Name Your Way to Success: How the Perfect Brand Name Can Propel Your Business

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Your brand name is often the first impression people form of your business and a chance for it to stand out amongst competitors, so choosing an effective name should be top of mind for business owners and managers alike. Words Have Power Your brand name selection must reflect positive, memorable words that reflect on and relate directly to the essence of your business. Use keywords relevant to your business that will enable people to easily find it when searching online, for instance, if it’s a streaming service like “Netflix” or “Hulu”. Keep your brand name short and easy for people to remember; long or complicated names could become difficult to pronounce or spell correctly, potentially alienating prospects who could buy your products/services. Avoid including numbers or symbols in your brand name, as this makes it harder for customers to remember and type accurately while looking unprofessional. Ensure your domain name and social media handles are available so people can quickly locate you online. The Psychology of Brand Naming The psychology behind brand naming can be complex, yet some general principles can guide your choices for selecting names for products or businesses. When picking names that elicit positive emotions, easy pronunciation/spelling capabilities are crucial when choosing names for brand identity. People must easily recall your brand name to ensure customers return again and again for business. This will increase sales as people remember your business more efficiently and return for more. Your brand name must reflect your business and target audience, helping people understand why it matters to them and why they should care.  In addition, its meaning or association should foster positive associations for consumers when thinking of your company and help create favorable associations when people hear or think of your name. The Story behind the Brand Name Your brand narrative can effectively connect with customers and showcase why your company stands apart from competitors. It helps them understand why you make an excellent business partner or should choose you over competing businesses. By finding the best domain name, your brand story can effectively connect with customers and showcase why your company stands apart from competitors. Storytelling should be relevant to your business and its target audience, creating an emotional bond with them and increasing brand recognition through word of mouth.  A memorable narrative will ensure maximum word-of-mouth spread for maximum brand reach and exposure. Your story should motivate and inspire customers to feel good about you and what your business stands for. How Technology can Assist Technology There are several tools and resources that can assist in selecting a brand name for your business, from name generators online to hiring professional brand name consultants. Online brand name generators can provide an easy way to start, creating hundreds of potential names within seconds.  Professional branding consultants also possess years of expertise in brand naming services and can assist in selecting an ideal name for your company or venture. The Brand Name Community There are various online communities dedicated to brand naming where you can connect with fellow brand names to support brand name ideas. Such communities can be invaluable when gathering feedback on potential names for products or businesses. Community resources offer invaluable advice and insights into brand naming trends. Staying up-to-date with what’s currently going on can also provide helpful assistance when planning brand names for businesses or products.  The Future of Brand Naming Technology is changing how we think of brand naming; artificial intelligence can generate unique brand name ideas. Artificial Intelligence can assist with creating creative and innovative brand name ideas while saving time and money. Conclusion Your brand name is essential in differentiating you from the competition and engaging with target customers. Following the advice in this article, you can select an ideal name for your general entertainment and media business. Here are a few additional guidelines for selecting an excellent brand name for your general entertainment and media business: Choose a name that stands out from the competition; something unique and memorable should make an impactful first impression with customers and prospects. Furthermore, make sure the name relates well with your target market so people understand who and what your business stands for. Choose a positive and aspirational name – people should feel inspired when hearing what your business stands for! An easy name to pronounce and spell will ensure people remember your brand name easily. Mark Smith is passionate about storytelling and word crafting. Mark brings a special blend of creativity and strategic thought to his role. Devoted to exploring branding-storytelling relationships online for businesses of all kinds, his innovative ideas and ability to bring brands alive make Mark an invaluable addition to brands globally.

