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Happy all the holidays to you, as I’ve taken to saying. There was Thanksgiving in November, now Christmas, Hanukkah, Dongzhi and New Year’s Eve in December, then finally the Lunar New Year right around the corner in January. It’s a lot! Regardless of what you celebrate at this time of year, I hope your family is happy, healthy and together. ~Wes
New in our community this week:
- Jeremy Lin brings Linsansity to the Beijing Ducks.
- Chinatown BBQs tackle Thanksgiving turkeys.
- The perils of praying for Hong Kong.
Family Corner
Practice making the glutinous rice dumplings called tang yuan for the Dongzhi Festival on December 22, then you’ll be ready to make them again when the Lunar New Year arrives in January. Chinese American Family
With over a hundred years of history in Los Angeles, networks of Chinese schools continue to share culture with children through language. Attending language school every weekend remains a familiar regimen for many. Annenberg Media
In smaller communities like Gainesville, FL, Chinese schools serve a similar purpose. Because they’re fewer in number, the programs act as community magnets that draw students and families from the wider region. NPR
Voices
“I’ve worked as a minority actor in television since the age of 10,” writes Michaela Zee, “In the animation industry, where the actor’s appearance is concealed, minorities often must yield to two options: either be typecast or whitewashed.” New School Free Press
Chi Wang explores why the recent Hong Kong district council election results are a win for Chinese people everywhere. “Hong Kong may be part of China,” he writes, “but it has also belonged to the world – including the West – for over a century.” South China Morning Post
Praying for Hong Kong can be politically disruptive — even in America. Chinese diaspora churches remain silent while Hong Kongers take to the streets. Christianity Today
Entertainment
After receiving no offers following his first NBA World Championship title, Jeremy Lin signed a $3 million contract with the Beijing Ducks in August, hoping for an opportunity to showcase his unappreciated NBA skillset. And boy, he hasn’t let any of his Linsane fans down. Annenberg Media
Photographer Michael Jang has just published his first monograph to accompany an exhibition of his work at the McEvoy Foundation for the Arts in San Francisco. Among the most engaging photos are images of his own extended family. New York Review of Books
Voice of America and Radio Free Asia are joining forces to launch a new Mandarin language network with content to reach a younger audience during a time of Chinese ascendancy and eroding American soft power. South China Morning Post
Food
With juicy meat and extra-crisp skin, holiday turkeys cooked in the manner of their iconic roasted ducks are keeping Chinatown barbecue restaurants busy across the United States. Customers of all backgrounds are embracing this American-born innovation. New York Times
A former gambling hall and brothel in the California Delta town of Isleton has been reborn as the Mei Wah Beer Room, a thriving and award-winning tap room for local craft beers. East Bay Times
Lucky Lee’s, the fast-casual Chinese restaurant in New York that sparked viral outrage for racist marketing language, is closing after less than a year in business. Eater
History
What was life like for Chinese Americans in 19th-century St. Louis? Housing discrimination forced the members of the city’s Chinese community to live in one block of downtown known as Hop Alley. St. Louis Magazine
A Grain Of Rice
“It may be overdramatic, but in that moment, I learned what it meant to be Chinese by ethnicity, American by nationality and Chinese American by identity.” — Sarah Ko, about watching Jeremy Lin play in the NBA
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