One of the oldest Asian-American blogs in the country, AARisings, shut down this month after 25 years. The site, born of a record label that later transformed to a general Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) entertainment hub, came to an end when the founder, Nelson Wong, began to see his audience slip away to social media.
"What started in January of 1990 will end in January of 2015," Wong wrote on the site. "Those of you who I've talked to personally over the past few years know that I have been contemplating the end of AARisings given my limited personal time."
Wong was a pioneer in the blogging community, and the last quarter-century has seen dozens more AAPIs follow in his footsteps, giving rise to a powerful, Asian-American voice online. AARisings has been laid to rest, but several more have picked up Wong's torch and carry it forward. Here are the blogs to follow in 2015.
- AngryAsianMan.com is a personal blog about all things Asian American, with an emphasis on news, pop culture, entertainment, and bluntly calling out racism with humor and heart.
- Reappropriate.co is a personal blog about Asian American activism, identity, feminism, and pop culture with lots of in-depth and accessible analysis.
- 8Asians.com is a collaborative blog of Asian Americans and Asian Canadians featuring original, diverse commentary and discussion on issues that affect Asian communities around the world.
- TheAerogram.com is a collaborative North American-based blog offering a curated take on South Asian art, literature, life, and news.
- HapaMama.com is a personal blog about the struggles and joys (and food and books) of Asian American and hapa individuals and families trying to bring together Asian immigrant cultures and mainstream American culture.
- TheNerdsOfColor.org is a collaborative blog of, well, nerds, geeks, and fans of color who love superheroes, sci-fi, fantasy, and video games, and who analyze the nerd/geek fandom with a culturally critical eye.
- DatWinning.com is an Asian American Guide to Sports.
- ThickDumplingSkin.com is a community blog for Asian Americans to share and discuss their struggles with food and body image and examine how these issues connect with social, cultural, and familial issues.
IN-DEPTH:
- Phil Yu on Growing up Korean American and Becoming Angry Asian Man
- Asian-American Activists Attack Anti-Discrimination Suits
- Actress, Director, Producer Joan Chen's New Role: Food Blogger