Contributions by Asian Americans Through History – Not Widely Known or Published

by Jeannie SalomonAll Posts, Culture & HeritagePosted on Comments are Disabled

May is Asian American Pacific Islanders Heritage Month Contributions from Asian Americans throughout history are not widely known or published or made to our textbooks.  We want to take time to honor these unsung heroes who made such remarkable contributions to our lives.  This is a reprinted article from the History website.  Originally published on March 31, 2021 by Elizabeth Yuko. We have many resources on our site. Please check out our Asian American Connections or the AAC Journal.  If you are local in Rhode Island, we are having a month-long celebration at the Washington Park Library’s patio (outdoor) in Providence on May 6th, May 13, and May 20, 2023 at 1316 Broad Street, Providence, RI. Please register to enjoy this celebration with us.  FREE admission, FREE food and FREE educational entertainment! Reprinted article by Elizabeth Yuko from the History Website 8 Groundbreaking Contributions by Asian Americans Through History Though the Gold Rush triggered the first major wave of Asian immigrants to the United States in the 1840s, their presence in America predates the country itself. For example, in 1763, facing a life of forced labor and imprisonment during the Spanish galleon trade, a group of Filipinos jumped ship near New Orleans and established the settlement of Saint Malo, forming one of the first documented Asian American communities in North America. While Americans with ancestral ties to Asia have made countless significant contributions throughout the country’s history, most have never made it into textbooks. From atomic science, to labor rights, to YouTube, here are a few examples of some of the major advancements made by Asian Americans. Atomic Science PROFESSOR CHIEN-SHIUNG WU (LEFT), PICTURED WITH DR. Y.K. LEE AND L. W. MO, HER ASSOCIATES, CONDUCTING EXPERIMENTS, MARCH 21, 1963. In the 1940s and 1950s, Chinese-born physicist Chien-Shiung Wu, Ph.D., was instrumental in the developing field of atomic science. This included the Manhattan Project: the code name for research into atomic weapons during World War II. Specifically, she improved existing technology for the detection of radiation and the enrichment of uranium in large quantities. Following the war, Wu’s research focused on beta decay, which occurs when the nucleus of one element changes into another element. In 1956, theoretical physicists Tsung Dao Lee, Ph.D. and Chen Ning Yang, Ph.D. asked Wu to devise an experiment that would prove their theory on beta decay. Wu did exactly that, but did not receive the 1957 Nobel Prize along with Lee and Yang—one of many examples of her work being overlooked. An early advocate for women in STEM, Wu spoke at a symposium at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1964, famously telling the audience, “I wonder whether the tiny atoms and nuclei, or the mathematical symbols, or the DNA molecules have any preference for either masculine or feminine treatment.” Farm Workers’ Rights JULIO HERNANDEZ, UFW OFFICER (LEFT) AND LARRY ITLIONG, UFW DIRECTOR (CENTER) PICTURED WITH CESAR CHAVEZ (RIGHT) AT HIS HUELGA DAY MARCH IN SAN FRANCISCO, 1966. Born in the Philippines, Larry Itliong immigrated to the United States in 1929 at the age of 15 and immediately began working as a laborer, up and down America’s West Coast, as well as in Alaska. By 1930, he joined striking lettuce pickers in Washington, and spent the next several decades working as a labor organizer and eventually, a union leader—including forming the Filipino Farm Labor Union in 1956. In 1965, Itliong and some of his union colleagues organized the Delano Grape Strike: a walkout of 1,500 Filipino grape-pickers demanding higher wages and improved working conditions. As the movement gained momentum, Delores Huerta and Cesar Chavez from National Farm Workers Association joined Itliong and the Filipino Farm Labor Union. Eventually, the two groups combined to form the United Farm Workers, and the strike ended in 1970—but not before making major strides for agricultural workers, regardless of ethnicity.  “We got wage increases, a medical plan for farm workers, we set up five clinics, a day care center and a school,” Huerta said in an interview. Civil Rights Though her activism was influenced by the two years she spent in internment camps during World War II, Japanese American Yuri Kochiyama’s civil rights work extended to the causes impacting Black, Latinx, and Indigenous Peoples, as well as Asian American communities. After World War II, Kochiyama and her husband—whom she had met at the Jerome Relocation Center in Arkansas—moved to New York City, where they hosted weekly open houses for civil rights activists in their apartment. “Our house felt like it was the movement 24/7,” her eldest daughter, Audee Kochiyama-Holman told NPR in a 2014 interview. Kochiyama befriended and collaborated with Malcolm X in the 1960s, and continued to work with Black civil rights activists following his death. Then in the 1980s, she, along with her husband, campaigned for reparations and a formal government apology for Japanese American interned during World War II. Their work became a reality in 1988, when President Ronald Reagan signed the Civil Liberties Act into law.  “She was not your typical Japanese-American person, especially a nisei [second-generation Japanese-American],” Tim Toyama, Kochiyama’s second cousin, told NPR. “She was definitely ahead of her time, and we caught up with her.” “She was not your typical Japanese-American person, especially a nisei [second-generation Japanese-American],” Tim Toyama, Kochiyama’s second cousin, told NPR. “She was definitely ahead of her time, and we caught up Ethnic Minority Psychology Two Chinese American brothers originally from Portland, Oregon, Derald W. Sue and Stanley Sue, were influential figures in ethnic minority psychology. “Ethnic minority psychology is a subfield of psychology concerned with the science and practice of psychology with racial and ethnic minority individuals and groups,” says Sumie Okazaki, Ph.D., professor of applied psychology at New York University, and author of the book Korean American Families in Immigrant America: How Teens and Parents Navigate Race. In 1972, the Sue brothers founded the Asian American Psychological Association—one year after writing a seminal paper on Chinese American personality. “Derald W. Sue is best known for his work on multicultural counseling and racial microaggression, and Stanley Sue is best known for his work on cultural competence in psychotherapy with Asian Americans and ethnic minorities,” Okazaki explains. The USB INTEL CHIEF I/O ARCHITECT AJAY BHATT, CO-INVENTOR OF USB AND PCI EXPRESS, …

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A Brief History of Filipino Americans

by Maia MongadoAll Posts, Culture & Heritage, Learning, ResourcesPosted on Comments are Disabled

