AsianWeek
Encyclopedia
AsianWeek was a widely circulated publication of Asian American
news, across all Asian ethnic groups, providing coverage of Asian-American issues such as the killing of Vincent Chin
, Asian American college admissions, and quotas on Chinese students in competitive San Francisco examination schools. Today, AsianWeek continues to publish national commentaries, Bay Area news, cartoons, commentaries, and cultural features.
Realizing the need to provide a voice for Asian Pacific America, John Fang, founded AsianWeek newspaper in 1979 in San Francisco. Currently, it has a circulation of over 58,000. AsianWeek continues to be the longest and largest running weekly published from a shared Asian American perspective using the English language to connect and outreach to not only Asians and Asian Americans but to all interested in learning and reading about the Asian American experience.
In 1995, AsianWeek changed its format to a full-color one and converted itself from an exclusively paid circulation newspaper to a publication consisting of both free distribution and paid subscribers.
AsianWeek newspaper is also involved in a wide array of community activities. Committed to promoting and participating in events that celebrate the diversity the Asian-American community, the publication plays an active role in sponsoring and hosting community events, spreading health awareness on Hepatitis B, and promoting cross-cultural and interracial cooperation with major outdoor events in San Francisco, including the Castro Street Fair
, Chinatown Autumn Moon Festival Street Fair, Haight-Ashbury Street Fair and Nihonmachi Street Fair. AsianWeek is also on the planning committee for the Asian Heritage Street Celebration
, Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival, and Pistahan Filipino Parade and Festival.
“For the last 28 years, AsianWeek has been the mirror of our community, showing our triumphs and shortcomings, serving as both the face and conscience of Asian America,” said AsianWeek President James Fang. “AsianWeek has acted as a forum in advocating for those Asian Americans who were defenseless and voiceless in the face of an uncaring power. Whether it was in bringing much-needed national and decisive exposure to the killing of Vincent Chin
or in demanding justice for Wen Ho Lee
and Capt. James Yee
, the strength of AsianWeek has been its unequivocal eagerness to support our community.”
On August 20, 2007, AsianWeek launched a completely redesigned version of their website that is no longer live as of April 2011.
On January 2, 2009, AsianWeek ceased print publication; nevertheless, it continued to operate online, but has long since gone dark.
Emil Guillermo
has been a journalist for more than 30 years. After ten years in television news, Guillermo became host of NPR's All Things Considered, in 1989. After leaving NPR, Guillermo worked as press secretary and speechwriter for then congressman Norman Mineta
. He returned to media as a local television and radio talk show host in Washington, D.C., Sacramento, and San Francisco. As a writer, Guillermo has contributed jokes for Jay Leno's monologues. His written often satirical commentaries have appeared in newspapers throughout the country. His book Amok, a compilation of his AsianWeek columns won the American Book Award
in 2000. Guillermo is also the winner of both a California Newspaper Publishers Association Award and a National Inland Press Association Award for his mainstream newspaper work. He has won awards from the Radio-TV News Directors Association, Society of Professional Journalists
, the Asian American Journalists Association
, and has been nominated for local TV Emmy Awards. A native San Franciscan, Guillermo graduated from Lowell High School and Harvard College.
On Monday, February 4, 2008, AsianWeek launched a new daily blog by award-winning journalist Emil Guillermo. Guillermo is already the most widely read APA columnist, and his new daily commentary will remark on timely and fascinating stories and ideas that affect the broad APA community. The blog is available online at http://amok.asianweek.com/.
“It will be a place readers can get my take on the issues that concern them,” said Guillermo, whose column, “Amok” has appeared in AsianWeek over the last 14 years. “And it will be a place where they can share their ideas with others. Consider it the water cooler for APAs across the country.”
