Year of the Ox: Ways to Celebrate and Advocate
Updated: May 1
This is an ongoing Blog Post. Updates are being made constantly to include more resources
Sun Nien Fai Lok! That's right, the biggest celebration on the Lunar Calendar has finally arrived. However given the current climate and recent attacks on members of our Asian/Pacific Islander community, it seems like a strange time to be celebrating. But it's the Year of the Ox and I say it's time we stop putting up with this Bull (pun definitely intended) and take this opportunity to learn, educate, advocate, support, and celebrate.
Covid-19 has caused a sharp increase in racially charged hate crimes towards Asian Americans in 2020 and 2021, with a reported 2,600 reports between March - August 2020. We've seen the blatant racism in rhetoric and in voting for condemning anti-Asian sentiment during Covid. We were witnesses to murders, attacks, and robberies, which ultimately led to an entire task force dedicated to protecting our API brothers and sisters.
But this year has also been a great year for representation and awareness, such as supporting local Asian-owned businesses, which were hit hard during the pandemic and breaking the mold of the Model Minority Myth as we finally projected our voices to say we've had enough.
I hope this post allows you to find ways to support the API community. Whether you are joining in festivities or a movement for change, here is a list of various resources, businesses, films, books, and creatives you can support.
*Note that this blog post includes mostly East Asian resources
ADVOCACY/RESOURCES/STATEMENTS:
Report Hate Incidents at STOP APPI HATE
Asian Mental Health Collective - Directory of APISAA Therapists
Subtle Asian Mental Health - offering 1 on 1 supportive listening sessions on Facebook
GoFundMe for 84 year old victim Vicha Ratanapakdee
RECIPES
@honeysuckle - YouTube / Buy her Cookbook here
@thefoodietakesflight - YouTube
@littlefatboyfrankie - YouTube
SHOPS AND/OR SMALL BUSINESSES (see also Artists/Creators)
Stickers/Keychains
Custom Cakes/Sweets
Stationery
@wontoninamillion - Shop / Michael's
Home Decor/Paintings
Asian Pride Apparel/Accessories/Clothing
@wongfupro - Shop / Donate / Film Classes
@popflex_active - Shop / Target
Beauty
MEMPHIS FOOD/RESTAURANTS
2075 Exeter Road
Germantown, TN 38138
901-758-8388
1730 S Germantown Rd #115
Germantown, TN 38138
901-308-0223
Good Fortune Company *sign up for the Lunar New Year Pop-Up here
516-306-4711
DM for orders
Highland Super Submarine Sandwich Shop
3316 Summer Ave
Memphis, TN 38122
901-324-3728
DM for orders
DM for orders - will be in Memphis on 2/27 and 2/28 for pick up
2060 West St
Germantown, TN 38138
901-758-8181
2072 West St
Germantown, TN 38138
901-737-3988
Sekisui Pacific Rim - East Memphis
4724 Poplar Ave
Memphis, TN 38117
901-767-7770
2149 Young Ave
Memphis, TN 38104
901-347-3965
@crazynoodle 2015 Madison Ave
Memphis, TN 38104
901-272-0928
2013 Madison Ave
Memphis, TN 38104
901-274-9293
2116 Madison Ave
Memphis, TN 38104
901-410-8290
875 W Poplar Ave #19
Collierville, TN 38017
901-854-7758
Golden City
815 Exocet Dr
Cordova, TN 38018
901-590-0063
Osaka
3402 Poplar Avenue
Memphis, TN 38111
901-249-4690
Mem Dim Sum
Food Truck
17 S. Highland St
Memphis, TN 38111
901-308-1147
1605 N Germantown Pkwy
Cordova, TN 38016
901-623-7986
2936 Kirby Whitten Rd
Bartlett, TN 38134
901-377-2666
1615 Madison Ave
Memphis, TN 38104
901-276-0006
BOOKS FOR CHILDREN
Alex's Good Fortune by Benson Shum
Eyes That Kiss In the Corners by Joanna Ho
Kudo Kids Series by Maia and Alex Shibutani
Chinese Cinderella and the Secret Dragon Society by Adeline Yen Mah
My Name is America: The Journal of Wong Ming-Chung by Laurence Yup
Sweet and Sour: Tales From China by Yao-Wen Li, Carol Kendall
Ruby's Chinese New Year by Vickie Lee
Find more books for all ages here and here and here
ARTISTS AND CREATORS
MOVIES TO WATCH (see also The APAHM Project)
For a Valentine's/Lunar New Year Combo
To All the Boys I've Loved Before - Netflix
To All the Boys I've Loved Before: P.S. I Still Love You - Netflix
To All the Boys I've Loved Before: Always and Forever - Available 2/12 on Netflix
Always Be My Maybe - Netflix
All My Life - Available 2/16 on Amazon Prime
Crazy Rich Asians - HBO Max
For the Immigrant Story/American Dream
Minari - Buy online tickets here
Tiger Tail - Netflix
The Joy Luck Club - Rent here
For Education
Asian American - Stream all episodes on PBS
February is also Black History Month. This documentary touches on the Civil Right
Movement and Black/Asian solidarity of the 1960s. It also elaborates on the divide
between the two groups due to xenophobia and racism from the white community
Far East Deep South - Free Virtual screening tickets here
Movies I've Been Wanting to See
Yellow Rose - Rent or buy here
Linsanity - Rent or buy here
Lucky Grandma - Rent or buy here or Available on ShowTime
Already Tomorrow in Hong Kong - Hulu
Other Great Asian-led or Directed Movies
The Farewell - Amazon Prime
Over the Moon - Netflix
Shoplifters - Hulu
Parasite - Hulu
Okja - Netflix
Your Name - Rent or buy here
Free Solo - Disney +
Shorts
Bao - Disney +
One Small Step - Vimeo
Nian - YouTube