On October 18, 1587, men from Manila set foot on what is now known as Morro Bay, California. They were crewmen on a ship that was a part of the Manila Galleon trade, a route between the two Spanish colonies of Mexico and the Philippines. This journey officially made them the first Asians known to ever step foot on what is now American soil. Filipinos have been present in this land even before modern day America has existed, but the circumstances of this presence has evolved over the centuries. The Philippines’ long history as a Spanish colony ensured that Filipinos would always be present, albeit in small numbers, as crew men for Spanish ships on the outskirts of American trade posts. At some point, some of these Filipino sailors even deserted to create their own small community, Saint Malo, in the Louisiana bayou. Here, experienced with tropical storms and harsh coastal conditions, Filipino sailors (called Manilamen by the surrounding peoples) found a new freedom away from Spanish officials in a quiet fishing village that existed from the early 1800s until 1915, when its last remnants were destroyed by a hurricane. The bulk of Filipino American history, however, occurred after 1902. Spain and America had just finished fighting their own war; Spain, exhausted an already ongoing revolutionary effort by Filipinos, ceded their territory to America. After a period of brutal fighting between Filipinos and Americans, it ended with a decisive Filipino defeat in 1902. With that, the Philippines America’s largest colony. From then on, the role of Filipinos in the U.S. would constantly be in flux, governed by the ever-changing identity politics of early 20th century America. As colonial subjects, they were technically American nationals who were unrestricted from migrating to America like many other Asians; many Filipinos received lessons from American schoolteachers, and still today Filipinos have an unusually high fluency of English as a remnant of this colonial past. However, this did not preclude them from experiencing racism, both systemic and personal, from local American populations. In the 1920s and 1930s, Filipino populations in America rose from a few hundred to 45,000. Almost all men, they immigrated in order to fill demand for cheap farm labor in California or Hawaii during the Great Depression. Americans were not quite sure how to parse their identities; were they Latino, as a former long-time Spanish colony? Were they “Malays” or “Orientals”, racial categories that at the time referred to the general areas of Indonesia andChina? How did anti-miscegenation laws, which forbade intermarriage between races, apply to them? Having been educated as American nationals, Filipino men saw themselves as having the same rights as any other American, wearing flashy, fashionable clothes and dancing with white women in local dance halls. This drew the ire of white men, who decried what they saw as the theft of their women and their jobs by arrogant immigrants. Mounting tensions led to the 1930 Watsonville Riots, in which white men wandered in mobs, attacked and beat Filipino men for these perceived slights. Such tensions led the American government to speed up the independence process for the Philippines and restrict Filipino immigration to the United States. In 1946, the Philippines was officially no longer an American colony; however, this did not stop many Filipino veterans from successfully applying for American citizenship and settling in the U.S. with Filipina brides. Filipino women and children encouraged the creation of local clubs, associations, andneighborhoods. The family structure, always the lifeblood of community in the Philippines, was now present in America. Filipino communities took on a new vibrancy and unification, and many Filipino American districts blossomed throughout the U.S., concentrated on the west coast. After the 1965 Immigration and Nationality Act ended all national quotas, the number of Filipinos in the U.S. skyrocketed to the now 4.2 million living here today. Filipino Americans today come from all walks of life and many different origins. Some have had family living here for generations, where others have immigrated themselves in the past few years. Because of American influence on Filipino history which has given Filipinos a unique ability to assimilate, Filipinos are sometimes thought of as a “silent minority”; they have not been as represented in popular American media and culture as much as groups such as Chinese, Japanese or Indian Americans, despite their large numbers. However, this has not stopped Filipinos from forming lively communities and connecting with one another, even oceans away from home. Although Filipino American history has been fraught with racialized violence from the U.S. government and populations, it has also been one of resilience, adaptability, and interconnection. Filipino Americans have always been at the forefront of important movements, such as Larry Itliong, who worked with Cesar Chavez to fight for Filipino and Mexican farm workers’ rights in the 1960s. Or Fe del Mundo, the first woman to be admitted to Harvard Medical School. The history of Filipino Americans also expose how weak the racial divisions we form in the U.S. truly are; they have historically not been able to be categorized and still today exist in a sort of flux between various identities. In a world of globalization, as racial, ethnic, and national identities reach a new point of fluidity, the history of Filipino Americans perhaps has a valuable lesson to teach us all about the importance of human connection above all superficial division. Sources  July 4, 1946: The Philippines gained independence from the United States: The National WWIIMuseum: New Orleans. The National WWII Museum | New Orleans. (n.d.). Retrieved October22, 2022, fromhttps://www.nationalww2museum.org/war/articles/july-4-1946-philippines-independence Manilamen the Filipino settlement: Lesson Plan curriculum: The Asian American EducationProject. Manilamen The Filipino Settlement | lesson plan curriculum | The Asian AmericanEducation Project. (n.d.). Retrieved October 22, 2022, fromhttps://asianamericanedu.org/manilamen-first-asian-american-settlement.html U.S. Department of State. (n.d.). U.S. Department of State. Retrieved October 22, 2022, fromhttps://history.state.gov/milestones/1899-1913/war Wikimedia Foundation. (2022, August 15). Watsonville riots. Wikipedia. Retrieved October 22,2022, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Watsonville_riots Wikimedia Foundation. (2022, October 1). Larry Itliong. Wikipedia. Retrieved October 22, 2022,from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Larry_Itliong Wikimedia Foundation. (2022, October 18). History of Filipino Americans. Wikipedia. RetrievedOctober 22, 2022, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Filipino_Americans Wikimedia Foundation. (2022, October 21). Philippine Revolution. Wikipedia. Retrieved October22, 2022, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philippine_Revolution Wikimedia Foundation. (2022, October 8). Filipino Americans. Wikipedia. Retrieved October 22,2022, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Filipino_Americans About The Author: Maia Mongado is a senior at Brown University majoring in Computer Science. She has also taken coursework in English, French, and Filipino studies. …

