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What’s The Fuss About Bubble Tea?
Bubble tea stores have mushroomed all around Australia over the last few years. Melbourne’s Swanston Street in the CBD is peppered with bubble tea franchises such as ChaTime, EasyWay and Gong Cha. Whenever I pass by these stores, I often see hordes of people, mostly Asians, queuing up here and waiting for their drinks. Tons of…
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Not Exactly White But Asian Enough To Be A Top Model
Last week, half Singaporean-Chinese, half-Portuguese Jessica Gomes was unveiled as the new face of Australia’s oldest up-market department store David Jones, replacing world-renowned Aussie model Miranda Kerr as its ambassador. It is the first time the retailer has chosen an Asian person to be its nationwide front face, recognising the fact that everyone is beautiful…
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Asians In Australian Media. Or Rather, The Lack Thereof
Fact: Australia is a multicultural country, a multicultural country where roughly 2.4 million of the population today comprises residents of Asian – Chinese, Vietnamese, Filipino etc. – ethnicity. Fact: There is a lack of Asian faces in Australian mainstream media. Given Australia’s ever growing Asian population, it would be expected for Asian faces and representations…
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The Commercialisation And Community Spirit Of The Lunar New Year In Australia
Today, the Lunar New Year is widely celebrated in Australia each year. Lion dances and Asian cultural performances on city streets are a common sight here in the weeks leading up to start of the brand new lunar calendar. Various profit/not-for-profit bodies and everyday people from all walks of life frequently and tirelessly pitch in…
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What Does It Mean To Be Asian-Australian?
Growing up, I was always confused about what the term “Asian-Australian” meant, and today I still find it hard to define the term succinctly in a single sentence. Why? Firstly, the word “Australian” itself is a complex term. It fundamentally refers to someone who has Australian citizenship as outlined on a piece of paper. When…
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How And Why I Was A Victim of “Racism Towards One’s Own Race”
As a person of Chinese descent who has lived in different places and acquaints myself with various cultures, I am always discriminated by people of the same race as I am. To put it more simply, I am a Chinese-Australian who often see other Chinese people, especially those from East Asia, constantly distancing themselves from…
Mabel Kwong 