Nash is the CEO and co-founder of Nash Interactive. He has provided commentary to BBC World News radio and other news outlets, and served as host of a nationally broadcast weekly public radio program reporting on the U.S. Supreme Court. Nash practiced law in New York and New Jersey, and taught law at Georgetown University Law Center
. On behalf of the Japanese American redress movement, he testified before Congress, and served as a strategist, lobbyist, and litigator.
Asian Eats column provides an inside look at the Bay Area's Asian American cuisine. Formerly known as "Picky Eater" the column covers price, environment, customer service, cleanliness, menu selection, and taste of the Bay Area's most popular restaurants.
AsianWeek's AskQ is an advice column to reflect everyday life in Asian Pacific America. It includes readers’ questions and solicited queries. Q is a 30-something urban male who is "happily partnered — a manager by profession, a writer by desire", according to the column.
The "Yin-Yang" column is authored by Lisa Lee, an AsianWeek columnist. According to the AsianWeek website, "she gives a provocative look into the arts and entertainment industry. The Yin-yang Blog brings you up to date with Asian-American celebrity news, gossip and more."
AsianWeek published a front page apology in its February 28 issue, severed all ties with Eng, and held various public forums. However, former Editor-in-Chief Samson Wong has made no public statements, and the paper has refused to divulge the identity of the editor who approved Eng's column to be published. AsianWeek has simply stated that its editorial policy is "under review". Many continue to criticize AsianWeek for having hired Eng despite his previous racist writings, and only condemning Eng's anti-black column while ignoring his anti-white and anti-Asian columns.
Without announcement or public explanation, AsianWeek apparently made editorial staff changes in late March 2007, reflected in the masthead of its March 30 edition. Former editor-in-chief Samson Wong’s title is listed as “Senior Editorial Consultant.” Ted Fang, formerly editor-at-large, is now listed as Editor and Publisher.
Asian American
Asian Americans are Americans of Asian descent. The U.S. Census Bureau definition of Asians as "Asian” refers to a person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian subcontinent, including, for example, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan,...
news, across all Asian ethnic groups, providing coverage of Asian-American issues such as the killing of Vincent Chin
Vincent Chin
Vincent Jen Chin was a Chinese American beaten to death in June 1982 in the United States, in the Detroit, Michigan enclave of Highland Park by Chrysler plant superintendent Ronald Ebens, with the help of his stepson, Michael Nitz...
, Asian American college admissions, and quotas on Chinese students in competitive San Francisco examination schools. Today, AsianWeek continues to publish national commentaries, Bay Area news, cartoons, commentaries, and cultural features.
Location
AsianWeek headquarters and offices are located in San Francisco's Chinatown, 809 Sacramento Street, San Francisco, California 94108.History
AsianWeek is the largest and longest and established English language newsweekly for Asian Pacific Americans. In 1965, after the Hart-Celler Immigration Act ended over 80 years of race-based exclusion of immigrants from Asia, America for the first time experienced an influx of Asian immigration. As Asian Americans became the fastest growing minority in the U.S. and as they became more settled, they began forming organizations and associations to serve their communities.Realizing the need to provide a voice for Asian Pacific America, John Fang, founded AsianWeek newspaper in 1979 in San Francisco. Currently, it has a circulation of over 58,000. AsianWeek continues to be the longest and largest running weekly published from a shared Asian American perspective using the English language to connect and outreach to not only Asians and Asian Americans but to all interested in learning and reading about the Asian American experience.
In 1995, AsianWeek changed its format to a full-color one and converted itself from an exclusively paid circulation newspaper to a publication consisting of both free distribution and paid subscribers.
AsianWeek newspaper is also involved in a wide array of community activities. Committed to promoting and participating in events that celebrate the diversity the Asian-American community, the publication plays an active role in sponsoring and hosting community events, spreading health awareness on Hepatitis B, and promoting cross-cultural and interracial cooperation with major outdoor events in San Francisco, including the Castro Street Fair
Castro Street Fair
The Castro Street Fair is a San Francisco LGBT street festival and fair usually held on the first Sunday in October in the Castro neighborhood, the main gay neighborhood and social center in the city. The fair features multiples stages with live entertainment, DJs, food vendors, community-group...