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The History and Future of Asian American Activism

by Daniel LiuAll Posts, Culture & Heritage, Learning, ResourcesPosted on Comments are Disabled

The year 1968 saw the birth of a monumental moment when renowned scholar and activist Yuji Ichioka coined the term “Asian American” as part of his co-creation of the Asian American Political Alliance, an organization which has since left a powerful mark on collegiate Asian American activism. This phrase marked the beginning of a new identity for Asian immigrants and citizens, adopting a title that would shed the dated names of “Oriental” or “Asiatic” and would stand for more than just groups segregated by ethnicity; it would represent the unification of a people connected in culture and in spirit. Great strides have been made in the past century with progress towards solidarity and equality for the Asian-American and Pacific-Islander community (AAPI for short). On a macro scale, the Asian American Movement spurred the surfacing of more liberal, racially-conscious ideas amidst an era that saw social uprising in labor, civil rights, and war. Specifically, the war in Vietnam generated massive backlash as many in the AAPI community marched and spoke out against imperialism. Before, communities of Asian immigrants were scattered and did not have the power to make significant advancements as a result; however, the potential for change was realized when specific individuals took charge in initiating and sustaining activism in their communities. The aforementioned Yuji Ichioka worked with Emma Gee, Asian activist and writer, to start the Asian American Political Alliance, whose early members had prior activist experience but had never worked together before to achieve their shared goals together. Their efforts, among many others, have persisted to this day in the hands of organizations such as The Asian American Foundation; their campaign titled See Us Unite invites AAPI members to have their voices heard and bridge the gap between a community passionate about their culture and the outside world that has yet to fully understand what it truly means to be Asian American. It is this rift in understanding that causes the many injustices that Asian Americans face every day; whether it be bullying and harassment or hate crimes and large–scale racial bias, it is unacceptable for the AAPI community or any minority group to experience these wrongs in a modern age where acceptance and unity is more important than ever before. The Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 which prohibited Chinese immigration, the killing of Vincent Chin a century later where his murderers were given a paltry $3000 fine and no prison time, and the more recent occurrences of Asian hate during the COVID-19 pandemic display the extent to which heinous grievances continue throughout history and will remain unless awareness and change is brought about. The Alliance for Asian American Justice, for example, is one coalition whose primary goal is to counter anti-Asian hate in the courts; Asian Americans Advancing Justice likewise pushes for equity in civil rights no matter a person’s background. Despite the aggregation of anti-Asian hate, especially in the wake of the pandemic, the sentiment of unity thrives now more than ever. Making a difference doesn’t mean you have to organize a rally or march in protest; it can mean having your voice heard, educating others about your culture, and voting to protect your rights. The precedent is there; it’s up to us to do something about it. Sources: https://encyclopedia.densho.org/Yuji_Ichioka/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asian_American_activism https://www.allianceaajustice.org/ https://www.advancingjustice-aajc.org/ https://www.asianjusticemovement.org/ https://www.taaf.org/projects/seeusunite About The Author: Daniel is an ABC (American Born Chinese) and lives in Western New York. He currently attends Brown University concentrating in Computer Science and interns for CSEBRI. *This article also appears in the Article Section of AAC Journal, Issue 3.

