Stories About Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage

Here’s a sanitized version of the provided transcript, with inappropriate language and any sensitive content removed:

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[Music] Books, fried rice, and marinara. Young Mikey danced to his front door. “Mom, do you know I’m about to turn four? All of my friends will come over and play. Then piles of presents will fill our driveway. We’ll have a huge cake, and my buddies will say, ‘Your party was perfect! Hip hip hooray!’”

Mikey’s mom smiled as he finished his speech. “Your plan is fantastic, my sweet little peach, but no celebration is ever complete until you’ve decided what you want to eat.” Her statement stopped him dead in his tracks. Food, of course! Every party needs snacks.

“Well, pizza is something that everyone loves, but tacos fit in your hand like a glove. Burgers and hot dogs are easy to eat, but pork and fried rice is such a nice treat.” He needed a guru, a trusted grub guide. “Maybe my granny can help me decide what food to have for my birthday.”

He remembered his cousin’s birthday dishes for the twins: rice and spice on their special day. “Well, Joe had lasagna; he ate a whole tray.” Mikey was stuck, not sure what to do. He couldn’t decide between the two. “Um, ravioli or dumplings? Linguini or lo mein? All of these options were hurting his brain.”

He rushed to the park to get out of his head. His best friend Sophia found him and said, “Are you okay, Mikey? Why so much sorrow?”

“I can’t pick a dish, and my party’s tomorrow!”

“Your mom is Italian, your dad is Chinese. You’re free to choose food as unique as you please! Why not have both?”

“Both? Is that too outrageous? A Chinese-Italian mashup for the ages?”

“Yeah, Sophia, that’s it! I don’t have to choose one!”

He bolted straight home. There was lots to get done. Mikey burst into the kitchen. “I’m ready to pick! I’ve made my decision. This isn’t a trick! I want fried rice and marinara sauce!”

That will be different, but hey, you’re the boss!

The next day, he awoke in a jittery mood. Friends were arriving. Would they like the food? Mikey’s mom fried up a wok full of rice. In went the veggies, two eggs, and some spice. His friends helped give the tomatoes a squish. They drizzled the sauce to complete the new dish. Mikey tensed up as his friends took a taste, but the fusion of flavors lit up every face.

“It’s good!” Despite any doubts, the meal couldn’t be beat. The fried rice was savory, the marinara sweet. It tasted more scrumptious than they thought it could. The whole party shouted out, “Different is good!”

[Music]

Chelsea’s Chinese New Year, Chapter 1: Getting Ready.

Hi, I’m Chelsea! My family is getting ready for a big holiday called Chinese New Year. Dad says it is China’s most important holiday. Some people celebrate it in the United States too, like me.

We sure are busy right now! We’re cleaning last year’s bad luck out of our house. Then we’re going to buy new red clothes. Dad says red is for good luck. People in China have celebrated Chinese New Year for thousands of years. In that country, people call it Spring Festival. Lunar New Year is another name for the holiday.

Chapter 2: A Late Night.

We’ve worked hard to get ready. Now it’s the night before Chinese New Year. Even kids get to stay up really late tonight! Last year, I fell asleep too early. This year, I want to stay awake for all the fun.

The date for Chinese New Year changes every year. It’s based on an old Chinese calendar. It always starts at a time of month when we cannot see the moon from Earth. The holiday always takes place in January or February. We’re at my grandparents’ house for this big night. There are uncles, aunts, and cousins everywhere.

We talk and play games. All of this laughing helps me keep my eyes open. Family is the most important part of Chinese New Year. Some families also honor the gods and their ancestors. Ancestors are family members from long ago. Some people show honor by praying; some people put out offerings of food.

We have a big feast. There’s fish and lots of other food. Then everybody makes dumplings. They’re like little cooked pillows with yummy stuff inside. I can’t wait to eat them at midnight! Some families make sure to leave some fish for leftovers. They believe they will then have extra food in the new year.