, Chinatown Autumn Moon Festival Street Fair, Haight-Ashbury Street Fair and Nihonmachi Street Fair. AsianWeek is also on the planning committee for the Asian Heritage Street Celebration
Asian Heritage Street Celebration
The Asian Heritage Street Celebration is an Asian American event held in San Francisco, California. The Street Celebration is organized by the non-profit AsianWeek Foundation in cooperation with over 51 organizations in the Asian American community and is supported by community groups representing...
, Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival, and Pistahan Filipino Parade and Festival.
“For the last 28 years, AsianWeek has been the mirror of our community, showing our triumphs and shortcomings, serving as both the face and conscience of Asian America,” said AsianWeek President James Fang. “AsianWeek has acted as a forum in advocating for those Asian Americans who were defenseless and voiceless in the face of an uncaring power. Whether it was in bringing much-needed national and decisive exposure to the killing of Vincent Chin
Vincent Chin
Vincent Jen Chin was a Chinese American beaten to death in June 1982 in the United States, in the Detroit, Michigan enclave of Highland Park by Chrysler plant superintendent Ronald Ebens, with the help of his stepson, Michael Nitz...
or in demanding justice for Wen Ho Lee
Wen Ho Lee
Dr. Wen Ho Lee is a Taiwan-born Taiwanese American scientist who worked for the University of California at the Los Alamos National Laboratory. He created simulations of nuclear explosions for the purposes of scientific inquiry, as well as for improving the safety and reliability of the US nuclear...
and Capt. James Yee
James Yee
James J. Yee is an American former United States Army chaplain with the rank of captain...
, the strength of AsianWeek has been its unequivocal eagerness to support our community.”
On August 20, 2007, AsianWeek launched a completely redesigned version of their website that is no longer live as of April 2011.
On January 2, 2009, AsianWeek ceased print publication; nevertheless, it continued to operate online, but has long since gone dark.
Opinion
The Opinion section includes AsianWeek's Letters to the Editor, Emil Guillermo's column "Amok", and a community contributed article, "Voices".Emil Guillermo
Emil Guillermo
Emil Guillermo is a print and broadcast journalist, commentator and humorist. He writes a column, "Emil Amok," for AsianWeek- the most widely read and largest circulating Asian American newsweekly in the U.S....
has been a journalist for more than 30 years. After ten years in television news, Guillermo became host of NPR's All Things Considered, in 1989. After leaving NPR, Guillermo worked as press secretary and speechwriter for then congressman Norman Mineta
Norman Mineta
Norman Yoshio Mineta, is a United States politician of the Democratic Party. Mineta most recently served in President George W. Bush's Cabinet as the United States Secretary of Transportation, the only Democratic Cabinet Secretary in the Bush administration...
. He returned to media as a local television and radio talk show host in Washington, D.C., Sacramento, and San Francisco. As a writer, Guillermo has contributed jokes for Jay Leno's monologues. His written often satirical commentaries have appeared in newspapers throughout the country. His book Amok, a compilation of his AsianWeek columns won the American Book Award
American Book Award
The American Book Award was established in 1978 by the Before Columbus Foundation. It seeks to recognize outstanding literary achievement by contemporary American authors, without restriction to race, sex, ethnic background, or genre...
in 2000. Guillermo is also the winner of both a California Newspaper Publishers Association Award and a National Inland Press Association Award for his mainstream newspaper work. He has won awards from the Radio-TV News Directors Association, Society of Professional Journalists
Society of Professional Journalists
The Society of Professional Journalists , formerly known as Sigma Delta Chi, is one of the oldest organizations representing journalists in the United States. It was established in April 1909 at DePauw University, and its charter was designed by William Meharry Glenn. The ten founding members of...