6 Ways Education Can Fuel Your Small Business

by Amber RamseyAll Posts, LearningPosted on Comments are Disabled

Owning and operating a small business can easily consume all of your time. You might struggle to find a moment to relax — much less commit to a new endeavor like going back to school. You might be surprised when you realize, though, that pursuing an education can actually be beneficial to your business. Indeed, the right program can open the door to an array of professional opportunities and the following six benefits. 1. Sharpen Your Skills One of the greatest benefits of education is its ability to strengthen the skills that you already have. As a small business owner, you are probably well-versed in topics such as marketing, sales, and customer service. Still, a degree program can help you sharpen these abilities even further. You can become an expert in the principles of business management, and in turn, this will help you run your business more effectively. 2. Develop New Skills The only thing better than sharpening your existing skills is learning new skills! A professional development course is a great way to branch out, explore new disciplines, and dive into skills such as Scrum. Here’s a top Scrum Master course to consider, which can help you learn new project management skills, and at the end of the course, you can prove your knowledge by taking an assessment. 3. Learn About Business Contrary to popular belief, you don’t have to go to school for business to learn about business. In fact, nearly any degree can be beneficial to your business management skills if you approach it with the right attitude. A philosophy degree will help your critical thinking skills, for example, and an English degree will help your communication skills. When you’re looking for a program that offers the degree you’re interested in, you’re probably also considering the cost. To find affordable schools, you should search online for programs with low tuition. 4. Network with Professionals According to research, 26% of professionals agree that networking is essential. One of the most underrated aspects of college is its potential as a place for networking. As you’re attempting to balance your business and your education, you should remember that your classmates are also your colleagues. Reach out to them for help if you need to. You may find that you make valuable professional connections in the classroom. 5. Pursue Your Passion As you research schools and look for the program that’s the best fit, you should think about the direction you want to take your business. What are you passionate about? What do you want to accomplish long-term? These questions can help you identify your interests, and those interests should guide your studies in school. 6. Choose the Right Business Structure You should also seek out a program that offers courses directly relevant to your business. Learning about business entities, for example, can help you decide which one is the right choice. An LLC is a great option because it is more flexible than many other business types. Check your state’s business formation laws and enlist help from a formation service to get started. Education Can Be the Key to Business Success Juggling a small business and a degree program is a massive undertaking. It’ll be worth it, though, when you complete the program and enjoy the confidence that comes from learning new skills. Taking a professional development course or enrolling in an online degree program can help you become a better business owner. Image via Pexels

6 Ways You Can Make Your Home Happier and Healthier

by Julie MorrisAll Posts, Health & WellnessPosted on Comments are Disabled

Your home should be your sanctuary. It’s the place you go to unwind and relax, and it should also be the healthiest place in your life. Below, Culture Society shares six ways to revamp your home to keep it a happy and healthy place and increase your property’s value in the process. 1. Promote Wellness in Your Home Wellness isn’t always an easy concept to define — but it’s not something you can ignore, either. When you think about wellness, don’t just limit yourself to your physical health: think about stress levels, how you eat, how well you sleep, and your overall happiness. Do some deep thinking about how all these aspects of your life interact with each other. Everyday Health points out that knowing what sparks joy for you is a good place to start when planning out your home’s wellness strategy. 2. Hire Professional Cleaners Be honest — cleaning may not be your thing. This is where house cleaners come in. They can help you keep everything sparkling, sanitized, and clean so you don’t have to worry about it. Some home cleaning services will even throw in extra tasks, such as laundry or food prep, while they do their thing. Hiring a house cleaner is one of those things that might seem frivolous but could boost your happiness levels substantially by simply making life easier. 3. Add Color to the Walls for Happy Vibes Paint your home’s interior a color that evokes pleasant feelings. It will do wonders for your state of mind. Perhaps an inviting shade of red or soft yellow. If you need some guidance on what color schemes work best in which spaces, find an online resource that pairs together complementary colors. These sites will help you to see what works well together, so you can put together a relaxing color-driven space in your home.  4. Renovate to Boost Your Property’s Value There are many ways you can renovate your property to add to its overall value. Right now, dedicated home offices are incredibly popular. Or you can set up a wellness room where you can exercise and practice yoga. If you’re interested in joining a yoga class, Cultural Society offers a weekly class. It’s a great way to practice your technique and get to know other people in your community. But there’s a simple option that you may have overlooked: installing ceiling fans. It’s a relatively inexpensive upgrade that makes a big difference in the comfort and aesthetic aspects of a room. Although you can install one yourself, I’d suggest hiring someone with experience as it can be a cumbersome project. Plus, you are dealing with electricity, which can be dangerous. Find a good review site online and look through the comments to find a contractor you can trust. If you’re looking for a much larger renovation, adding an apartment to your home will increase your overall property value and bring in extra cash from renters. Not only does adding an apartment increase livable space, but it also adds rental income that can be used for mortgage payments. A pool house could be a great investment, too. Take before and after photos and keep receipts documenting everything you spend. 5. Add to or Update Your Home’s Decor A key part of having a home you’re happy in is decorating it with furniture, artwork, and items of utility to make your space calming and aesthetically pleasing to you. The process of decorating each room and figuring out how to make it just right can also be a lot of fun. Look for pieces that inspire you or remind you of your culture. And bring in things that make you feel happy and at peace. It’s your space, so make it reflect you. 6. Declutter to Refresh Your Home Getting and keeping your home decluttered is a great first step to reducing stress in your life. Start by taking time to go through your belongings. Decide what you want to keep, then try to donate or sell everything else. Fewer things taking up space means lower stress. Happier and Healthier The hectic pace of modern-day living can stress you out and make you unhappy. Fortunately, there are some easy ways, from cleaning and decluttering to decorating, that you can make your home a happier and healthier place. You can even do a few upgrades – large or small – to help you enjoy your space now and make your home more appealing to potential buyers later.  Cultural Society is a nonprofit organization that is dedicated to enriching the lives of our community members. Visit us online to learn more. Photo Credit: Gary Barnes via Pexels

Picture of Freedom, Liberty, Respect

AAC Periodical Preview: Asian History in Rhode Island

by Rachel KimAll Posts, Culture & Heritage, LearningPosted on Comments are Disabled

