A newsletter where people share their favorite Asian American history and why they love it

Documenting One Woman's Fight To Change Japan's Nationality Law

Megumi Nishikura is a documentary filmmaker whose work explores identity, belonging and the cultural intersections between Japan and the rest of the world. I had the pleasure of chatting with Megumi about her current documentary-in-progress and the personal connections that motivate her work. Enjoy! What is your favorite

How Dolly Li Became Obsessed With A Chinese Reggae Song and Mystery Man

I can always trust that my friend Dolly Li has a fascinating story from Asian history up her sleeve. And she did not disappoint. Dolly is an award-winning documentary filmmaker and video journalist. She was the cultural consultant on the Mississippi Delta Chinese for the film Sinners and has

How the Documentary Free Chol Soo Lee Brought Asian American History Full Circle

Ada Tseng offers us a moving inside perspective behind the story of the Emmy Award–winning documentary Free Chol Soo Lee. Ada is a runner, karaoke lover, and longtime journalist covering Asian American culture. She recently published a book with co-author Jon Healey called Breaking into New Hollywood: A

A Short History of How Filipinos Migrated to Los Angeles

Lorenzo Mutia shares the history of how Filipino families like his ended up in Los Angeles. Lorenzo is an educator, community organizer, and proudly reps the San Fernando Valley. I really appreciated his insights on how migration and displacement shapes a community. Tiên Nguyễn: What is your favorite story to

How The KDP Helped One Organizer Find Her Way Home

Melody Foronda on the history of the Union of Democratic Filipinos. Melody is a community organizer and secretary general of Migrante USA. She shares a story with deep connections to her own journey becoming a community organizer. Tiên Nguyễn: What is your favorite story to tell from Asian American history?

How the International Hotel Manongs Exemplified Filipino Resistance

Matt Oflas details the legacy that inspires Filipino American activism to this day. Matt is an independent filmmaker, recent USC grad, and member of SIKLAB, a multimedia collective that uplifts the stories of Filipino migrant workers. Though I’d heard about the historic battle for the I-Hotel, I’ve

The Vietnamese Newsroom That Shaped Little Saigon

Katelyn Do on the first Vietnamese-language newspaper in the U.S.

Welcome

Thanks for reading My Favorite Asian Story – a newsletter where I ask people to share their favorite story about Asian American history and culture. I post new stories every other Tuesday! I’m Tien, a journalist, documentary filmmaker, and Vietnamese American refugee. Over the past few years, my work has