Boom! Firecrackers snap, fireworks light the sky. It’s midnight! Chinese New Year is here, and I’m still awake!

People tell different stories about how Chinese New Year started. One story tells of a monster named Nian who showed up at New Year’s time, but people learned how to scare Nian away. The monster was afraid of loud noises and the color red.

Chapter 3: Still More Fun.

I finally fall asleep. In the morning, Mom and Dad give me a red envelope. Money falls out when I open it up! Chinese New Year really is a lucky time. Children often receive many red envelopes during Chinese New Year. The envelopes come from grown-up relatives, family friends, or neighbors.

Chinese New Year doesn’t stop after one day. We keep celebrating! We wear our new clothes, we take presents to friends and family, and we try to be very good. This starts the year out right.

Chinese New Year used to be 15 days long. Some people no longer celebrate that whole time, but many people still celebrate for several days.

Chapter 4: Parade.

Chinese New Year ends with a big parade. My favorite part is the dragon! Dad says dragons are lucky too. Many Chinese men moved to California in the mid-1800s. They brought the Chinese New Year celebration to California. In modern times, the city of San Francisco has a big Chinese New Year parade each year. The parade’s dragon is over 200 feet long!

I guess Chinese New Year is finally over, but I have enough luck to last until next year!

[Music]

Po’s Lucky Chinese New Year.

People spend 15 days preparing and then 15 days celebrating Chinese New Year. Chinese New Year is like Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day all bundled together. Po came all the way from China to celebrate with us in America. She says Chinese New Year is a time for new beginnings.

Making sure we have a lucky new year is serious business. Papa is here to help me. Do not carry dirt out the front door because that means a family member will leave. Swish, swish! Po says I need to sweep out the bad luck before the new year comes. I sweep the dirt toward the middle and carry it out the back door.

I also sweep out my crying baby brother. Po says I’m naughty, so I sweep him back in and rub his big Buddha belly. Spray, spray! I make sure my window is super clean. Po says the windows need to be spotless. Good fortune needs to flow in!

I’ll finish tomorrow. Po says you can’t clean on New Year’s Day; you’d wipe out good luck. Po has a lot of funny rules about luck. I want to be lucky, but following her dos and don’ts is hard work.

Do open the windows and doors at midnight to allow the old year to leave. Drip, drop! Po gets my bath ready. She reminds me to wash my hair. I’ll wash it tomorrow. Po says your good luck will wash down the drain along with the soapy water. I want good luck! I wash my hair three times.

Po tells me to finish washing my baby brother’s hair, but I only wash him one time. I also don’t use as much shampoo for him. I’m older, so I need more luck!

Do not wash your hair on New Year’s Day! Sizzle, sizzle! Po makes a whole chicken so that our family will stay together. She prepares a fish with the head and tail still on so we’ll have a good beginning and a good ending. It’ll also help make our wishes come true.

I cross my fingers; this adds extra American luck! Do cook and eat lucky food. The last dish Po makes is noodles. I want to break my noodles in half, but Po says noodles should be long and unbroken, like life. I eat two bowlfuls of my long noodles. I eat my baby brother’s noodles too. I want to live forever!

Do hang red and gold banners and paper cuts to ensure a flow of good luck and to invite in good spirits. Snip, snip! Red paper and gold ribbon surround me. I’m busy making and pasting Chinese paper cuts. Po bought a special sign from Chinatown that says “Fu.” It’s the Chinese word for luck. She puts this on her door. She says I’m going to hang this upside down. The Chinese words for upside down sound like “arrive,” so this means luck has arrived!

Do not sleep on New Year’s if you want your parents to live longer lives. Sip, sip! I drink green tea so I can stay awake past midnight. No sleeping for me! Po says I have to welcome the New Year. The sound of the word “sleep” in Chinese is like the word for “trouble.” We don’t want any trouble in the new year!