In the mid-1870s, there were only nine Asians total in Rhode Island, all of whom were Chinese men. It is easy – especially in 2022, when Asians account for 3.6% of Rhode Island’s total population (meaning there are approximately 39,500 Asians residing in the state) and are one of Rhode Island’s fastest-growing demographics – to forget the rich and robust history of Asian immigrants in Rhode Island. The state was home to at least two Chinatowns, one on Burrill Street and another on Broad Street, both of which were destroyed. Despite Asian immigrants making up a small percentage of Rhode Island’s total population, they were marginalized and faced discriminatory legislation. Written descriptions of Chinese immigrants in The Providence Journal ranged from them having “quiet demeanor[s] and uniform behavior[s]” to them being “celestials” with “funny double-monosyllabic names.” Both descriptions stereotyped and exoticized the Asians residing in Providence, and the latter especially showed the lack of respect non-Asians had towards Asian immigrants’ names. In 1910, the Providence Business Directory listed Chinese laundries by their street names and phone numbers only, despite other businesses including the owner’s names as well. This was justified by the directory with the disclaimer that “Chinese names are not reliable.” Another pervasive stereotype was that Chinese immigrants were gamblers and opium addicts. There was a movement in 1913 to remove Chinatown from Empire Street after six Chinese men were found with $12,000 of illegal opium. The justification from the police superintendent for removing Chinese people was that ”the appearance in any location of any considerable number of them means that gambling is going on” because “the Chinese are inveterate gamblers: the vice is inherent in the race.” Even a headline about the Chinese men’s arrest made fun of their accents, with it reading that the Chinese men were “brought to the ‘Melican [presumably the way Chinese immigrants said ‘American’] halls of justice.” There were also multiple instances of discriminatory legislation in Rhode Island. In 1899, anti-Asian legislation attempting to block Chinese immigrants from applying for restaurant licenses was brought to the Providence Common Council. However, Providence’s police chief at the time asserted that the block was unnecessary because he intentionally held restaurant license applications from Chinese business owners for two to three months to strictly evaluate their characters. In addition, Providence law enforcement required Chinese restaurants to remove all doors and drapes so that the insides of their businesses were always visible after a Chinese man, William Leon, was suspected of murdering his romantic partner, a white woman named Elsie Sigel, in 1909. Police also advised teachers who taught Sunday school to Chinese immigrants to “be of an age and character as to make any such an occurrence as that […] impossible.” While hate against Asians still persists in Rhode Island – Channavy Chhay, the Executive Director of the Center for Southeast Asians, reported that there has been an uptick in anti-Asian hate crimes in the state as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic – there has been more concrete legislation to support Asians and Asian Americans in the state. In 2017, Governor Gina Raimondo signed the All Students Count Act, which was championed by advocacy groups, the Alliance of Rhode Island Southeast Asians for Education and the Providence Youth Student Movement. The All Students Count Act mandated the disaggregation of information on Asian American students, meaning Asian American students had to be recorded as being part of specific ethnic groups instead of being grouped under a larger Asian American umbrella. This disaggregation is intended to make the academic disparities existing within the Asian American community more obvious: Despite Asians being portrayed as a ‘model minority’ in academic achievement, Southeast Asians have the highest dropout rate in the United States and nearly 40% of Hmong and Cambodian adults do not have a high school diploma. With this bill being signed into law, Rhode Island became the third state in the nation to pass the All Students Count Act. In 2022, Representative Barbara Ann Fenton-Fung introduced legislation that required all public primary and secondary schools in Rhode Island to teach Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) history, starting with the 2023-2024 school year. The bill passed both the House and Senate and is expected to be signed by current Governor Daniel McKee, which would make Rhode Island the fourth state in the nation to mandate AANHPI history in schools, joining New Jersey, Connecticut, and Illinois. What I find most special about the latter bill is that it will affirm the importance of Asian and Asian American history. When there is so much history – especially right here in Rhode Island – it is essential that we recognize and understand the complex histories of Asians and Asian Americans so that their stories are not forgotten. As Representative Fenton-Fung said while advocating for the passing of the bill: “There’s a lot of amazing Asian Americans out there, but their stories don’t get told and they don’t become part of this big melting pot.” This is one of many articles that will be featured in the AAC Journal, which will be released to members in September this year. You can learn more about Rachel here. Sources Fitzpatrick, Edward. “R.I. Asian American Population Grew by Nearly 28 Percent in the Past Decade.” BostonGlobe.com, The Boston Globe, 16 Aug. 2021, https://www.bostonglobe.com/2021/08/16/metro/ri-asian-american-population-grew-by-nearly-28-percent-past-decade.  Fitzpatrick, Edward. “R.I. Poised to Become Fourth State to Require Teaching Asian-American History.” BostonGlobe.com, The Boston Globe, 7 June 2022, https://www.bostonglobe.com/2022/06/07/metro/ri-poised-become-fourth-state-require-teaching-asian-american-history.   Fuchs, Chris. “Rhode Island Data Disaggregation Law Revives Debate Among Asian Americans.” NBCNews.com, NBCUniversal News Group, 27 July 2017, https://www.nbcnews.com/news/asian-america/rhode-island-data-disaggregation-law-revives-debate-among-asian-americans-n786986.   Gall, Mark. “‘Careless Chinese, These Empire Street Denizens!’ A Look at the Struggles of Providence’s Chinatown.” Small State Big History, The Online Review of Rhode Island History, 23 Nov. 2019, http://smallstatebighistory.com/careless-chinese-these-empire-street-denizens-a-look-at-the-struggles-of-providences-chinatown.   Jones, Chelsea. “‘Words Matter’: RI Sees Uptick in Hate Crimes against Asian Americans since Start of Pandemic.” WPRI.com, WPRI.com, 17 Mar. 2021, https://www.wpri.com/news/local-news/providence/words-matter-ri-sees-uptick-in-hate-crimes-against-asian-americans-since-start-of-pandemic.   Kelly, Grace. “Providence’s Lost Chinatowns.” Rhode Island Monthly, Rhode Island Monthly, 8 Feb. 2016, https://www.rimonthly.com/providences-lost-chinatowns.   …

