New newsletter caters to Asian Americans

The University's first Asian-American newsletter, Asian America, made its debut Monday. Produced by the Asian Student Union, the publication is the first at the University to address all Asian-American communities in one forum. The publication contains articles addressing current issues, features and pictures, contributed by students not just from campus, but from the entire East Coast. "We address Asian-American issues," said College junior Tina Chinakarn, the newsletter's editor and president of ASU. "Ours is solely Pan-Asian -- everyone. I would call it the first one." Other ASU members agreed that the newsletter marks the first united effort from Asian Americans at the University. "I think Asian Americans on campus have failed to offer to the campus a united voice, an Asian-American voice that addresses Asian-American issues," Wharton freshman and ASU Special Projects Vice President Eric Lee said. "The Asian America will help education and Asian-American activism." "I think it's a giant step toward addressing Asian-American issues such as affirmative action, Asian-American studies programs," Lee added. "[It is] providing Asian Americans a viewpoint and a stance on issues that will increase awareness on campus." Asian America has definitely made an impact on the University's Asian-American community, according to many students. Chinese Student Association President Steve Lin, a College and Engineering junior, said he was very impressed with the publication. "I think it's great," he said. "I was really impressed and it's very unique. It fills a need and addresses concerns that a lot of the publications of other Asian groups don't." Lin said he appreciated the articles from other universities such as Johns Hopkins. "It was kind of exciting to see what activities are going on on other campuses," he said. Chinakarn said that unlike Mosaic, the University's Asian-American literary arts magazine, the Asian America has articles and informative pieces rather than just prose, poetry and art--although she added that she would one day like to emulate Mosaic's circulation of about 4,000 copies. "We want to do that, but we don't have the funding," she said. "We'll have to work towards that."

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