I watch Po and Mama play mahjong with friends. Click, click! The little blocks move quickly. Even my baby brother stays up. It’s finally here! It’s Chinese New Year’s Day! Happy Chinese New Year!

I make a ruckus running around the house. Po says the first person you meet today and the first words you hear are important to your fortune in the new year. I want to be the first person my baby brother sees today. I whisper in his ear, “Fo!” and he says “Fo!” back.

Do not greet people in their bedrooms; it’s unlucky. I bring him to the living room where Po makes food offerings to our ancestors on Chinese New Year’s Day. Po says I can’t say any bad words or think bad things. I push bad thoughts out of my head, but it’s really hard work, especially when my baby brother is around.

I do not call him bad names, even when he pulls my hair. This is the hardest rule to follow. Do not cut away your good thoughts. Do not use knives or scissors on this day. I wear my new red chunam; my baby brother wears his new red Chongshan. Po says these are traditional Chinese clothes.

She says children should have new clothes and new shoes for the new year. She also says we should wear red. Red will keep bad luck away; it’s the color of fire. Po strings red ribbons in my braids. She puts a red Chinese hat on my baby brother. I wear his hat when Po isn’t looking.

Do wear red; it scares away bad spirits and monsters. Do not use the number four in Chinese language. The character for four sounds like the character for death. I fill a small plate with four almond cookies. Po adds four more. Four is unlucky, but eight is lucky. She counts everything she adds or subtracts to avoid the number four.

My baby brother has four teeth. I draw an extra tooth for him and tape it to his mouth. Po says evil spirits will make an exception for baby teeth. I tape it to his diaper just in case.

Do make loud noises! The firecrackers, dragon dancers, and gongs scare away the evil spirits. Pow, pow! I throw tiny firecrackers and snaps on our front doorstep to keep out the evil spirits. Pow, pow! At the parade in Chinatown, I help the dragons chase away evil spirits. I throw the loud snaps at their feet.

K says only big girls can do this; my baby brother has to wait until he’s older. I throw extra snaps for him. Do keep the leaves and stems on fruits and give those to married people. It means they will have a long marriage.

Thank you, Po! I hand out oranges to family and friends. We’re giving them happiness and wealth. I eat a couple because I want to be happy and rich. I eat more because I want to be super happy and super rich!

Popo tells me to give oranges to Mama and Papa. I use my brand new red marker to write a card. Po almost has a heart attack. No red ink! I thought red was lucky. Po says writing in red ink means you want that person to go away.

I think about writing a card to my baby brother in red ink. He spilled his lunch all over my Chongshan. I take it back. No bad thoughts!

My favorite part of Chinese New Year is getting the lucky red envelopes. Po says Mama and Papa have to give lucky money to little children, unmarried family members, and their own parents. Lucky money has crisp, brand new dollar bills inside.

I’m glad I’m not a grown-up because I don’t have to give away any lucky money! I have a mountain of red envelopes. Po says I have to put them under my pillow so I won’t have bad dreams.

Do give children lucky money because Po says happiness comes in pairs. Finally, the house is quiet. A lucky new year is hard work! I put two red envelopes next to my baby brother’s head. I whisper to him, “You’re lucky to have me!”

[Music]

Kora Cooks.

Kora loved the kitchen. She loved to drink in the smells of Mama’s Filipino dishes. Kora’s older sisters and brother often helped with the cooking. They got the grown-up jobs like shredding the chicken or mixing noodles in the pot. They sliced vegetables and rolled lumpia into tiny egg roll shapes. Kora was stuck with kid jobs like drawing pictures in the flour or licking spoons. She longed to be a real cook.

One day, Kora’s three older sisters headed to the mall. Her brother darted outside with his ball glove. Now was her chance! Kora popped her head around the corner. “What are we making today, Mama?”

Mama wiped her hands on the front of her red apron. She put her hands on her hips. “What would you like to make today?” asked Mama in her buttery voice.