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Replace Bad Habits With These 4 Life Changes

by Julie MorrisAll Posts, Health & WellnessPosted on No Comments

Replacing bad experiences with good ones can be a challenge even when you’re motivated, which is why it’s important to make the most of certain life events when they occur. You may experience a setback or have a major transition period–such as a move to another state–that feels overwhelming but can actually be the perfect reason to make positive changes in your life. Whether you want to take stock of your relationships or use this time to get healthy, there are several ways you can get rid of the things in your life that are holding you back and replace them with better habits. You might start by looking for helpful resources from Cultural Society, which offers tips on healthy living and self-care. You can also take a look at your career and determine whether a change needs to be made in order to help you feel fulfilled professionally. Consider becoming your own boss If you haven’t been feeling valued at your current job, or if it’s bringing you stress and anxiety every day, it may be time to evaluate your options. These days, it’s easier than ever before to start a business due to the wealth of resources that are available online. If you’ve always dreamed of being your own boss, there’s no time like the present, especially if you’ve recently experienced a setback and want to change your life for the better. Start by forming an LLC, which provides protection for your personal assets and gives you flexibility in your daily operations. While each state has its own rules about creating a business structure, you can hire a formation service to file the paperwork according to local regulations, which will save you money on attorney’s fees. Make positive changes to your career Not ready to be your own boss? Consider simply looking for a new job instead. While this process can be stressful without a good plan, you can start by boosting your resume so that employers will immediately see your skills standing out amongst the other applicants. You can use a free resume builder to create a stellar, eye-catching resume by customizing a professional-looking template with the colors, images, and copy you want. Do a little research on the companies you’re interested in working for and get to know their practices and what their needs are.  Invest in your health with a yoga routine Positive changes in your career can jumpstart a new outlook on life, and a health routine can do the same. Whether you want to change the way you eat or start a workout that leaves you feeling calm and confident, there are several things you can do to invest in your mental and physical wellness. Yoga is a great workout for just about any age or ability as it can be adapted for various needs; just make sure you have a setup at home that gives you space to move in. Look for tools that will help you stay comfortable, as well, such as a mat or yoga block; you can find helpful resources for beginners online that will allow you to create a routine that works best. Put down that device habit Investing in your health isn’t just about eating right and fitting in activity; it’s also important to boost your mental health. If you have a habit of looking at a device several times a day, it could be interfering with your ability to get quality sleep and can even contribute to stress or anxiety. Instead of spending time on your phone, consider picking up a hobby, such as painting, gardening, or reading. Making these kinds of changes in your life can help you feel better and stave off negative feelings. Using a period of transition in your life to make positive changes can be cathartic, but it’s crucial to go into these changes carefully. If you want to boost your career, for instance, you don’t want to overlook important details such as forming an LLC or refreshing your resume. With a little planning, you can take control of your life for the better. Want to get in touch with Cultural Society? Reach out via the contact form today.

