Insights

Recent articles, essays, and reviews

The Target on Me

April 7, 2021

My yellow-hued skin almond-shaped eyes long, dark hair My skin that covers my body protecting my from  injury and harm My face that differs from others and yet the skin can only protect from so much My ethnicity that has shaped who I am  scapegoated blamed for a global pandemic One that I have no…

Safe Space

February 18, 2021

In the United States I don’t feel accepted in the crowds of white people there’s only one place I feel like I am one with the crowd. In the United States these buildings are filled with culture herbs spices and years of history. When I step into these buildings The scent of wàn jīn yóu…

Target

January 14, 2021

When people see me they see my dark hair, my skin tone, and my eyes. I can’t take off my eye shape with a simple swipe of makeup remover like it’s some trend. I can’t bleach my skin of its natural yellow hue. I can’t get rid of my pin-straight black hair. I can’t discard…

Will I Be Next?

January 5, 2021

It’s 2020, and I’m scared. I see people that look like me getting targeted because others think we are carriers of a global pandemic. I see the increase of hate crimes, the stories of other Asian Americans being beaten, spit at, burned, maced, and threatened. Will this happen to me? I’m scared when I see…

Deck the Halls with Racism

December 27, 2020

Looking forward to trying Kentucky Fried Chicken for the first time; and getting ready for the holiday seasons, I grabbed my fluffy blanket and pillow. On the drive to the drive-in theatres, I was content. It had been a productive day; I had completed two hours of work for my Senior Year Project and was…

Can a water dragon breathe fire when it’s wet? And other conundra

January 28, 2012

By Patrick Murphy – January 2012 The Chinese have an amazingly complicated calendar, but for all its sophistication and complexities you would think they could, at least, get the placement of Spring correct, right? Apparently not, as this is Chinese Spring. What we call “Chinese New Year” is called by the Chinese “Spring Festival.” Hello?…

Edison Liu named president and CEO of The Jackson Laboratory

October 20, 2011

From the Jackson Laboratory On August 26, The Jackson Laboratory named Edison Liu, M.D., as its new president and chief executive officer. Liu will officially begin his work at the Laboratory on Jan. 2, 2012.

Why I Love China, Reason #297

October 20, 2011

By Patrick Murphy – April 2009 The internet in China, as everywhere, can be somewhat user unfriendly. Factor in technoglop in a foreign language (like “Make sure the subnet mask is disengaged”) and it becomes simply impossible to achieve connectivity unaided. Not only was I faced with that challenge, but my old computer had become…

Review: Chinese Measure Word Dictionary

October 14, 2011

Chinese Measure Word Dictionary: A Chinese-English English-Chinese Usage Guide by Jiqing Fang and Michael Connelly (Boston: Cheng & Tsui, 2008) Review by Craig Dietrich CAFAM’s own Mike Connelly is co-author of a unique and just-published learning tool and reference guide for Chinese language learners. It has to do with “measure words.” Measure words are found…

The China Trade at the Penobscot Marine Museum

August 8, 2011

The beautiful Penobscot Bay town of Searsport boasts many old homes dating from the great seafaring era. Here one can find the Penobscot Marine Museum. Its principal exhibits illuminate the industry of Penobscot Bay in the 19th century and illustrate life on one of the great square-rigged ships, and what it was like to visit…