Kora was surprised Mama was letting her decide. She scrunched up her pugged nose and began to think. All her favorite Filipino foods danced in her head: lines of lumpia pranced in, adobo chicken legs bathed in sauce.

Then she saw a large bowl of pancit. The thick noodles and vegetables curled and swirled in a dance party. “Will you teach me to make pancit?” she asked.

“Of course!” said Mama. “Would you like to wear my red apron?”

“Oh, yes!” Kora was a real cook now! The apron was a little too big, but it would do. Mama helped Kora tie the strings around her back and make a neat bow at her belly button.

“This apron belonged to Lolo, your grandpa,” said Mama. “He wore it when he first came to California. He was a cook for the Filipino farm workers who picked strawberries and grapes in the fields.”

“Did Lolo teach you how to cook?” Kora wanted to know.

“He did,” said Mama. “I followed him each day to the big kitchen. He created all kinds of dishes to fill the hungry workers’ tummies. While he cooked, he told stories about the Philippines, where he was born.”

Kora nodded as she listened. Lolo told us about the countryside where he grew up. His family harvested pineapples, bananas, and papayas. He used to eat smashed fried bananas and sweet rice wrapped in banana leaves.

Kora stuffed her hands in the deep apron pockets. She imagined Mama and Lolo cooking together.

She knew the rules in Mama’s kitchen. She scrubbed her hands with soap.

Mama dug in the cupboards and refrigerator for ingredients. She listed what they needed for the pancit: chicken, celery, carrots, mushrooms, onions, baby corn, cabbage, ginger, garlic, soy sauce.

“Don’t forget the noodles!” said Kora.

“Oh yes, the noodles!” said Mama. “Let’s get started!”

Mama told Kora to open the package of rice noodles and put them in this bowl of water.

“Do you know why we soak them?”

“So they get soft!” answered Kora.

“You’ve been paying attention!” said Mama with a wink. Kora opened the package and plopped the big clump of noodles into the bowl.

Meanwhile, Mama took out some chicken she had cooked earlier. This was Mama’s special stash. She used chicken for all kinds of Filipino dishes like tinola, chicken curry, and lumpia.

“Want to help me shred?” asked Mama.

Kora’s eyes grew wide. A grown-up job! She was ready! She pulled the chicken pieces apart the way her older sister Prim did. She placed them on a plate. Kora snuck a tiny bite of chicken. She rolled it to the back of her mouth before Mama noticed. The salty taste tickled her tongue.

“I’ll chop,” said Mama. Kora arranged the vegetables in a row. Mama chopped celery stalks, carrots, cabbage, and onions. When Mama started slicing onions, tears ran down Kora’s cheeks.

She looked up and saw Mama’s watery eyes. “Onions make us cry!” sang Mama. They both laughed.

Mama took out her huge pan with a shiny copper outside and big handles. The pan was deep enough to hold all the ingredients. Kora danced on her tiptoes to see inside.

Mama asked Kora to step back while she added some oil and the vegetables to the pan. The pot began to hiss and sizzle. Mama added spices too: garlic, ginger, and a splash of soy sauce.

Kora loved the smell of garlic. “Can you check the noodles?” Kora asked Mama.

Kora scratched her head. She tried to remember what her sister Sarah did when she checked the noodles. Kora thought she should sniff the noodles, but she picked up the bowl too quickly. Water sloshed onto the floor.

“Are you making a mess?” asked Mama with pointy eyebrows.

“Silly Kora! You just need to touch the noodles with two fingers to see if they are soft.” Mama laughed and handed Kora a towel to mop up the mess.

Mama went to work straining the noodles. “Now for the fun part!” said Mama. “Let’s add the noodles to the pan!”

“Can I stir?” asked Kora. She knew this was another grown-up job.

“Yes, but be careful near the burner!” called Mama, who pulled out a stool for Kora to stand on.

Kora began to stir in a wide circle. She watched the noodles somersault over the carrots