A Guide to Being Health Conscious and Saving Money

by Julie MorrisAll Posts, Health & WellnessPosted on No Comments

It’s easy to get discouraged about starting a healthy lifestyle when you see the prices of gym memberships and eating organic. However, you can find ways to live a more affordable and even lucrative life. This brief guide can help you stay health-conscious while saving money. Invest in Products That Help You Save Money Over Time With a small upfront investment, you can purchase products you can use to save money over time and contribute to a healthy life. For example, find a well-produced kitchen mixer you can use to make fresh bread, a staple in most diets. You’ll save on the high cost of organic bread and know exactly what ingredients make up your food.  If you want to upgrade your fitness routine and try something new, purchase a quality yoga mat. You can start practicing to get in better shape and reap all the other benefits. Research shows that yoga relieves stress and can reduce anxiety and depression. Just be sure to read the reviews on any products you purchase and try sites where you can trust the reviewers. Eat Better While Spending Less on Food There are many ways you can improve your diet and save at the same time. Some examples include: Eating less meat Buying vegetables and fruits in season Growing your favorite vegetables in your own garden Buying some foods in bulk The best way to change your diet is to create a weekly meal plan so you can limit your need to eat out, which can add up quickly. Small Ways to Make Life More Affordable If you have a medical condition that requires regulation checkups to evaluate your medications and signs of improvement, talk to your doctor about telehealth visits. You can get prescriptions filled and refilled quickly over the phone and find out what new medications may work for you without the out-of-pocket charges associated with in-person visits. Talk to your doctor about sending your prescription directly to the pharmacy of your choice after your telehealth appointment, and be sure to ask about generics for your prescription. Turn Your Lifestyle Into a Business As you start to make changes in your lifestyle, consider ways you can turn your new lessons in health-consciousness into a business. For example, you could open a yoga studio or sell some of the produce from your garden at the local farmers’ market. You could write a blog about the recipes you’re using or your new workout routine and monetize it with affiliate marketing. Consider registering your business as an LLC so you can take advantage of the tax benefits and get liability protection in case of a lawsuit. Get all your documents in order and check the state rules to ensure you’re up to the legal standards. Financial Benefits of Being Healthy As you make changes to your lifestyle, you’ll notice improvements in your finances you didn’t consider. For example, your health insurance premiums may go down as you have fewer visits to the doctor. You could save on gas and car maintenance by riding your bike to work and cut back the food bill by eating out less. Be sure to talk about these things in your blog as well.Remember to keep your attitude positive and your mind open as you go through your health journey. You’ll have good days and bad days. However, the key to maintaining your new lifestyle is to see it as a marathon, not a sprint. Explore Cultural Society for more health resources.   Image via Pexels Adobe Stock photo: group yoga

Three Ways to Avoid Burnout During Work Activities

by David TorrealbaAll Posts, Health & WellnessPosted on No Comments

Job stress levels in America are some of the highest in the last century. Maintaining 100 percent productivity can be a complex mission due to fatigue. It’s normal to feel burned out at work. It’s a more prevalent condition this decade, affecting traditional and remote employees alike. An Indeed study showed that 52 percent of workers feel tired at their jobs in 2021, nine percent more than a year earlier. Is fatigue a direct effect of work? Yes. It is a normal consequence because the human body uses energy that, like traditional energy, needs to be renewed after exhausting the available resources. All jobs reflect different results on fatigue. A US News article shows the top 25 of the most stressful jobs in America based on surveys. In the list below, you’ll see the first five places in this ranking: Finance Manager Lawyer Physician Construction Manager IT Manager Other occupations included in this list are nurses, web developers, graphic designers, police officers, and software engineers. How to Fight Burnout at Work? It’s difficult to create a universal guide because the demands of each job are different. The stress and fatigue levels also depend on the workers. Many people can easily work long hours, while others quickly suffer from mental exhaustion. In the paragraphs below, we will show you three tips to reduce or eliminate fatigue during your work days. Apply each of these points when necessary. Apply Timed Breaks Some believe that continuous work is the best way to complete an activity. The result may be faster, but your mental and physical health is in danger. Timed breaks are a great way to create the perfect balance between work and rest. This technique is common in office and freelance jobs. Exposure to a computer screen for many hours can affect your vision, spine, and brain. How does this strategy work? The scheme consists of repetition:   Start your work day and eliminate all distractions like cellphones, chats with colleagues, and television. Complete between 1-2 hours of uninterrupted work. Take a 15-minute break. During this time, you can get up from your chair, drink water, stretch, walk, and then return to your workplace when the break is over. Repeat the process. Ask for Help When Needed Being self-sufficient can take you far in any project, demonstrating your aptitude levels and problem-solving skills. However, forcing self-sufficiency can be dangerous. Many managers, CEOs, supervisors, and coordinators tend to rely exclusively on their experience during difficult situations, increasing stress and emotional exhaustion. In fact, asking for help is a collective benefit that improves your individual and collective performance. When you get a second opinion, your brain reduces exhaustion and works on fresh ideas. If you have a position where you must make decisions and solve problems, asking for help from your colleagues and other professionals will be the best technique for your health. Invest in Mental Health Despite the growth of this field in our society, mental health is still undervalued in many industries. The development of technology, connectivity, and more comfortable workspaces are still not enough to stop the job stress figures. Remember that anxiety, stress, and depression are illnesses like any other, and it’s okay to talk about them. If you have a job that requires a lot of concentration and physical effort, you should invest in your mental health. We recommend attending therapies with psychologists and other experts in this field. A professional session can help you discover the tools to deal with burnout and become a healthy and efficient employee at the same time. You can access consultations and digital resources from home thanks to the internet. Conclusion Work fatigue can be the beginning of other problems in your body. Never underestimate your health and mental stability, as the effects may be greater than you think. No job, role, or salary can be more important than your well-being. Follow our tips above and find the perfect balance between work, responsibility, and health. About the Author David Torrealba is an experienced content writer whose previous work experience includes social services, SEO writing, and journalism. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Communication and Print Journalism from Universidad del Zulia.