The recent rise in documented anti-Asian violence—which saw grandmothers being punched on the streets, and a major shooting in Atlanta—has raised questions about the current status of Asian American identity and safety in the U.S. 
 
 How does “Asian” fit into the American racial taxonomy, which has for so long relied on a dichotomy of Black and white? 
 
 Helping us to sort out these questions and set the record straight are very special guests:

·         Nobuko Miyamoto, actor, activist, singer and third-generation Japanese American whose work has blended art and activism since the 1960s. She’s also the founder of Great Leap, a performing arts organization that promotes Asian American artistic works. She recently published a memoir, titled Not Yo' Butterfly: My Long Song of Relocation, Race, Love, and Revolution. 

·         Dr. Claire Kim, professor of political science and Asian American studies at the University of California, Irvine. She has written two books—Bitter Fruit: The Politics of Black-Korean Conflict and Dangerous Crossings: Race, Species, and Nature in a Multicultural Age—and is currently working on a third book, Asian Americans in an Anti-Black World.  

·         Yang Huang, award-winning novelist and short story writer. She grew up in China’s Jiangsu province and participated in the 1989 student uprisings before coming to the U.S. to study computer science. She’s written two novels—My Good Son and Living Treasures—and a collection of linked short stories, My Old Faithful. 

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 Check out this episode’s landing page at MsMagazine.com for a full transcript, links to articles referenced in this episode, further reading and ways to take action.

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