, the Asian American Journalists Association
Asian American Journalists Association
The Asian American Journalists Association was founded in 1981 by several Asian American journalists who felt a need to support greater participation by Asian Americans in the news media.Its goals are:...
, and has been nominated for local TV Emmy Awards. A native San Franciscan, Guillermo graduated from Lowell High School and Harvard College.
On Monday, February 4, 2008, AsianWeek launched a new daily blog by award-winning journalist Emil Guillermo. Guillermo is already the most widely read APA columnist, and his new daily commentary will remark on timely and fascinating stories and ideas that affect the broad APA community. The blog is available online at http://amok.asianweek.com/.
“It will be a place readers can get my take on the issues that concern them,” said Guillermo, whose column, “Amok” has appeared in AsianWeek over the last 14 years. “And it will be a place where they can share their ideas with others. Consider it the water cooler for APAs across the country.”
Nation and World
The Nation and World section includes "Washington Journal" authored by columnist Phil Tajitsu Nash. It covers topics that range from the Olympic Torch Protests in San Francisco to national issues that affect the Asian American community.Nash is the CEO and co-founder of Nash Interactive. He has provided commentary to BBC World News radio and other news outlets, and served as host of a nationally broadcast weekly public radio program reporting on the U.S. Supreme Court. Nash practiced law in New York and New Jersey, and taught law at Georgetown University Law Center
Georgetown University Law Center
Georgetown University Law Center is the law school of Georgetown University, located in Washington, D.C.. Established in 1870, the Law Center offers J.D., LL.M., and S.J.D. degrees in law...
. On behalf of the Japanese American redress movement, he testified before Congress, and served as a strategist, lobbyist, and litigator.
Bay and California
Headquartered in San Francisco, California, AsianWeek dedicates a section to issues and timely news items that are relevant to the Bay Area's Asian American community.Arts and Entertainment
The Arts and Entertainment section includes "Asian Eats", "AskQ" and "The Yin-Yang with Lisa Lee".Asian Eats column provides an inside look at the Bay Area's Asian American cuisine. Formerly known as "Picky Eater" the column covers price, environment, customer service, cleanliness, menu selection, and taste of the Bay Area's most popular restaurants.
AsianWeek's AskQ is an advice column to reflect everyday life in Asian Pacific America. It includes readers’ questions and solicited queries. Q is a 30-something urban male who is "happily partnered — a manager by profession, a writer by desire", according to the column.
The "Yin-Yang" column is authored by Lisa Lee, an AsianWeek columnist. According to the AsianWeek website, "she gives a provocative look into the arts and entertainment industry. The Yin-yang Blog brings you up to date with Asian-American celebrity news, gossip and more."
Kenneth Eng
AsianWeek was severely criticized for publishing Why I Hate Blacks on February 23, 2007, a column by freelance writer Kenneth Eng. Prior to this incident, AsianWeek had published other inflammatory race-themed columns by Eng, including: Proof that Whites Inherently Hate Us and Why I Hate Asians. Several Asian-American organizations called for an apology, as well as a repudiation of the columnist and his views, and circulated an online petition to that effect.AsianWeek published a front page apology in its February 28 issue, severed all ties with Eng, and held various public forums. However, former Editor-in-Chief Samson Wong has made no public statements, and the paper has refused to divulge the identity of the editor who approved Eng's column to be published. AsianWeek has simply stated that its editorial policy is "under review". Many continue to criticize AsianWeek for having hired Eng despite his previous racist writings, and only condemning Eng's anti-black column while ignoring his anti-white and anti-Asian columns.
Without announcement or public explanation, AsianWeek apparently made editorial staff changes in late March 2007, reflected in the masthead of its March 30 edition. Former editor-in-chief Samson Wong’s title is listed as “Senior Editorial Consultant.” Ted Fang, formerly editor-at-large, is now listed as Editor and Publisher.