alone. I didn’t feel like a classic poet: Shakespeare, Neruda, Angelou. I always felt my poems tended to be on the hip-hip/R&B side and that the community of poets who are well-published couldn’t accept a different side to poetry as I present mine. This article has inspired me. It makes me feel more passionate about writing. I don’t feel so alone or that my dream is so insignificant anymore. I was wondering if you had any more information on how I could find myself a copy of the CD that was mentioned made from the group Eighth Wonder or Two Tongues, or any other information on how I can see more of their work or attend any performances.
Christine Soriano (ShilohRayne)
San Diego, Calif.
Editor’s Note: I Was Born with Two Tongues and Eighth Wonder both have interactive Web sites that are good connections to the API spoken-word scene. Check them out at www.2tongues.com or www.eighthwonder.cjb.net.
Helping Those with Mental Illness
Dear Editor: We applaud your informative and in-depth article “Learning Center Reaches Out in Oakland,” (June 7), profiling the Asian Community Mental Health Services’ (ACMHS) Neighborhood Learning Center (NLC). AsianWeek plays a key role in presenting crucial issues to Asian Pacific Islander Americans. Your ability to inform, educate and shape perceptions gives you a powerful role in raising awareness of mental health and adjustment issues that are faced by members of our community.
While many persons of Asian descent have acculturated well and are successfully pursuing the “American Dream,” there are significant numbers of persons and families that require various forms of assistance. For example, it is little known that 40 percent of Southeast Asian refugees suffer from depression, 35 percent from anxiety, and 14 percent from post-traumatic stress disorders (PTSD). The suicide rate among Chinese American elderly women is 10 times higher than that of white elderly women, and 30 percent of Asian American girls in grades 5-12 report symptoms of depression, as compared to girls who are white (22 percent), African American (17 percent), or Latino (27 percent). Yet, Asian Americans are much less likely to use mental health services.
ACMHS was created over 27 years ago to provide services in a manner that is culturally appropriate and available, when necessary, in a person’s native Asian language. We serve individuals and their families with mental health and substance abuse problems, developmental disabilities and other difficulties in adjusting to emigrating to a new culture and way of life. Our mental health clinic in Oakland’s Chinatown focuses on the treatment of adults and children with more serious mental disorders.
The NLC was created as a satellite site to offer programs that focus on learning specific life-enhancing skills, obtaining social support and experiencing creative expression. We believe this approach reduces the stigma associated with “mental health treatment.” Our success can be measured by the enthusiastic and growing attendance of NLC clients in addition to pre- versus post- assessment of knowledge and skills, which are performed for our parenting, ESL (English as a Second Language), basic computing and stress-management classes.
Funding for such an endeavor is a challenge. Private and public insurance does not cover these services under mental health benefits, and the vast majority of participants cannot afford to pay even a modest fee. We count on support from the community to continue to help our members in their journey toward a healthier, more self-sufficient life in which they will be given opportunities to make contributions in return.
David A. Young, Sharron Sue, Kris King
Asian Community Mental Health Services
Oakland, Calif.
Corrections
AsianWeek notes some errors in the article “It’s Superman” (June 21). Performer Ka-Ling Cheung moved to the U.S. when she was 12 years old, not seven. She is performing with the 42nd Street Moon Theater Company, not the “42nd Moon Street Theater Company.” She played roles in Once on This Island and Flower Drum Song at the Western Stage, not U.C.I. For a few other corrections, see the article online at http://www.asianweek.com/2001_06_22/ae3_kalingcheung.html. AsianWeek apologizes for the errors.
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